The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism

FEATURING KATHERINE STEWART – As the nation hurtles toward arguably the most important Presidential election of our lifetime, the influence and power of the religious right in American politics appears to be coming to a head. President Donald Trump is an unlikely messiah for Christian fundamentalists who seek a roll back of abortion rights, gay rights, women’s rights, secularism and more.

But perhaps it ought not to surprise us. In her new book that she spent more than a decade researching my guest Katherine Stewart writes, “the religious right has become more focused and powerful even as it is arguably less representative. It is not a social or cultural movement. It is a political movement, and its ultimate goal is power.”

Katherine Stewart, has been reporting at the intersection of religion, politics, policy, and education for over a decade. She has contributed to The New York Times, American Prospect, Washington Post, The Atlantic, the Advocate, the Guardian, and Religion Dispatches. Her earlier book was The Good News Club: The Christian Right’s Stealth Assault on America’s Children and her new book is called The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism.

** This segment originally aired on August 24, 2020.