Photograph: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. giving his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963. Photo credit: Unknown | Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons.

Introduction

The following resources examine how race has played a major role in United States politics and policymaking.

Messages and Resources

How Wicked Helps Us Understand the Beasts of Revelation, Empire, Trumpism & Our Political Moment

Many Christians have criticized the two Wicked movies (2024, 2025). But we think the movies help us better understand the Bible and live in our political moment. Consider the biblical themes of Empire, deception, and accusation -- especially in the Book of Revelation, and the first and second beasts of Revelation 13. Consider that the Wicked movies show us something about Trumpism, the scapegoating of vulnerable people to deflect from the administration's own corruption, and the abuse of power.

9:05 Revelation 13: The Dragon and the Two Beasts

12:58 A Quick Survey of the Theme of Empire in the Bible

17:23 Empire and Propaganda in Revelation 13

22:07 The Wizard of Oz and the Scapegoating of the Animals

26:30 Propandist 1: Madame Morrible as Dean of Shiz, then Press Secretary

28:03 Trump's Press Secretaries

33:52 Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi

36:31 Propandist 2: Nessa and Trump's GOP Congress

37:50 Progandist 3: Glinda

38:10 The Animals, the Dehumanization of Outsiders, and Real Examples

46:10 If You Feel Defensive

See the two trailers below:

Trump and Fascism: Should We Begin to Pay Attention?

Determine Truth, Aug 28, 2025. Part 1. This is a 55 minute video. “Fascism: what does it really mean, and why should the followers of Jesus care? Are there indications that our democracy is being dismantled? Is the US heading towards Fascism? In this livestream, we sit down with Mako Nagasawa to explore the history, defining features, and dangers of fascism. This conversation is not about partisan attacks or personalities but about Christian faithfulness. What does it mean to love our neighbors—especially the vulnerable—when political movements threaten to exploit and harm them? Together, we’ll consider how the gospel calls us to resist fear, embrace truth, and bear witness to Christ’s kingdom in the face of fascist temptations.”

Fascism and Faith: Recognizing the Warning Signs

Determine Truth, Oct 16, 2025. Part 2 (please do watch Part 1). This is a 70 minute video. “In this conversation, we will look at the key elements of fascism and begin to examine if the present administration is leading us there and, if so, why it matters. This conversation is not about partisan attacks or personalities but about Christian faithfulness. What does it mean to love our neighbors—especially the vulnerable—when political movements threaten to exploit and harm them?”

Fascism, or the turning of democracy to authoritarianism, happened in the American South and West after the U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction. It was the result of White economic anxiety and a feeling of collective humiliation; they scapegoated Black Americans and Native Americans, as well as the North for violating “Southern states rights.” After World War I, Germany, Italy, and Japan also turned towards fascism for the same reasons, scapegoating people they then attacked

Mako argues that the oft-made comparison between Trump and Hitler is therefore not precise enough. We should not wait until six million people die in a political purges and concentration camps for the comparison to become accurate enough to levy. Trump and the MAGA base are a reversion to an earlier type: post-Reconstruction Jim Crow America. That is the mix of racial segregationist policies that the Nazis came to the U.S. in the 1930s to study. In fact, they decided that some American racial policies were actually too extreme for them. Here is the evidence that that era is what Trump and conservative think-tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the Manhattan Institute are aiming for.

Greg Arthur, In Conversation With… Mako Nagasawa

Ideos Institute, Nov 14, 2024. At the 19:25 minute mark, Greg and Mako talk about the 2024 election. Mako talks about how Trump and Trump voters are drawn to the principle of retribution. Mako critiques this principle on theological grounds, and points out that White evangelicals, especially, are spiritually formed to exaggerate the principle of retribution and scapegoat people like immigrants, etc.

Mako Nagasawa, John Locke’s Theology of Private Property, edited by Grace Tien and Maria Eugenia Funes, Religion and Racial Capitalism. Palgrave MacMillan, 2025.

American libertarians and private property absolutists appeal to John Locke, remembered as an English political philosopher. Locke originally positioned himself, however, as a biblical scholar and theologian. As such, Locke departed from Christian tradition. I argue the relationship between Locke’s political philosophy and the Bible is that of a parasite and its host. Christian leaders prior to Locke believed that the earth is the Lord’s, the fruit of the earth belongs to all, and the political community could modify property in various ways because it was ethically and chronologically prior to private property. Locke, however, argued that individuals first create private property by enclosing land and laboring on it, then bring their private properties into political society, which was meant by God to defend individual property rights. He thereby defended both the English Revolution of 1688 and also English colonialism in the Americas.

See also the slides to this presentation. Given to the 2022 Reconstruction class. The introduction features John Winthrop vs. Roger Williams to highlight the debate over freedom of religious Conscience vs. Christendom. The presentation highlights Christian accomplishments in health and hospitals, education and schools, land ownership and economic justice, and criminal justice reform.

How do Christian heresies contribute to America’s racial and political climate? Could Christian history have gone differently? Could it still? Examine U.S. history from the standpoint of church history. See the whole course or just the blog posts.

Today’s Christian pro-life movement has misplaced its priorities. The issue of abortion is more complex than the movement often appreciates. The Study and Action Guide to Abortion Policy and Christian Social Ethics in the U.S. distills Mako’s book down to three sessions, with some readings and videos.

Like fallen Adam in the garden, we desire to deflect blame, and therefore we scapegoat others. On the political level, this builds group cohesion and creates a social outsider, who is blamed for the group’s woes, who the group must exile or kill or marginalize in order to maintain a hopeful lie. This series explores what political scapegoating has looked like in the U.S.

Slavery in the New England Colonies: Key Moments and Motivations. An outline (8 pages) of early events in the English Puritan colonization of New England. The outline draws on historical research to show how the Pequot War of 1637 - 38 was motivated, in large part, by financial reasons: The Puritans of Mass Bay Colony needed cheap labor, as the seven year contracts of English indentured servants were expiring, and the seven year monopoly on trade with Old England was expiring as well. New England then participated in the Triangular Trade, transporting enslaved Pequots and bringing back enslaved Africans. This outline focuses on stated motivations by the English settlers and slave traders involved. They drew on biblical language and categories but utterly betrayed Christian faith.
White American Evangelical Political Attitudes and Behavior: Explanation and Correctives
White American evangelical political attitudes can be characterized by the debate between John Winthrop and Roger Williams, and their respective attitudes towards Native Americans, slavery, fairness, and faith in civic space. This is a presentation also explores Scripture and church history to argue that Roger Williams was correct. Given to the staff of Emmanuel Gospel Center, Apr 18, 2018, as a follow-up to how Christian restorative justice impacts ministry; audio file here
The Role of Jesus in Revolution and the Pursuit of Justice
This is an evangelistic message that highlights the Christian-led and Christian-influenced non-violent resistance movements throughout the world in the 20th century. They show the connections and spiritual vitality of Christian faith under empire or empire-like oppression.
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