'Money, Lies, and God': The Rise of Christian Nationalism and the Battle for American Democracy
(a disturbing, extremely important read)
‘Money, Lies, and God’: The Rise of Christian Nationalism and the Battle for American Democracy
PUBLISHED 2/14/2025 by Eleanor J. Bader
Katherine Stewart exposes the rise of Christian nationalism as a coordinated, anti-democratic movement fueled by disinformation, authoritarian alliances and religious extremism.
Sign that reads "Vote The Bible"Campaign signs in a rural southern Ohio neighborhood during the 2004 election. (Joe Sohm / Visions of America / Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Katherine Stewart’s third book on the anti-democratic right-wing, Money, Lies and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy (out Feb. 18), features a diverse cast of allied characters: right-wing Catholic, evangelical and Pentecostal clergy and their loyal congregants; atheist billionaires; conservative intellectuals; deep-pocketed funders; misogynists eager to reverse feminist gains; Jewish devotees of Ayn Rand; white supremacists; anti-vaccine activists; and opponents of public education, environmental protections and the so-called “Deep State,” among them. This unprecedented coalition, Stewart writes, involves a dizzying array of organizations and individuals, all of them hellbent on winning more than “a seat at the noisy table of American democracy.” Instead, she writes, they favor “burning down the house.”
What’s more, Stewart describes the movement as “more political pathology than political program” and notes that the overarching aim of this well-coordinated campaign is the destruction of democracy and the elevation of Christian nationalism. It’s a chilling finding. But Stewart also reports that these anti-democratic forces do not always operate in lockstep, and are divided by numerous internal contradictions: Should they support free speech or push for book bans? Should they advocate for small government or work to bring government into reproductive decision-making? Stewart spoke to Ms. reporter Eleanor J. Bader about her research shortly before Money, Lies and God was released.
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Bader: What roles does retribution—punishing feminists, people of color, unionized workers and the LGBTQIA+ community—play?
Stewart: Paranoia, a sense of persecution and promises of retribution are key parts of today’s right-wing thinking. Trump won by promising to crush “the enemy within,” stomp “liberal dominance,” and smash what he calls “the Deep State.” Many of his supporters are expecting retribution; they are the angriest victors I’ve ever seen. It’s about punitive instincts against a supposedly demonic “other.” This is particularly important because evangelical and Charismatic churches preach about spiritual warfare, and they see this “warfare” played out in political headlines. Members of these churches often explicitly favor creating a government of, by and for conservative Christians, with everyone else present by invitation only.
Bader: You write that if those who reject the politics of domination and conquest that the movement represents take the long view, pro-democracy movements can succeed. What needs to happen?
Stewart: As I write in Money, Lies, and God, we need to create a big tent for those who wish to restore our democracy and defend our institutions. We could benefit from a more progressive system of taxation. We need to expose the role of dark money in politics and take on disinformation. We need to build a more robust separation between church and state and we need to defend public education and voting rights, the integrity of the judiciary, and other democratic institutions. We also need to think long-term and invest in institutions and organizations that promote democracy.
https://msmagazine.com/2025/02/14/money-lies-and-god-christian-nationalism-american-democracy-trump-catholic-evangelical-pentecostal/
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