Evangelical Support of Trump, Authoritarian Politics, and Transitioning: A Discussion With Chrissy Stroop, Ph.D.

Russian history expert Dr. Chrissy Stroop is back with a follow-up interview. She is an author, editor, and Stanford Ph.D., not only an activist. One of the reasons I wished to have her on was to discuss and promote the book she helped to edit, along with Lauren O’Neal, Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church. There is an exodus of people leaving authoritarian Christian organizations that use BITE model influence methods characteristic of destructive cults. Today’s religious media conglomerate which includes talk radio, television, and internet channels are a vast source of influence throughout the world. These are run by religious figures who have amassed huge fortunes from donations by true believers. Many of these pastors, preachers, apostles, and prophets preach a form of prosperity theology- give your money to the leader at their “church” and donors will be blessed and receive great wealth in return. Supposedly. But usually, they do not but they are told that they did not pray hard enough or that they had “sin” they need to confess. Faith must be total with no room for doubt. Unfortunately, when it comes to major media coverage of evangelicalism, wealthy and powerful evangelicals with institutions behind them have been framing the narrative. There is a need to share what is really going on in authoritarian evangelicalism, with its corporal punishment of children, misogyny, homophobia, and homeschooling curricula that denies science and teaches revisionist history.  Readers of my work know I believe that the roots of violence in America begin with physically hitting young children to discipline them. Violence by authority figures, especially parents is traumatic and actually affects children’s brain development. It is important to provide a counter-voice to the respectable evangelicals that are spinning PR in the public sphere. Personal stories and narratives help to get rights for minority groups and gather empathy.