Invitation to Live July 2nd WTL Author Forum with Bryan Kaylor and Beau Underwood to Discuss Their New Book, "Baptizing America"

Plus, Sotomayor on the SCOTUS presidential immunity decision: "With fear for our democracy, I dissent."

Dear #WhiteTooLong readers,

Between the train wreck of last Thursday’s first presidential “debate,” which deteriorated into a 90-minute disinformation dump supporting Trump’s dystopian MAGA vision of America, and the U.S. Supreme Court decisions undercutting the rule of law, this has been a heavy week.

I hope you’ll join me tomorrow night (07/02) for our fourth 2024 WTL Author Forum, featuring Bryan Kaylor and Beau Underwood, where we’ll talk about these threats to democracy and the history of the white Christian nationalist vision undergirding them. Scroll down for details.

I’ll have more to say about this in future writing, but for now, I want to just highlight this urgent dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor to today’s chilling SCOTUS ruling on presidential immunity. This decision alone may provide the nation’s undoing should Trump (or any other rogue authoritarian) make his way back into the White House.

Looking beyond the fate of this particular prosecution [of Donald Trump], the long-term consequences of today’s decision are stark. The Court effectively creates a law-free zone around the President, upsetting the status quo that has existed since the Founding. This new official-acts immunity now “lies about like a loaded weapon” for any President that wishes to place his own interests, his own political survival, or his own financial gain, above the interests of the Nation.

The President of the United States is the most powerful person in the country, and possibly the world. When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.

Let the President violate the law, let him exploit the trappings of his office for personal gain, let him use his official power for evil ends. Because if he knew that he may one day face liability for breaking the law, he might not be as bold and fearless as we would like him to be. That is the majority’s message today. Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done. The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law…. With fear for our democracy, I dissent.

As we head toward the celebration of the anniversary of our nation’s independence amid these events, I’m sharing again last week’s column in which I call for the creation of a new season of critical patriotism bookended by Juneteenth and Independence Day.

Now, on to the invitation for the WTL Author Forum. See below.

Onward,

Robby

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Live Event with

Word&Way

’s Bryan Kaylor and Beau Underwood on 07/02 at 7:30 pm EDT

On Tuesday, 07/02/2024, at 7:30 pm EDT, I’m hosting a live zoom event exclusively for paid subscribers: a conversation with

Beau Underwood

and

Brian Kaylor

, co-authors of the new book, Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism.

I hope you’ll join us for this one-hour event, which will be timely just ahead of Independence Day celebrations. Brian, Beau, and I will talk for 30-40 minutes and then take questions from Zoom webinar participants for the final 20 minutes.

Here’s a summary of the book:

In the face of a rising threat to both church and democracy, Baptizing America provides an urgent examination and an enlightening critique exposing the dangerous undercurrents of Christian Nationalism. How can Mainline Protestants spot such practices in their own activities? A crucial call to reckon with influences before it's too late.

Christian Nationalism presents an existential threat to both Christ's church and American democracy. Now is the time -- before it is too late -- to reckon with all the places its pernicious influence arises. On full display in recent elections, Christian Nationalism also exists in sanctuaries where an American flag has been displayed for decades, when we pledge allegiance to one nation "Under God," or when the U.S. is called a Christian nation. Baptizing America critiques the concept of civil religion, arguing that such expressions are far more dangerous than we realize. Mainline Protestant congregations will likely recognize themselves in the overlooked expressions of Christian Nationalism that pop up in the activities of both church and state.

And here’s more about Brian and Beau:

• Brian Kaylor is a Baptist pastor with a Ph.D in Political Communication. He serves as President & Editor-in-Chief of

  Word&Way
  , a Christian publication founded in 1896 and now available on the Substack platform.

• Beau Underwood is senior minister at Allisonville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a Senior Editor with Word&Way. He is also pursuing a doctorate in Public Affairs. Adriene Thorne is the senior pastor of The Riverside Church in New York City.

Regardless of whether you can make the event, I encourage everyone to buy their book. If you use any of the links in this email, a portion of your purchase goes to support my newsletter.

How to register for the webinar (access to live event limited to paid subscribers only):