The Growing Religious Fervor in The American Right

PHOENIX — They began with an invocation, calling upon God’s “hedge of thorns and fire” to guard each individual in the pitch-black parking lot of Phoenix.

The American Right inspirational words

They requested testimonies and gave the floor to anyone with “inspirational words that they’d like to say on behalf of our J-6 political prisoners,” referring to those detained in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, who they would later honour.

The few dozen present then raised their voices a cappella in a beloved hymn that is sung on Sundays and is sung by millions of Christians who know the words by heart:

Miracle-worker, promise-keeper, and maker of paths

Light, my God, in the shadows

It describes who you are.

congregation

This was not a religious ceremony. It was a service of worship for a new kind of congregation: a right-wing political movement with a divine agenda, the members of which find spiritual nourishment in political action.

For many years, the Christian right and American conservatism have been intertwined; the Donald Trump era is the culmination of this relationship. Furthermore, Christian culture has long had a presence at political gatherings. Worship, a holy act of expressing devotion to God through motion, song, or prayer, was primarily confined to the church. Many Christians are now bringing their intense, passionate, and aspirational worship of God into their political lives.

They view right-wing political activity

Participants frequently talk about having spiritual encounters and feeling as though they are contributing to the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth at events held across the United States. They view right-wing political activity as a sacred act in and of itself.

They stand for a variety of grievances

These right-wing secularists, including media-savvy opportunists and propagandists of misinformation, are joining forces with these Christians. They stand for a variety of grievances, from opposing vaccination requirements to endorsing election sabotage. Church attendance became politicised for many as a result of pandemic restrictions that temporarily closed places of worship, which increased their mistrust of the government.

current and true president of the United States

We firmly believe that Donald Trump is the current and true president of the United States, Father in heaven, we pray, a local evangelist prayed at a Trump rally in Michigan last weekend. He listed the names of the Trump-endorsed candidates to the crowd and prayed that they would receive support from precinct delegates at the upcoming Michigan Republican Party convention “in Jesus’ name.”

The crowd responded with a chorus of “in Jesus’ name.”

The atmosphere of events and rallies, many of which feature Christian symbols and rituals, especially praise music, is changing as the right-wing movement becomes more explicitly religious. Much of this fervour is rooted in the charismatic tradition, which emphasises the power of the Holy Spirit.

Political ideals driven by spiritual mission raise the stakes of any disagreement, whether it be about masks or school curricula, and make compromise all the more challenging. Politics increasingly becomes about defending God, indicating a desire to create a country that actively supports a specific set of Christian beliefs.

Patty Castillo Porter, who was present at the event in Phoenix, said, “What is refreshing for me is, this isn’t at all related to church, but we are talking about God. She is a local Republican committee officer and an accountant who serves as “the voice of the Grassroots/America First posse.” She praised meeting so many Christians at the protests she attends against COVID mandates, border policy, and election results.

She said, “God is relevant now.” Because people are aware that you cannot trust law enforcement, sheriffs, or politicians, they say, “You name it, God is there. You can only put your current trust in God.

Conclusion

The right-wing voter mobilisation campaign, which aims to undermine election procedures, sponsored the parking lot vigil. The contemporary Christian megahit “Way Maker” wasn’t sung by everyone in attendance. A few armed men stood at the edge of the crowd smoking and discussing what they were seeing on the conspiracy website Infowars, which is accompanied by a German shepherd. Many of the others who joined in singing belonged to charismatic or evangelical churches.

These events contain recognisable evangelical worship components. There are shared rituals and stories, as well as prayer and proclamation. The most potent component may be music. The contemporary evangelical church’s anthems, many of which were only recently composed, are blending with growing political rage and serving as the background music for a new conflict.