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The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory

American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism

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The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory

Written by: Tim Alberta
Narrated by: Tim Alberta
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Instant New York Times Bestseller

One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of the Year

An Economist and Air Mail Best Book of the Year

""Brave and absorbing."" -- New York Times

“Alberta is not just a thorough and responsible reporter but a vibrant writer, capable of rendering a farcical scene in vivid hues.” -- Washington Post

“An astonishingly clear-eyed look at a murky movement.” -- Los Angeles Times

Evangelical Christians are perhaps the most polarizing—and least understood—people living in America today. In his seminal new book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, journalist Tim Alberta, himself a practicing Christian and the son of an evangelical pastor, paints an expansive and profoundly troubling portrait of the American evangelical movement. Through the eyes of televangelists and small-town preachers, celebrity revivalists and everyday churchgoers, Alberta tells the story of a faith cheapened by ephemeral fear, a promise corrupted by partisan subterfuge, and a reputation stained by perpetual scandal.

For millions of conservative Christians, America is their kingdom—a land set apart, a nation uniquely blessed, a people in special covenant with God. This love of country, however, has given way to right-wing nationalist fervor, a reckless blood-and-soil idolatry that trivializes the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Alberta retraces the arc of the modern evangelical movement, placing political and cultural inflection points in the context of church teachings and traditions, explaining how Donald Trump's presidency and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated historical trends that long pointed toward disaster. Reporting from half-empty sanctuaries and standing-room-only convention halls across the country, the author documents a growing fracture inside American Christianity and journeys with listeners through this strange new environment in which loving your enemies is ""woke"" and owning the libs is the answer to WWJD.

Accessing the highest echelons of the American evangelical movement, Alberta investigates the ways in which conservative Christians have pursued, exercised, and often abused power in the name of securing this earthly kingdom. He highlights the battles evangelicals are fighting—and the weapons of their warfare—to demonstrate the disconnect from scripture: Contra the dictates of the New Testament, today's believers are struggling mightily against flesh and blood, eyes fixed on the here and now, desperate for a power that is frivolous and fleeting. Lingering at the intersection of real cultural displacement and perceived religious persecution, Alberta portrays a rapidly secularizing America that has come to distrust the evangelical church, and weaves together present-day narratives of individual pastors and their churches as they confront the twin challenges of lost status and diminished standing.

Sifting through the wreckage—pastors broken, congregations battered, believers losing their religion because of sex scandals and political schemes—Alberta asks: If the American evangelical movement has ceased to glorify God, what is its purpose?

©2023 Tim Alberta (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers
Ministry & Evangelism Politics & Government Religious Studies Royalty
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What listeners say about The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory

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A deep dive into Evangelical Psychosis

As a non-believer I was looking for some insight into how the ‘Christian Nationalists’ had drifted so far from their apparent core beliefs in support of the MAGA movement. Thankfully the explanation was posited in Mr. Alberta’s text, but it was so thoroughly blended into his gumbo of theological antecedents, recent developments within America’s evangelical sub-cultures, and personal reflections, that the message could easily be lost by a casual reader.

I appreciate the insights very much and the book did much to broaden my appreciation of the threat to civil society presented by White Christian Nationalism. That said, It would have been so much more effective and socially impactful if it didn’t stray into a Christian apologia.

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Too sad for the gospel

The story was very informative. Unfortunately, evangelicals want immediate gratification (with the supreme court) instead of waiting for God. They accepted being used by politicians instead of relying on God. In the process, the church is hurt with their actions.

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Required Reading

If you have wondered why the US is in the mess it is, this fascinating book provides a considerable part of the answer

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An important book

this is an amazing window into the world of the American Pentecostal and evangelical movements. It is as illuminating as it is. frightening. Tim. Alberta clearly knows his subject and writes with a deep passion about the flaws that he sees in his denomination. It is nice to read criticism written by someone within the movement whose bonafi days are unassailable.

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Important book to read

Well-documented information by an “insider”. A monumental task. He is helping make an incomprehensible state-of-affairs comprehensible,

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Non believers beware

The book provides an insightful look at the white evangelical movement in America and its involvement with modern day politics. Unfortunately it comes with many moments of proselytizing which eventually became tiresome and detracted from the work. If you are a believer or are not bothered by the proselytizing, then this is an excellent book.

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