The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory
American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism
POLITICS
by Tim Alberta
5/7/20246 min read
Welcome to the book summary “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory - American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism” by Tim Alberta, written and narrated by Janky Mind.
Introduction
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory is a book that takes a hard look at how some Christians in America have mixed religion with politics since President Trump's time. Written by a preacher's kid, it explores how this mix-up has led them astray from their faith.
The big question is: Should Christians mix faith with politics? Jesus once said that politics is for rulers, and faith is for God. He meant that Christians should respect political leaders but keep their faith pure.
However, many American Christians think the U.S. is their promised land, blessed by God. They believe they must use politics to keep America on the right track, which sometimes means fighting against those they disagree with more than living like Jesus taught.
Tim Alberta, who grew up as a pastor's son and follows Christianity, concludes in his book that these political battles are overshadowing the true teachings of Jesus.
Chapter 1: "Why Are They Acting Like This?"
Tim Alberta was a guy who liked to keep his faith to himself. He was more into chatting about politics than personal beliefs. But then, Donald Trump decided to run for president, and everything changed.
Trump was the new kid on the political block, and nobody saw him coming. He shook up the Republican Party like a snow globe, and everyone was scratching their heads, wondering how he did it.
To get the scoop, Tim had to dive into the heart of America, visiting towns that felt like his childhood home near Detroit. The folks there were mostly rich, white, conservative, and big on going to church.
For years, these communities just went with the Republican flow, not because they loved the party, but because they weren't fans of the other side. It was all about picking the lesser of two evils.
But Trump? He was a whole different ball game. Sure, they weren't keen on Hillary Clinton, but Trump got them really fired up. Despite his wild reputation and some pretty out-there behavior, his support from churchgoers only got stronger. They figured a rough-around-the-edges guy could still be part of a bigger plan.
These voters saw Trump as their knight in shining armor, protecting their beliefs from what they saw as an attack by the other side. So, when the 2016 election rolled around, it was either Trump or what they called "American carnage."
When Tim went back to his hometown for his dad's funeral, he got an earful instead of sympathy. The church crowd had a bone to pick with him over his book that wasn't too kind to Trump. They echoed talk show hosts, demanded apologies, and threw around conspiracy theories.
Tim and his wife were left wondering, "What's gotten into everyone?" And that's the mystery Tim set out to solve.
Let's break it down into a simpler story:
Chapter 2: "When Faith Meets Fanaticism"
Chris Winan was a chill pastor in Michigan who didn't mix Jesus with politics. He thought church was for worship, not political rants. But when he saw his church folks ranting online about democrats attacking Christianity, he just shrugged it off and focused on his sermons.
Everything flipped upside down when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, everyone was saying the virus was fake news, a plot to shut down churches. It was like the doomsday they'd been fearing was here.
Back in the day, evangelicals were scared of the Soviet Union because it didn't believe in God. When it collapsed, they started seeing enemies closer to home. The idea that liberals were out to get Christianity was out there, but it really took off when Obama became president.
Enter Donald Trump, the TV guy turned politician. He convinced people that Obama wasn't really American, maybe even a secret Muslim or communist. Trump played this up, saying democrats were out to "hurt God," but he'd give Christianity the power if he won.
Trump also played down the pandemic, making people think it was all a liberal scam. Fast forward to the 2020 election, and Pastor Winan's church wanted him to bash Joe Biden. He said no, and they walked out. After Trump lost, things got wilder. A church leader spreading QAnon conspiracies got the boot, and more folks left.
The last straw was seeing Trump fans storm the Capitol with Bibles and crosses. That shook Winan to his core, making him question everything.
In an interview, Tim Alberta asked Winan the big question: "What's up with American evangelicals?" Winan had a simple answer: "They're too into America.”
Here's a simpler take on the story:
Chapter 3: "Mixing Heaven and Politics"
Chris Winan was puzzled. Why were people mixing up their faith with their country? To get it, we need a quick Bible recap.
In the old days, God made Israel for the Jewish folks. They had a VIP pass with God, living by His rules. But they goofed up, started copying other nations, and God let Israel fall apart.
Fast forward, and Jesus pops up. He's a simple carpenter's kid with big news: Forget about the old Israel; there's a cooler place waiting after this life, and it's open to everyone, not just Jews.
The Bible's pretty clear: Earthly stuff is temporary, but what's waiting up in heaven is forever. Jesus was like, "Pay your taxes, but remember, God's the boss." Worshiping a country is a big no-no.
But some folks didn't get the memo. They treated America like it was the new holy land, thinking they had to defend it like it was a matter of heaven or hell.
Winan thought this was all wrong. The Bible says to focus on the invisible, eternal stuff. Getting too caught up in politics is like missing the point. Early Christians knew they were just passing through, but now, some people are acting like they own the place. Instead of staying humble like Jesus, they're chasing power and glory.
So, that's the dilemma: Should you grab Caesar's sword or stick with Jesus's cross? It's a choice between earthly power and heavenly peace.
Chapter 4: "Faith's Crossroads"
Back in '91, almost everyone in the US was on Team Christian. But fast forward thirty years, and it's like a whole new ballgame. Now, only about 6 out of 10 Americans cheer for Christianity, while nearly 3 out of 10 don't wave any religious flags at all.
So, what's up with the big switch? Russell Moore, a big brain in the church world, thinks politics is the party crasher. Christianity turned into a ticket to get somewhere, and folks figured out they could skip the line without it. Nowadays, "evangelical" sounds more like a political club than a faith group.
Moore's looking at a church that's lost its compass. It's more about headlines than holy scriptures. And the preacher squad's getting thin – back in the day, a third of them were young guns under 40. Now? Only about 1 in 6.
Churches are splitting up over politics like a bad breakup. Some are going their own way, and others are just calling it quits because they can't agree on which way to vote.
But here's a twist: more Christians are now calling themselves "mainline protestants," the folks who are a bit more chill about theology and more forward-thinking. Why's that? Well, some who've left the evangelical scene say it's gotten a bad rep. It feels more like a power play than a path to the pearly gates. For them, being evangelical is like a roadblock to spreading the good word.
Alberta, the guy telling this story, thinks today's evangelicals are missing the point like some of Jesus's OG fans did. They didn't get why he was hanging out with the wrong crowd. Jesus wasn't about keeping people out; he was all about bringing them in.
To stop faith from fading out, Alberta says, the church needs to go back to basics. It's got to drop the "us vs. them" act and start chatting with everyone, just like the big J did.
Final summary
A lot of Christian folks hold America close to their hearts, thinking it's got a VIP pass with God. But lately, that love's turned into a super intense kind of patriotism.
Tim Alberta, a guy who's been around the church block, notices things are off track. These days, it's less about Jesus and more about political showdowns. He's worried that if the church crowd doesn't get back to its main gig – sharing the good news – they might just fade out from everyday life.
About the author
Tim Alberta writes for the big leagues like the Atlantic and used to be the go-to politics guy at Politico. He's got a bestseller out there called "American Carnage," which dives into the GOP's wild ride and Trump's rise to the top. He's also been the referee for a presidential debate and drops his two cents in places like the Wall Street Journal and Vanity Fair.