If I hadn’t known Michael Lindsay, I probably wouldn’t have picked up Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite. But I’m glad that I did.
Michael takes the readers behind the scenes and the headlines, drawing on interviews with 360 different evangelical leaders in politics, business, media and academia. When I think of the people who are shaping (or attempting to shape) the national landscape from a Christian perspective, I think of the handful who are frequently in the public spotlight. I don’t always agree with what they say or with how they say it, but they often appear to be the powerbrokers in Christian America. Much of their “power” is derived from their broad, grass roots support, which gives them a substantial platform.
But that’s not the focus of Michael’s research. Instead, he identifies many other evangelicals who are not in the spotlight but whose Kingdom impact is huge. Michael refers to them as “cosmopolitan evangelicals.” Through formal and informal networks, financial contributions, and a variety of other means, these “evangelical elite” are affecting the way that businesses are run, that legislation is enacted and implemented, that research is conducted, and more. They are not organized as a formal body, and they do not have a stated agenda, but it’s clear that their influence is much broader than the handful of front page issues that are typically associated with conservative Christianity.
The book also offers some great insights for church leaders, but that will have to be the subject of a future blog. For now, anyone interested in gaining a fresh perspective on how committed Christians can impact our society will enjoy reading Faith in the Halls of Power.
Mike Bonem
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