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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Paul D. Miller. "Is MAGA Christianity True Christianity?" The Dispatch, October 12, 2025. thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-faith/maga-Christianity-Charlie-kirk/

Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Echoing Jesus' warning in Matthew, he ends with a stark caution: to those who loudly proclaim "Lord, Lord," Christ may yet respond, "I never knew you.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

As both political scientist and Christian, Miller warns that MAGA Christianity endangers not only democracy but also the souls of those who embrace it without discomfort.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

He likens it to the liberal Christianity of the past that hollowed itself out by conforming to cultural power. Both, he argues, have exchanged the gospel's transformative message for political utility.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Miller concludes that MAGA Christianity, though outwardly resembling historic Christianity through its language, music, and symbols, departs from it in substance. It has become a movement of political identity cloaked in faith, capable of justifying hatred and violence while claiming divine favor.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

For Miller, this spectacle reveals a Christianity that has become detached from humility, love, and self-examination - what he calls "MAGA Christianity unmoored.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Figures such as Jack Posobiec and Stephen Miller used Scripture to rally anger and partisanship, blending nationalist rhetoric with religious symbolism.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

He illustrates this by recounting events at Charlie Kirk's funeral, where speakers invoked militant Christian imagery and equated Kirk with Moses and even Jesus.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

While this radical spirit once fueled dynamic revivals and democratized American religion, Miller warns that it has now become the establishment itself. The movement's populist energy, unrestrained by institutional or theological grounding, has transformed into something volatile and self-assured.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Miller traces the roots of MAGA Christianity to the Radical Reformation, the populist, anti-elite branch of Protestantism that emphasized personal faith and emotional expression over hierarchy and intellect.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

This, he argues, helped drive conservative Christians to the opposite extreme. The rise of MAGA Christianity can thus be seen as a reaction against liberal "mainline" churches - but one that repeats similar mistakes by trading theology for political identity.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

To contextualize MAGA Christianity, Miller compares it to earlier movements in church history. He recalls the "Rainbow Churches" of liberal Protestantism that, beginning in the 20th century, aligned closely with progressive politics and abandoned traditional doctrines.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Christians, he writes, are called to discern genuine faith from false teaching, especially when religion is used to justify injustice or consolidate political power.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Yet Miller insists that this same standard must apply to right-wing Christians who invoke Jesus' name while promoting anger, deceit, or authoritarianism.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Miller explores how some conservative Christians, such as Kirk himself, claim that certain political stances are inherently incompatible with Christianity, often judging left-leaning believers as false Christians.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Miller uses this passage to frame his critique of the religious overtones at the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which he argues showcased two rival versions of Christianity-one centered on grace and love, and another rooted in vengeance and political zeal.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

The piece begins with a reflection on Matthew 7:21, where Jesus warns that not everyone invoking his name truly follows him.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Article summary:
Paul D. Miller's essay in The Dispatch confronts a controversial question: whether the strain of Christian belief associated with the MAGA movement is true Christianity or a distortion of it.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

* Miller warns that MAGA Christianity may mirror the same theological emptiness it once condemned in liberal churches.
* The movement poses moral and spiritual risks for individuals and political dangers for democracy.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

* MAGA Christianity is linked to the Radical Reformation's populist traditions but has become detached from theological accountability.
* The Charlie Kirk memorial symbolized the fusion of Christian language with political nationalism.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

* Miller contrasts authentic Christianity, based on forgiveness and humility, with a politicized "MAGA Christianity" that emphasizes vengeance and power.
* He argues that all Christians must exercise discernment to identify false teachers and distorted forms of the faith.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

IS MAGA CHRISTIANITY TRUE CHRISTIANITY? 🧵

One-sentence summary:
Paul D. Miller examines whether "MAGA Christianity" represents authentic Christian faith or a politically corrupted version that departs from the gospel's core teachings of love, forgiveness, and humility.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

Goldberg, Jonah. "The Tucker I Knew." The Dispatch, 8 Oct. 2025, https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/gfile/tucker-carlson-populism/.

Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

When millions of childish people claim that 2 plus 2 equals 5 because the Jews want you to believe it's 4, serious people must say "you're wrong," even if it costs them in tantrums or YouTube views.

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Bob Weeks @bobweeks.bsky.social · 5h

He concludes by characterizing modern populism as the elevation and indulgence of immature passion -- the glorification of childishness. Children aren't always wrong to be angry, but what marks them as children is their inability to control their emotions.

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