Follow the Money to the After Party

First Things ^ | January 22, 2024 | Megan Basham

[Jessarah]

ecular news outlets from NPR to the New York Times are hailing Tim Alberta’s new book, The Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory, for furthering the popular thesis that evangelicals have abandoned themselves to political idolatry. By “political idolatry” they mean “political conservatism,” as neither Alberta’s book nor the many prestige outlets enthusing over it have a word of criticism for Christians who advance left-wing causes. However, a curious passage in the book suggests that those leveling this charge may be most guilty of infecting the church with partisanship.

Alberta reports on The After Party, a forthcoming program led by Duke Divinity consulting professor Curtis Chang and developed with New York Times columnist David French and Christianity Today editor in chief Russell Moore. The program offers pastors and small groups a curriculum “reframing Christian political identity from today’s divisive partisan options.”

[Jessarah]

"According to Alberta, during its germination phase, the project hit a roadblock. Evangelical donors had little interest in funding an explicitly political Bible study. Thus, to get The After Party off the ground, the trio (all frequent critics of evangelicals who voted for Donald Trump) turned to “predominantly progressive” “unbelievers.” In fact, they turned to secular left-wing foundations. "

[Olog-hai]

There will be no loyalty, except loyalty to the After Party. There will be no love, except the love of . . .

[immadashell]

I’m perfectly happy being a card carrying Deplorable!

[Dr. Thorne]

The political idolatry I see is blind worship of Donald Trump as the only possible savior of America. Evangelicals are looking for such a messiah as the Jews of the 1st century looked for a political and military messiah to rid them of Roman oppression. Instead, they got a suffering Messiah who offered them eternal life through the forgiveness of sins. Imagine their disappointment.

God sits in the heavens and laughs.

[Tell It Right]

This book is pushed by the great theologian David French. LOL That's all you need to know.

It basically says the American loving Christians should sit down and shut up so that the freedom hating "Christians" can speak for us. French's line of thinking might sit well with churches that like to segregate the Christians into either "clergy" or "laity".

But that dog don't hunt with Christians who know it's every Christian's job to double-check behind our leaders' teachings (see tagline). In other words, we don't sheepishly follow our "elites".

[bray]

There is a difference between supporters and cult worship. Libs like to conflate the two to denigrate his supporters and make them sound crazy. It is one of their oldest and sleaziest tactics.

[wbarmy]

Dr. Thorne, I disagree that many of them are looking at Trump as a possible savior, just as the best choice we have in a bad market.

However, if you are correct, what should we do? Vote for Biden?

Instead of just proclaiming all American Christians as idolators in the stamp of the Pharisees, give a reasonable solution. Or should we just count America as dead and began waiting to go gently into the night?