Backslide by Robert P Jones

About the Book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy, a clear-eyed reckoning with the moral collapse of white Christianity and a call to protect American democracy.

What happens when the church trades faith for power, and democracy for dominion? In this searing book, Robert P. Jones names our moment for what it is: a great Backslide. White Christianity’s devotion to Donald Trump and Christian nationalism is not only a regression into authoritarian politics but a profound act of apostasy―a betrayal of the best of the Christian tradition.

Through reflections on history, his upbringing in the white evangelical South, and decades of social science research, Jones lays bare the roots of this collapse and the dangers it poses for our future. He takes us inside a faith tradition marked by an impoverished relationship to the Bible, a rejection of a genuine search for truth, and an upside-down world where empathy is considered a vice. Yet amid the wreckage, Jones finds signs of hope in efforts to remake our national holiday rituals and recover a Christianity that remains committed to democracy.

Timely and unflinching, Backslide is essential reading for anyone unwilling to surrender the soul of faith or the promise of democracy. A prophetic summons to moral responsibility, it reminds us that time is short for deciding which Christianity, and which America, will prevail.

My Review:

I read this book because I thought it would help me understand why white Christian evangelicals supported an immoral man for president. Jones helped me see that the issue goes much deeper. He reviews history and shows how white Christians have failed to oppose injustice in the past, such as in slavery and treatment of indigenous Americans.

This book is quite informative. Jones explains historical events that help understand the current state of white Christianity. He has added some of his own experiences in Christianity, like finding the note in the old family Bible that listed slaves owned by his ancestors.

He hopes this book will help Christians who are waking up to how their faith and politics need redemption. It is a hard hitting book and is good for those wanting to understand the current relationship of white evangelical Christians and politics.

My rating: 4/5 stars. 

About the Author:

Robert P. Jones is the President and Founder of PRRI and a leading scholar and commentator on religion, culture, and politics. Before founding PRRI, Jones worked as a consultant and senior research fellow at several think tanks in Washington, D.C., and was an assistant professor of religious studies at Missouri State University. He holds a Ph.D. in religion from Emory University, a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a B.S. in computing science and mathematics from Mississippi College.

St Martins, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)