The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism

Chapter 8 continues exploring the American Restoration Tour. Through the Tour, Barton and Connelly propagate rhetoric of American annihilation by the left, referring to the left-leaning side of America’s political spectrum. Defining the left as “whiners and complainers and God-haters” (164), Connelly exhorts the crowd to register to vote according to “biblical values.” By arguing that they merely advocate for people to vote according to Christian values, Barton and Connelly successfully use the unspoken implications to drum up support for conservative Republicans. Barton uses false narratives about the history of America to equate American and Christian identities, while Connelly warns of the urgency of voting in politicians with Christian values.

Connelly argues that Christians are losing the country to people who don’t understand why America is superior. He insists that the Bible justifies cultural intervention by Christians. He cannot remember many of the churches he has visited, yet he insists that he has never seen any examples of churches being radicalized by politics.

In a meeting with evangelical pastors and Alberta where they discuss radicalization, Alberta brings up Winans’s opinion that too many evangelicals worship America The pastors agreed that they have seen this in person. Connelly is “incredulous” and refuses to believe it.