Thread by @TaylorMatthewD

Today's ep. of Dutch Sheets' "Give Him 15" podcast exemplifies a LITTLE NOTICED THEOLOGICAL SHIFT in the Christian right that could seriously impact the 2024 election.

In short, many leaders on the Christian right have moved beyond "Rapture theology." 1/

I've had a number of reporters ask me about the phrase "the remnant" that you often hear among New Apostolic Reformation & other Independent Charismatic leaders.

Perhaps b/c of my own background, in the past I've generally chalked it up to a charis. stock phrase, one of many. 2/

I've also noticed that, if there's 1 cocktail-party fact that casual observers of the Christian right can cite, it's the idea of "the Rapture" (Jesus suddenly taking the Xns away to heaven).

More sophisticated watchers will use the phrase "dispensational premillennialism." 3/

To criminally oversimplify: dispensational premillennialism was a theological trend that swept into Fundamentalist/evangelical circles in the early 20th century.

Dispensationalists were famous for making elaborate Bible charts & popularizing the idea of the Rapture. 4/

Basically, Dispensationalism is a pessimistic vision of human culture & the near future --
the world will get worse & worse,
Christians will be persecuted,
& Jesus will rescue the holy remnant (*note that phrase*) away before he establishes his utopian reign on the earth. 5/

Dispensationalism set the eschatological mood of American evangelicalism in the 20th century.

It's been a major force in bolstering Christian support for Israel & in shaping many young Christians' anxious nightmares of being "Left Behind" when the Rapture happens. 6/

I was raised as an evangelical brat of the 1980s & 1990s on dispensational premillennialism & the theological mood it created.

When I was very young, my family even joined a radical premillennialist commune for a couple of years, living off the grid & waiting for the Rapture. 7/

Radical or extreme forms of premillennialism tend toward enclave cultures, a profound vote of no confidence in the current political order & paranoia about the encroaching "One World Government" that will unite under "the Antichrist." 8/

But (& this is evident in Dutch Sheets' rhetoric), the NAR & most Independent Charismatic leaders have ditched "Rapture theology" in favor of a more optimistic vision of Christians instigating mass end-times revivals & reforming world culture into alignment with Christianity. 9/

If you want the fancy phrase, they call this more triumphalistic vision "victorious eschatology."

[For theology nerds like me, many advocates of VE are postmillennial, but there are also premillennial VE proponents who simply reject Dispensationalism.] 10/

"Victorious eschatology" is the logical outworking of Dominion Theology, a theolog. current that took root in charismatic circles in the 1980s.

The 7 Mountain Mandate, Sheets' Ekklesia Theology, & what is called "Kingdom Now" theology are all versions of Dominion theologies. 11/

The rise of "Victorious eschatology" is ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL SHIFTS IN AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY IN THE 21st CENTURY.

It is fueling a much more aggressive approach to Christian nationalist politics, where Xns hope to coercively shape culture to fit their vision. 12/

These Dominion theology & victorious eschatology ideas were fringe w/in evangelicalism, but those leaders were the 1st & most eager to endorse Trump, & they've ridden Trump's coattails to mainstream their theology.

The fringe has become the carpet. 13/

religionnews.com/2024/05/06/how…

So, when we hear someone like Sheets denouncing "Rapture theology" & speaking of "the remnant," he means something very diff. than the dispensational premillennialists of old meant by that phrase.

For Dominion theology folks, "the remnant" is a conquering force on the earth. 14/

In contrast w/ extremist forms of premillennialism that tend to retreat from society, extremist forms of victorious eschatology hope to hijack the whole of society to transform it into the kingdom of God.

Their optimism drives their activism. 15/

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/epi…

This was the theology that overwhelmingly shaped Christians actions around January 6th: a supreme hope that thru the vehicle of Trump, they could enact a hostile Christian takeover of liberal democracy.

That's what my forthcoming book is about. 16/

icjs.org/the-violent-ta…

We know from survey data collected by @PaulDjupe & others that these ideas are spreading rapidly among American Christians, esp'ly as Trump's 2020 election lies are supercharging his supporters' extremism & sense of alienation from broader culture. 17/

religioninpublic.blog/2024/05/13/bel…

Dominion theology provocateurs like Sheets use the phrase "the remnant" as a way of rationalizing their own extremism.

"Why don't most Xns agree with us? Why do our kind of Xn supremacists only make up ~10% of the U.S. population?" -- Because we're the righteous remnant! 17/

In other words, dominion theology & victorious eschat. are driving an ever more spiritually accelerationist mindset among Christian nationalists.

They feel they must topple the current order & consensus to enact their triumphalistic (& human-centric) theo-political vision. 18/

They view Trump as an ally & a powerful instrument in the hand of God (a sort of secular messiah) for toppling our pluralistic democracy & for enacting their longed for "7M Utopia," where they will have more influence & control. 19/

https://x.com/TaylorMatthewD/status/1805665942434611699

So, sorry to all my cocktail party friends, but it's time to update your talking pts & analysis of the Christian right.

The eschat. mood of Amer evangelicalism is changing, & the ascendant vision is one of triumphalistic optimism to see Trump build God's kingdom on earth. 20/