This week, author and journalist Katherine Stewart joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the rise of Christian Nationalism, Trump’s authoritarian tendencies, and the weaponization of faith for political gain. Together, they dive into the current political climate, the deep divisions within American society, and how knowledge and organizing are key to defending democracy.
Katherine’s latest book, out on February 10th, Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy, explores the Christian Nationalist movement, which is fueled by the ultra-wealthy to protect their fortunes at the expense of democracy. Building on the foundation of her previous work, The Power Worshippers, Katherine’s new book reveals how these powerful forces exploit religious narratives to erode democratic institutions.
“Extreme levels of inequality are eroding our democracy. This is something that we need to understand. I think there was nothing more stark than to see perhaps the group of the richest men in the world attending Trump’s inauguration. You had Bezos there, you had Musk there with his salute, whatever. I mean, you have these tech billionaires there. And here’s Trump promising to work for you when he’s speaking to the right: ‘When they come for you they’re coming through me!’ And you really think that he’s going to serve you, when he’s got these billionaires that he’s really serving and who are basically paying him bribes by any other name to get policies that they want.”
– Katherine Stewart, an author and journalist who has been covering religious nationalism and the assault on American democracy for over 15 years. Her book, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, was awarded first place for Excellence in Nonfiction Books by the Religion News Association, and a Morris D. Forkosch award. Katherine writes for The New York Times Opinion, New Republic, and many others, and has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR.