PLATTSBURGH — What happens when faith becomes intertwined with political power? How do we respond when Christian nationalism, division, and threats to democracy become part of our public conversation?
Those are among the questions participants will explore this fall in a new Zoom book study featuring “Backslide: How White Evangelical Christianity Fell into Apostasy and What It Means for Democracy” by Robert P. Jones, a press release from Plattsburgh United Methodist Church said.
The study will begin Monday, Oct. 5. After reconsidering several possibilities for the fall study, organizers kept coming back to “Backslide,” particularly because of its relevance to the upcoming midterm elections and the conversations taking place across the country.
“We’ve always appreciated the opportunity our book studies give us to slow down, listen to one another, and have conversations that don’t always happen in other places,” Rev. Phil Richards, one of the study facilitators, said. “As we thought about what we wanted to explore together this fall, Backslide kept coming back to us. The timing feels important.”
Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of “The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy,” examines the relationship between white Christianity, Christian nationalism, political power, and American democracy. Drawing on history, personal experience, and decades of social science research, he explores what happens when a religious tradition becomes more invested in power and political influence than in the core values of its own faith.
The book also offers a message of hope. As Publishers Weekly writes, Jones argues that “backsliding is not irreversible,” emphasizing the possibility of repentance through confession and the willingness to acknowledge difficult truths.
The study will provide an opportunity for participants to consider challenging questions about faith, democracy, race, political power, Christian nationalism, and the role of the church in public life.
Organizers emphasize that the study is not intended to tell participants how to vote or what political conclusions they should reach. Instead, the goal is to create a respectful space for people to read, question, listen, disagree, learn, and grow together.
“We want people to be able to bring their questions and their concerns into the conversation,” Richards said. “We may not agree on everything, and that’s okay. What matters is that we listen to one another and wrestle honestly with what our faith asks of us in this moment.”
The timing of the study, beginning just weeks after the book’s release and during the lead-up to the midterm elections, provides a particularly relevant setting for the conversation.
The study will offer two Zoom sessions every Monday, allowing participants to choose the time that works best for them.
Everyone is welcome, including those who have participated in previous study groups and those joining for the first time.
“Bring your curiosity. Bring your questions. Bring your faith—and maybe a willingness to be challenged,” Richards said. “Our hope is that we can read, wrestle, and learn together, and think about the kind of church and community we want to help create.”