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The Atlantic ·Behind the news

American Christians Face a Choice

by Peter Wehner

Published 2026-06-10 07:00:00-04:00

What happens to a faith when its believers decide they need a warrior instead of a servant?

0:00 / 24:34 · Narrator Charon

Context

Published on 10 June 2026, this Atlantic essay asks how a faith built on turning the other cheek came to embrace a ruthless warrior mentality. While most commentary treats the evangelical voting bloc as a simple political fact, this piece offers a historical framework that remains rare and useful months later. It examines the cultural resentments that made a combative leader so appealing to churchgoers in the first place, and points to an ancient, quiet tradition within Christianity that might eventually help repair the damage.

Show notes

An analysis of why American evangelicals embraced Donald Trump as a cultural warrior to defeat their political enemies. Against this modern fusion stands the historical tradition of Christian humanism, which emphasizes human dignity, intellectual curiosity, and charity. Argues that recovering these early church principles offers a method for repairing the damage done to the faith.

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