Faithful Politics

Historian Joseph L. Locke joins Faithful Politics to discuss his new book, One State Under God: A History of Religion in Texas.

Locke traces how religion shaped Texas from Indigenous traditions and Spanish missions to Protestant growth, segregation, the Religious Right, and today’s Christian nationalist politics. He also explains why early Texas Protestants strongly defended church-state separation, how that changed over time, and why figures like James Robison and David Barton became so influential.

The conversation offers a broader look at how Texas became a major force in the national relationship between religion and politics.

About Joseph L. Locke

Joseph L. Locke is an associate professor of American history at the University of North Texas. His work focuses on Texas, the American South, and the development of religion and politics in the United States. He is also a co-creator and editor of The American Yawp.

Book: One State Under God: A History of Religion in Texas: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781477334201

The conversation delves into the work of Warren Throckmorton, who fact-checks historical claims, particularly those made by political operative David Barton. The discussion highlights the influence of Barton and the credibility and integrity of historical claims, shedding light on the need for accurate historical representation and the impact of political alignment on historical narratives. The conversation delves into the historical context of the American Revolution, exploring the laws and events that shaped the period. It also examines the influence of Christianity on the founding of the United States, shedding light on the role of religion in the nation's early history.

Takeaways
Historical Fact-Checking
Influence of Political Operatives
Credibility and Integrity in Historical Claims Historical context of the American Revolution
The influence of Christianity on the founding of the United States

Chapters
00:00 Discussion on David Barton's False Claims and Influence (Continued)
34:28 The Historical Context of the American Revolution
39:59 The Influence of Christianity on the Founding of the United States

How did once-fringe religious movements gain influence within the Republican Party and access to the highest levels of American political power?

Will Wright speaks with author and scholar Keri Ladner about her book, American Dominion: The Rise and Radicalization of a New Christendom. They examine the history and political influence of dominionism, a movement built around the belief that Christians are called to exercise authority over government, education, media, business, religion, family, and the arts.

Keri explains the connections among Christian nationalism, the New Apostolic Reformation, the Seven Mountain Mandate, Christian Reconstructionism, neo-Confederate Christianity, faith healing, spiritual warfare, and the modern religious right. She also traces how these movements helped build evangelical support for Donald Trump and contributed to election conspiracy theories surrounding January 6.

The conversation explores:
What dominionism means within American Christianity
The origins and goals of the Seven Mountain Mandate
The New Apostolic Reformation and its prophets and apostles
Bethel Church, faith healing, and the political power of worship music
Lance Wallnau and the claim that Donald Trump is a modern-day Cyrus
Doug Wilson, Christian Reconstructionism, and neo-Confederate theology
Pete Hegseth and the influence of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches
How religious movements with conflicting theologies formed a common political coalition
The relationship between Christian nationalism, white supremacy, and political radicalization
What American democracy could face if dominionist movements continue gaining power
This episode offers an extensive examination of the history, theology, and political strategy behind one of the most influential movements shaping religion and politics in America.
About Keri Ladner
Keri Ladner, PhD, is a scholar of fundamentalist religion, American politics, and the radicalization of the conservative movement. She earned her doctorate from the University of Edinburgh and specializes in how religious beliefs and movements become embedded within American political power structures.

She is the author of American Dominion: The Rise and Radicalization of a New Christendom and End Time Politics: From Moral Majority to QAnon. Her research examines dominionism, the New Apostolic Reformation, evangelical politics, Christian nationalism, faith healing, QAnon, and the development of the modern religious right.
Get the Book
Purchase American Dominion: The Rise and Radicalization of a New Christendom https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798216275763

What happens when journalists cover politics without understanding the religion shaping the story?

Brian Kaylor, president and editor-in-chief of Word&Way and the leader of A Public Witness, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to explain why religion reporting matters in an era of Christian nationalism, government-sponsored worship, and growing confusion about the role Christianity plays in American public life. Kaylor describes how political reporters can miss biblical references, theological claims, and denominational differences that are central to understanding events such as January 6, presidential elections, and the political influence of conservative Christianity.

The conversation then turns to Kaylor’s reporting on Christian worship services organized inside the Pentagon and other federal agencies. He explains the involvement of Pete Hegseth, Doug Wilson, Franklin Graham, Southern Baptist leaders, defense contractors, violent biblical rhetoric, and a prayer borrowed from Pulp Fiction. The episode also examines the constitutional difference between a private religious group using a government building and the government planning and hosting its own worship service.

The final episode of Church & State 250 returns to the principle at the center of the series: America’s most significant religious experiment was the decision to separate church and state. Kaylor argues that this separation protects religious minorities, government employees, and Christianity itself from the corrupting influence of political power.

Guest Bio
Brian Kaylor, PhD, is president and editor-in-chief of Word&Way, an independent Christian media organization founded in 1896, and the leader of A Public Witness, a publication covering religion, politics, and culture. A Baptist minister with a doctorate in political communication from the University of Missouri, Kaylor is an award-winning journalist, author, speaker, and scholar whose work focuses on Christian nationalism, political rhetoric, religious liberty, church-state separation, and the ways Christianity is used to support government power. He is the author or co-author of seven books, including Sacramental Politics, Baptizing America, and The Bible According to Christian Nationalists. His Government Worship Watch project documents worship services organized by the Pentagon and other federal agencies, making his reporting central to understanding the current relationship between Christianity and the federal government.

Books Mentioned
The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power by Brian Kaylor
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780827203501

Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism by Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780827203389

Relevant Links & Resources
Brian Kaylor Official Website
URL: https://briankaylor.com/

A Public Witness
URL: https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/

Word&Way
URL: https://wordandway.org/

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com
What happens when Christians begin to believe they are entitled to rule over everyone else? 

Matthew D. Taylor, a scholar of religion and politics and visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to explain how Christian nationalism fits inside a much older story of Christian supremacy, empire, and political power. Taylor traces the pattern back to Constantine, Christendom, and the long history of Christians using Jesus to justify conquest, coercion, and rule. 

He then brings the story into the present through MAGA Christianity, the New Apostolic Reformation, the Seven Mountain Mandate, prophecy around Donald Trump, Paula White-Cain, Lance Wallnau, spiritual warfare, and January 6. The conversation helps listeners understand why Christian nationalism is not one movement, but a spectrum of beliefs and networks competing for power. It is also a warning about what America’s 250th means if Christians try to restore the divine right of kings.

Guest Bio
Matthew D. Taylor, PhD, is a scholar of religion and politics and a visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice. His work focuses on Christian nationalism, religious extremism, Christian supremacy, American Islam, and the role of religious pluralism in defending democracy. He is the author of Scripture People, The Violent Take It by Force, and the forthcoming Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists. He also created Charismatic Revival Fury, an audio documentary series on the New Apostolic Reformation and the Christian leaders and ideas that helped fuel January 6. His research connects directly to this episode’s focus on Christian imperialism, MAGA Christianity, prophecy, spiritual warfare, and the fight over America’s democratic future.

Book Mentioned
The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy by Matthew D. Taylor
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781506497785

Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists by Matthew D. Taylor
Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798341900370

Relevant Links & Resources
Matthew D. Taylor Official Website
URL: https://www.drmatthewdtaylor.com/
Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091
Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/
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