Shadow Politics, April 3, 2022
Shadow Politics with Senator Michael Brown
HELD OVER FROM LAST WEEK...
The Rise of White Christian Nationalism
DR. SAMUEL PERRY
Award-Winning Scholar, Sociology Professor, Author, Contributor to the Report to the January 6th Select Committee
An award-winning scholar and teacher, Dr. Samuel L. Perry is among the nation’s leading experts on conservative Christianity and American politics, race, sexuality and families.
Along with numerous articles published in leading academic journals, Dr. Perry has also authored or co-authored four books, including GROWING GOD'S FAMILY: The Global Orphan Care Movement and the Limits of Evangelical Activism (NYU, 2017), ADDICTED TO LUST: Pornography in the Lives of Conservative Protestants (Oxford, 2019), TAKING AMERICA BACK FOR GOD: Christian Nationalism in the United States (Oxford, 2020; co-authored with Andrew Whitehead) and the forthcoming THE FLAG + THE CROSS: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy (Oxford, 2022; co-authored with Philip Gorski).
Dr. Perry is currently working on a book about how the scientific study of religion benefits all of society and another book about how culture wars and consumer markets shape English bibles.
Dr. Perry is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Oklahoma.
A bracing examination of a force that imperils American democracy
Most Americans were shocked by the violence they witnessed at the nation's Capitol Building on January 6th. And many were bewildered by the images displayed by the insurrectionists: a wooden cross and wooden gallows; "Jesus saves" and "Don't Tread on Me;" Christian flags and Confederate Flags; even a prayer in Jesus' name after storming the Senate chamber. Where some saw a confusing jumble, Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry saw a familiar ideology: white Christian nationalism.
White Christian nationalism motivates the anti-democratic, authoritarian and violent impulses on display in our current political moment. The future of American democracy, Gorski and Perry argue, will depend on whether a broad spectrum of Americans — stretching from democratic socialists to classical liberals — can unite in a popular front to combat the threat to liberal democracy posed by white Christian nationalism.
Researchers warn that Christian nationalists are becoming more radical and are targeting voting
By Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post, March 18, 2022
Headlined Show, Shadow Politics April 3, 2022
Topic: The Rise of White Christian Nationalism with our guest DR. SAMUEL PERRY, Award-Winning Scholar, Sociology Professor, Author. Marília and I will speak with Dr. Perry about the rise of radicalism among White American Christians who embrace the Bible with one hand and the Constitution with the other. Concern about religious extremism led to a congressional briefing titled “GOD IS ON OUR SIDE: White Christian Nationalism and the Capitol Insurrection” — hosted by the Congressional Freethought Caucus. We will also discuss his contribution to the new 66-page report, CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM AND THE JANUARY 6, 2021 INSURRECTION — a project of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Guest, Dr Samuel Perry
An award-winning scholar and teacher, Dr. Perry is among the nation’s leading experts on conservative Christianity and American politics, race, sexuality, and families. Along with numerous articles published in leading academic journals, Dr. Perry has also authored or co-authored four books including Growing God’s Family (NYU, 2017), Addicted to Lust (Oxford, 2019), Taking America Back for God (Oxford, 2020; co-authored with Andrew Whitehead) and the forthcoming The Flag and The Cross (Oxford, 2022; co-authored with Philip Gorski).
He is currently working on a forthcoming book about how the scientific study of religion benefits all of society and another book about how culture wars and consumer markets shape English bibles.
Shadow Politics
Shadow Politics is a grass roots talk show giving a voice to the voiceless. For more than 200 years the people of the Nation's Capital have ironically been excluded from the national political conversation. With no voting member of either house of Congress, Washingtonians have lacked the representation they need to be equal and to have their voices heard. Shadow Politics will provide a platform for them, as well as the millions of others nationwide who feel politically disenfranchised and disconnected, to be included in a national dialog.
We need to start a new conversation in America, one that is more inclusive and diverse and one that will lead our great nation forward to meet the challenges of the 21st century. At Shadow Politics, we hope to get this conversation started by bringing Americans together to talk about issues important to them. We look forward to having you be part of the discussion so call in and join the conversation. America is calling and we're listening… Shadow Politics is about America hearing what you have to say. It's your chance to talk to an elected official who has spent more than 30 years in Washington politics. We believe that if we start a dialog and others add their voices we will create a chorus. Even if those other politicians in Washington don't hear you — Senator Brown will. He's on a mission to listen to what America has to say and use it to start a productive dialog to make our democracy stronger and more inclusive. If we are all part of the solution we can solve any problem.
