Ep. 120 - In God We Trust?: Race and Religious Extremism

This payday, Amber and Erika are joined by their guest, Pastor Kristian A. Smith, a pastor and public theologian, to discuss the rise of radical American religiopolitics and the insidious racism that fuels it. Malcolm X once said, "The greatest single reason for the Christian church's failure . . . is its failure to combat racism." This episode explores the racist roots of the most prominent American denominations and their long complicity with racism. Pastor Kristian helps us identify the ways that White Evangelicals have weaponized the Bible to advance a political agenda filled with xenophobia, homophobia, patriarchy, antagonism towards the poor, and anti-Blackness. He shows us how theology can be used for both good and bad and why we must all be willing to constantly interrogate what we believe and whether it serves our highest good. Tune in to get the scoop!