Domesticated Glory

Domesticated Glory critically examines the marriage between Evangelicalism and American politics. The study begins by engaging popular political pundits who wish to transform Christianity into an arm of the state. It then moves to examine some of the theological foundations proposed as support for the church’s propping up of American political ideology. Finally, the study provides a more robust politics of the church by outlining how the church might act as a politics in itself. Thus, the church may gain a political voice as church in such a way as to make the world know it stands in need of redemption. This is a far cry from the liberal attempt of the Social Gospel and many modern evangelicals to transform the world into a pseudo-church by cultural or social control. Unlike attempts to engage culture on its own terms in the political arena or to escape politics by avoiding any public testimony to the Gospel, this study lays out a way for the church to act as church in the public square, witnessing to a Gospel concerned primarily about the universe’s King and His future Kingdom.''Over the last decade many books have been written addressing whether or not America’s founding fathers were ’Christian,’ the extent to which Christians should participate in politics, and (of course) whether Christians should vote for right or left leaning political agendas. In this well-written and biblically grounded work, Heide insightfully reveals that these debates don’t get to the heart of the matter. The real issue, Heide boldly argues, is that the foundational anthropocentric assumptions of American politics and culture are fundamentally at odds with the theocentric worldview of Scripture and the biblical call to live for the glory of God. At a time when the Christian faith has been idolatrously fused with American patriotism, politics, and culture, Heide’s work is a much-needed wake up call. Whether readers agree with all Heide’s theological perspectives or not, all will benefit from giving this work serious attention.''--Gregory A. Boydauthor of The Myth of a Christian NationGale Heide is Professor of Theology and Biblical Languages and Academic Dean at Montana Bible College. He is author of System and Story (2008) and This Is My Father’s World (1998).