When Did Jesus Become Republican?: Rescuing Our Country and Our Values from the Right-- Strategies for a Post-Bush America

by Mark Ellingsen

Despite the results of the 2006 elections, the coalition between Conservative politics and American Christians remains a dominant force in setting the American socio-cultural and political agenda. Ellingsen argues that until this coalition is diminished we will remain a politically conservative nation to the detriment of the poor, the marginalized, the middle class, and nations around the world, as well as to the detriment of the spiritual life in America's churches! Unlike previous books lamenting this Neo-Conservative-Christian coalition, Ellingsen offers the first account of the root (Puritan) causes for this coalition and provides readers with concrete strategies that we can adopt to challenge the tragic pact between so many committed Christians and political leaders that value business and global domination above all else.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Theology

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2007

Reviews

[Patrice Graziani · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book is historically interesting, it is also dense and difficult to synthesize in one read. And the middle devolves into a misinformed commentary about how Catholicism and other similar sects are too liberal, which I find hardly true as Catholics are quite conservative. The author goes on to suggest instead of critically analyzing Christianity in order to understand and find truth, we should become biblical literalists to kowtow to the conservatives of our country and hope they will understand then that the Bible actually calls for radical socialism. Good luck with that! The book blames movements like womens rights and gay rights for distracting the religious from being theology focused, as if ensuring equality for all isn’t something Jesus would’ve wanted. This book is also woefully outdated as our country has only polarized drastically in the Trump era. Save yourself a headache and read something else.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book. It describes the puritanical christian roots of the Christian coalition that dominates the Republican political scene. Ellingsen gives a great history of the christian right, and how it came to be so popular. He also discusses the need for the Religious left to "reclaim Jesus" from the Religious right, and to overcome the cultural relativism that much of religion has adopted.

I wish I could describe it better, but to be honest, the book is hard to follow at times. It might be its academic approach, but really I think its that the writer dances around the point and expects you to draw the conclusion. The content of the book is interesting, but the delivery could be better.

[Franziska · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't read the whole book. But here are a few things of what I liked/didn't like. I really enjoyed the academic approach of the book. Instead of the conservative/liberal sides bashing each other based on very few, serious facts, this books was no bashing, and lots of factual stuff/research. That was also my biggest gripe with the book. It read like a research paper for a journal. Detailed, and academic, but slow and...well, kinda boring.

I still enjoyed some of the insights, and would recommend it to non-republican minds who love reading research papers.

[Lisa Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was obviously well researched and presented in an equitable manner. It was written from an academic standpoint which is not always accessible to the average reader. While I found the book quite informative, I did not necessarily agree with the Puritanical foundation as a basis for the rise of the religious right. I recommend it for anyone interested in the topic of political polarization and the role of religion in that polarization.