However one great weakness of the book is that every action by evangelicals is seen through the lens firstly of race (whiteness is an explanation for almost everything) and secondly the promotion of patriarchy. It is interesting that in a 300 page book on evangelicalism, I cannot recall the Bible being quoted once. She writes of course, from a “progressive” point of view and is significantly further to the left than I am (although in fairness, most people are further to the left than me). It is thoroughly researched and Du Mez presents her ideas very clearly. The point of the book being that white Evangelicals embracing Trump was not an anomaly, but an inevitability given the trajectory of militant masculinity in the previous 50 years. Du Mez has really done her homework and shows the statistics to prove her point that the majority of evangelicals did eventually support him. They first embraced John Wayne (whose lifestyle was anything but evangelical), then a procession of other “strong men”, and eventually in 2016, endorsed and even embraced Donald Trump. For at least 50 years, the white evangelical male has been looking for a hero, someone to defend their worldview. ĭu Mez sees Evangelicalism in her country as inextricably tied to being “American and maintaining the white patriarchy”.
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In learning how to be Christian men, evangelicals also learned how to think about sex, guns, war, borders, Muslims, immigrants, the military, foreign policy, and the nation itself. ().įrom the start, Evangelical masculinity has been both personal and political. Evangelical views on any given issue are facets of this larger cultural identity, and no number of Bible verses will dislodge the greater truths at the heart of it. It’s hard to summarise almost 300 pages of detailed research, but her thesis is essentially that evangelicalism in the United States is a cultural/political movement rather than being theologically defined:ĭespite Evangelicals ’ frequent claims that the Bible is the source of their social and political commitments, Evangelicalism must be seen as a cultural and political movement rather than a community defined chiefly by theology. She also explains the power of the communication and marketing networks that were built up within the evangelical community. Du Mez shows in great detail how evangelicals grew in political involvement, and indeed political power, over these decades. Piper and Grudem and the Danvers declaration in 1989-named after meeting in Danvers, Massachusetts in which the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood released a statement and the term “complementarian” was coined. “Popular” evangelical books about masculinity are mentioned, but also more serious theological explorations of the role of men within the Christian faith e.g. Unfortunately, the past half-century has given her a lot of material to work with. Unfortunately, the past half-century has given her a lot of material to work with.ĭu Mez outlines many instances of abuse within the evangelical world. Du Mez outlines many instances of abuse of power within the evangelical world and a large number of sex scandals. Mahaney and Bill Hybels, along with the sad and troubling events surrounding them.
Other familiar names appear, including Mark Driscoll, C.J.
Al Mohler from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (appears regularly).James Dobson (I was surprised to learn the level of influence Dobson had in the Evangelical world in the USA).As Du Mez works through the decades, many of the names that come up will be familiar to Australian evangelicals-for example:
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