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A review by jarreloliveira
The Religion of American Greatness by Paul D. Miller
5.0
One of the greatest novels on this topic: Christian nationalism.
Although the author leans more to a conservative think tank and proudly admits that much in the introduction. If you understand how someone's political philosophy may influence their history and faith then you can tackle this book with confidence. I do, however, credit is ability to tackle this issue from a dialectic standpoint rather than a binary one that hangs these issues on the edge of a spear, re-creating the problematic narrative of fear mongering politics.
He outright condemns Christian nationalism and nationalism of every stripe, deciphering the despicable history behind the theo-political movement. He demonstrates a healthy form of national pride, namely, patriotism in the form of republicanism, one aside from the flawed and neo-nationalist form now found in the American right wing Republican party which espouses destructive Christian nationalism.
He tackles the failed and flawed nature also of American progressives who have made the state their religion and the American past the sacrifice that needs to be offered on the altar of virtue signalling.
I love that he demonstrates the racialized history of American Christian nationalism and its continued failure to admit and confront the racist ghosts that haunt it and the propagandists who bathe in its sinful and evil exercises against Black Americans, homosexuals, non-Christians, and other minority groups. This movement, identitarian in essence, nationalist in numbers and power, may bring about not only the destruction of American ideals, which have struggled to live out their principles, but it may also accomplish the very thing it claims to fight against: illiberalism.
If you want a sound and redemptive conversation on the topic of American faith as it relates to America civic responsibility, search no further than Paul D. Miller's The Religion of American Greatness.
Although the author leans more to a conservative think tank and proudly admits that much in the introduction. If you understand how someone's political philosophy may influence their history and faith then you can tackle this book with confidence. I do, however, credit is ability to tackle this issue from a dialectic standpoint rather than a binary one that hangs these issues on the edge of a spear, re-creating the problematic narrative of fear mongering politics.
He outright condemns Christian nationalism and nationalism of every stripe, deciphering the despicable history behind the theo-political movement. He demonstrates a healthy form of national pride, namely, patriotism in the form of republicanism, one aside from the flawed and neo-nationalist form now found in the American right wing Republican party which espouses destructive Christian nationalism.
He tackles the failed and flawed nature also of American progressives who have made the state their religion and the American past the sacrifice that needs to be offered on the altar of virtue signalling.
I love that he demonstrates the racialized history of American Christian nationalism and its continued failure to admit and confront the racist ghosts that haunt it and the propagandists who bathe in its sinful and evil exercises against Black Americans, homosexuals, non-Christians, and other minority groups. This movement, identitarian in essence, nationalist in numbers and power, may bring about not only the destruction of American ideals, which have struggled to live out their principles, but it may also accomplish the very thing it claims to fight against: illiberalism.
If you want a sound and redemptive conversation on the topic of American faith as it relates to America civic responsibility, search no further than Paul D. Miller's The Religion of American Greatness.