The New Apostolic Reformation, Trump, and Evangelical Politics - by Damon T Berry (Paperback)

About the Book

While many assume that conservative evangelical support for Trump is motivated by his position on social issues such as abortion and LGBTQ rights, or a nostalgia for an imagined American golden age, this book shows that the reality is much more complex by looking at a more recent and understudied trend of Evangelicalism in America. Damon T. Berry examines how leaders within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a charismatically inclined Evangelical movement, claim their support for Trump came from alleged prophetic visions that compelled them to defend Trump's candidacy, and to continue to defend his presidency, re-election against demonically inspired, Marxist, "Deep State" enemies. In this conspiratorial cosmology, spiritual warfare through prayer and political activism is the duty of the faithful so that they might protect Trump as God's anointed leader and war against malevolent, unpatriotic forces that oppose him, the nation, and God himself. Working from primary source materials produced by leading figures among the NAR, Berry argues that this conspiratorial discourse is central to NAR support for Trump's candidacy, presidency, and re-election effort, and that this discourse has come to shape some of the most important debates among American religious conservatives in the 21st century--

Book Synopsis

Whilst many assume that conservative evangelical support for Trump is motivated by his position on social issues such as abortion and LGBTQ rights, or a nostalgia for an imagined American golden age, this book shows that the reality is much more complex by looking at a more recent and understudied trend of Evangelicalism in America.

Damon T. Berry examines how leaders within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a charismatically inclined Evangelical movement, claim their support for Trump came from alleged prophetic visions that compelled them to defend Trump's candidacy, and to continue to defend his presidency, re-election against demonically inspired, Marxist, "Deep State" enemies. In this conspiratorial cosmology, spiritual warfare through prayer and political activism is the duty of the faithful so that they might protect Trump as God's anointed leader and war against malevolent, unpatriotic forces that oppose him, the nation, and God himself.

Working from primary source materials produced by leading figures among the NAR, Berry argues that this conspiratorial discourse is central to NAR support for Trump's candidacy, presidency, and re-election effort, and that this discourse has come to shape some of the most important debates among American religious conservatives in the 21st century.

Review Quotes

Berry's analysis skillfully attends to the content of [New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)] prophecies... He considers how the NAR has been pivotal in reconfiguring the broader Evangelical movement for the future. The New Apostolic Reformation provides a fascinating tour through a relatively unknown religious movement that is actively contributing to the American social landscape.
Nova Religio

In this sharp account of some of Donald Trump's most visible religious supporters, Damon T. Berry offers an accessible, deeply researched, and clear-headed analysis of their ideas and motives over the past decade.
Daniel G. Hummel, Honorary Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA and author of The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism (2023).

About the Author

Damon T. Berry is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at St. Lawrence University, USA. He is the author of Blood & Faith: Christianity in American White Nationalism (2017) and Christianity & The Alt-Right: Exploring the Relationship (2021).