Thread by @jackmjenkins

1. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that if you want to understand the big political stories from January—from faith-infused insurrection to Warnock’s victory to Biden’s inauguration—you really need to understand two things: Christian nationalism and the Religious Left.

2. As for the Religious Left: less has been written on this topic than Christian nationalism, for various reasons.

We’ll come back to this, but Warnock’s victory is part of a modern resurgence of the RL, which (and I’m biased here) I chronicle in my book: amazon.com/American-Proph…

3. I talk about Christian nationalism in my book, but basically: it’s an old tradition, but it’s modern iteration is particularly intense, and particularly centered on Trump.

Here’s an intro, but much smarter people have written way better stuff about it: archive.thinkprogress.org/trumps-christi…

4. Much more exhaustive works chronicling the movement’s sociological impact/cultural history/political machinations include this: amazon.com/Taking-America…

This: amazon.com/Jesus-John-Way…

This: amazon.com/Unholy-White-E…

This: amazon.com/Power-Worshipp…

& This: amazon.com/Founding-Myth-…

5. There’s MUCH more, and @sarahposner’s article from today gives insight into why this movement—which has been building for years—was so well represented at the insurrection.

Put another way: they’re a big part of why Trump got elected in the first place revealnews.org/article/how-th…

6. But let’s circle back for a second: it’s worth noting that back in 2017, Warnock was at the Capitol himself.

Getting arrested.

For protesting the GOP-led effort to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act. ajc.com/news/ebenezer-…

7. Such is the oft-ignored story of the Religious Left, which has spent the last few years often *leading* “resistance” efforts.

E.g., Warnock’s Capitol arrest was part of a MUCH larger protest campaign by liberal religious advocates to save the ACA. archive.thinkprogress.org/faith-leaders-…

8. Women’s March, climate activism, immigrant rights—over and over, protest efforts under Trump featured prominent liberal people of faith as organizers.

Heck, when McCain gave his “thumbs down” to the ACA repeal, the sound you heard was LITERALLY RL activists gasping w/relief.

9. And as they began occupying more space in liberal circles, faith activists also increasingly framed themselves as a counterbalance to another movement: Christian nationalism.

In fact, leaders like Rev. William Barber began listing it as one of America’s “interlocking evils.”

10. (Note: Technically Barber usually calls it “religious nationalism” for various reasons, but as his frequent collaborator Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove notes, he is very much talking about the same movement).

https://twitter.com/wilsonhartgrove/status/1355239670540619787

11. Anyway, Barber and others even tried to hold a debate in 2017 with Religious Right leaders some eventually would cast as Christian nationalists, to no avail.

Meanwhile, (mostly) liberal Christians founded Christians Against Christian Nationalism. religionnews.com/2019/08/02/chr…

12. The two efforts would eventually come into direct conflict.

E.g., in December, when Trump supporters gathered in DC, there was the often Christian nationalist “Jericho March.”

Speakers from that event would later pray for Proud Boys as they marched into the streets of DC…

13. …where they enacted violence and turned their anger disproportionately on one thing: the Black Lives Matter signs of liberal-leaning churches, including 2 historic Black churches.

…And the churches just kept replacing the stolen/destroyed signs. religionnews.com/2020/12/18/dc-…

14. All of which helps explain why, the day of the insurrection, there was — to my knowledge — exactly one major counter-protest to the Trump supporters who had descended on the city.

It was a group of clergy gathered around a BLM sign. religionnews.com/2021/01/06/as-…

15. Meanwhile, Biden, who constantly referenced faith on the campaign trail and spoke at Religious Left events hosted by Barber (who rejects that term), has won the presidency.

Warnock, who was attacked for his liberal religious beliefs, won in Georgia. religionnews.com/2020/12/18/rev…

16. So when it came time for Biden’s inauguration, the new POTUS started his day at church.

And the inaugural prayer service? It was FILLED with clergy who protested against Trump during his tenure, and the preacher was none other than William Barber. religionnews.com/2021/01/21/at-…

17. In fact: remember that ACA protest where Warnock got arrested?

Also there protesting with him that week was Cynthia L. Hale, senior pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Georgia.

Naturally, she was a speaker at the inaugural prayer service. ajc.com/news/ebenezer-…

18. In sum: Christian nationalism was on full display at the Capitol insurrection, which makes sense: it was a big part of Trump’s movement.

But as they rose, Christian nationalism arguably only made the Religious Left stronger — even to the point of helping them win elections.

19. There are MANY other examples (e.g., Doug Jones’ victory over explicit Christian nationalist Roy Moore), and worth noting the RL is SUPER complicated and existed LONG before Trump.

But if you want to understand the months/years ahead, it’s helpful to know how we got here.

20. Anyway, read all those other books. And read all the fantastic articles from my colleagues in the religion reporting world (including some who’ve been v diligent in covering the RL).

Then, if you’re bored, there’s a lot more on all this in my book: amazon.com/American-Proph…

21. Oh also: there are many Christian references here, but worth noting that the modern Religious Left is deeply interfaith.

That was a big part of the pushback to Trump as well; e.g., Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and others often argued they were targeted by Trump or his supporters.