What the Alt-Right Tells Us about Christianity and Politics

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 17 August 2017

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Donald Trump’s campaign coincided with the increasing mainstream awareness of the alt-right, a group which has gained recent national attention after it organized an ultimately violent protest in Charlottesville last weekend. But while public name recognition of this group has increased in the past two years, the full extent of their breadth and popularity are not always clear. For starters, one important way this group differs from previous far-right movements is their relationship with Christianity. “The alt-right is now mostly ignoring the religious question,” said George Hawley, the author of the forthcoming book, Making Sense of the Alt-Right. “That sets it apart from earlier far-right movements. Obviously, the KKK presented itself as an explicitly Protestant movement…The alt-right seems to be of the view that Christianity is becoming marginally irrelevant, at least in American politics, and as such it seems to be largely avoiding the subject.” Hawley joined assistant editor Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli on Quick to Listen this week to discuss the true influence and popularity of this community, its connection—or lack thereof—with Christianity, and what role the church could play in fighting its message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.0	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.
0:14.5	Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.
0:29.6	Music Michael Del Rosario at Apologeticsguy.com. You're listening to Quick to Listen. Each week we go be on hashtags and hot takes to discuss a major cultural event.
0:35.9	I'm Morgan Lee, and I'm an assistant editor here at
0:38.5	Christianity today and as always I'm joined by editor-in-chief Mark Alley. Hey what's up Mark?
0:44.4	It's a beautiful fall day. It's not quite fall yet. I guess it's end of summer, but it feels like a
0:48.9	fall day. Guys, it's not fall. It's very humid outside. So I don't know what Mark is talking about. I've been inside all day, I guess.
0:55.2	Mark, who's joining us? Joining us, it's George Hawley. He's assistant professor of political science
1:00.1	at the University of Alabama and a frequent contributor to the American Conservative. Before I even
1:05.1	knew we were going to invite George on the show, I had already tagged two of his articles in the
1:09.7	American Conservative to read.
1:11.3	What Americans think about open marriage is the religious right to blame for Christianity's
1:15.5	decline, so he's a man interested in many topics. But in particular, we've invited him because
1:20.9	of his forthcoming book, Making Sense of the Alt-Rite, which is with Columbia University Press.
1:25.9	We're really excited about having him on this show because it's hard to find someone who knows
1:30.1	the topic well and can speak about it frankly and fairly.
1:32.8	George, welcome to the show.
1:33.8	Thank you for having me.
1:34.8	How's your summer been?
1:35.8	Hot, but mostly good.
1:38.2	I tried something new and to save money decided I would stay home while I wasn't teaching
	...

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