Ethicist, author and professor, Dr. David Gushee returns to the podcast to talk about his new book: Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemies. They begin talking about what many have called "the Nones," but Gushee calls Conscientious Objectors like Tim Whitaker and Pete Briscoe. (Ken includes himself.) Many of those "Nones" - those who claim to have no religious affiliation - actually find themselves in moral conflict with a religion that has violated its own moral standards. For Gushee (who is a committed Christian) democracy must be defended. Too many Christians are actively and aggressively attacking our democratic institutions all in the name of their God and their Bible. This is not new, and not limited to the United States. Dr. Gushee traces the challenges to democracy in France, Germany, Russia, Poland, Hungary and Brazil. He recognizes Christian Nationalism as a threat but prefers his own label: Authoritarian Reactionary Christianity. Adolph Hitler, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán, and Jair Bolsonaro all invite comparisons to Trumpism in the United States. Ken and David talk about characters and players like Pastor Greg Locke, firebrand Tucker Carlson, theologian James Cone and Gushee's mentor, Dr. Glen Stassen. The good professor draws from Baptist history, the Black Church and the biblical teaching around Covenant to invite us all to defend the democracy that guarantees our freedom to exercise our conscience in practicing the religion (or non-religion) of our choice. SHOW NOTES
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