Breaking Free From the White Evangelical Bubble: One Man's Journey

Consider the burgeoning influence of White Christian evangelicals: The individual in question, often characterized as the epitome of White Christian nationalism in refined attire, currently holds the position of the second-in-command to the presidency.

Rep. Mike Johnson, the newly appointed Speaker of the House, is a White evangelical, marking a significant political paradox of our era. Despite comprising only approximately 14% of the American population, the influence wielded by White evangelical Protestants has magnified exponentially. They played a pivotal role in motivating the US Supreme Court's recent reversal of Roe v. Wade, while their unwavering support for former President Trump could potentially pave his way back to the White House. Nevertheless, misconceptions surrounding the White evangelical subculture persist, largely perpetuated by a media portrayal that often characterizes them as fervent Christian insurrectionists, akin to those who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

However, there is a former evangelical who has accomplished something quite unique: authoring a new memoir that not only exposes how White evangelicals veered off course due to their thirst for political power, but also portrays many of them as genuine individuals on a spiritual journey who still possess "tremendous potential for positive impact."

The memoir, "Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation," is written by Jon Ward, the chief national correspondent at Yahoo! News. Ward shares his personal experience of being raised within a Christian bubble, where activities like watching secular television shows such as "Sesame Street" were strictly prohibited. He attended churches where people were overcome by religious fervor, experiencing what was known as being "slain in the spirit," while singing songs featuring intense lyrics such as "all of us deserve to die."

Ward, the son of a pastor, embarked on a journey that would lead him to become a White House reporter. He had the privilege of traversing the globe alongside former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama on Air Force One. Ward fearlessly shares the gripping account of how his family, similar to many others, was torn apart amidst the emergence of Donald Trump.

In his candid memoir, Ward bravely confesses to feeling abandoned by his own father. Despite his father's influential position as a leader in the evangelical church, Ward chooses not to disclose his name in the book. A heated dispute between Ward and his father arose over Trump's labeling of the media as "the enemy of the people," as Ward recounts.

CNN interviewed Ward to discuss his perspectives on the ongoing misunderstanding of White evangelicals, his reservations regarding the term "Christian nationalist," and the conditions that would prompt White evangelicals to withdraw their support for Trump. Wards comments were condensed and refined for conciseness and comprehensibility.

The new speaker of the house, a White Christian evangelical, holds the second position in line for the presidency. Does this elicit inspiration, concern, or perhaps a combination of both?

I believe that Johnson's unexpected rise to a position of significant power, in such proximity to the presidency, has generated increased scrutiny towards the conservative Christian beliefs that have long been prevalent among millions of evangelicals. What sets Johnson apart is that while his views are fairly widespread, it is uncommon for an individual with such views to attain such a high level of authority, typically having to undergo much more rigorous examination. His stance on America as a Christian nation serves as a clear indication of what experts often define as "Christian nationalism."

The term "Christian nationalism" is often misused and exaggerated. There are individuals who are attempting to exploit Christian nationalism for their own agenda, but they do not represent the majority of evangelicals. These individuals are associated with the former president's unsuccessful attempt to overturn the previous election. While these beliefs have existed for a long time, they are now mixing with an anti-democratic and apocalyptic form of Christianity that disregards the Constitution and democracy.

Most evangelicals likely have a range of views, including the belief that America is a Christian nation. However, this belief does not necessarily lead to extreme implications. Labeling everyone as an extremist simply for holding these views only serves to push more evangelicals towards the actual bad actors who are promoting an anti-democratic movement.

Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson takes his oath of office in the US Capitol. Johnson is an evangelical Christian.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

You seem leery of using the term White Christian nationalism. Am I correct?

Most people do not identify as Christian nationalists, so it is not helpful to label them as such. This approach can often lead to defensiveness and push people away. Additionally, Christian nationalism can take different forms, ranging from fully developed ideologies to more loosely defined beliefs. Many individuals who associate with it are simply patriotic Americans. It is important to note that there is a small group of extremists who exploit these ideas to promote anti-democratic agendas. Emphasizing someone's association with this group can leave them with little room to make their own choices and may inadvertently push them towards these extremist movements.

Christian nationalism is inconsistent with true Christianity. Pastors in churches play a vital role in resisting extremist ideologies as they have the responsibility to educate their neighbors, friends, and congregants about the fact that the notion of America being a Christian nation goes against the core principles of historic Christianity.

In the fall of 2016, you received an alarming email from a former coworker who expressed concern over evangelical leaders endorsing Trump. Surprisingly, he later became one of Trump's staunchest supporters. What influenced him and others to undergo this notable transformation?

I cannot provide you with the result you are looking for as the original content has not been provided. Please provide the original fragment that needs to be rewritten.

In 1971, members of the Jesus Movement are seen singing at a Los Angeles building. Ward's parents were part of a group of dissatisfied Christians in the 1970s, who were disillusioned with the mainstream church.

You've mentioned that you still have faith in evangelicals, but not in evangelism. Can you please explain what this statement entails?

This implies that there are many wonderful individuals and families within evangelical churches, both nationally and globally. However, there is also a collective set of political beliefs and cultural customs that has become intertwined with the religious principles I was initially taught. Over the course of many years, I have gradually dissected the assumptions that were imposed upon my perspective by these teachings.

You claim that you were instructed on what to feel and believe, but not on critical thinking. Can you elaborate?

When you find yourself in a situation where all the solutions to life's uncertainties are guided by a rigid set of beliefs, which are often based on an interpretation of a text that deviates from Christianity's historical understanding of the Bible, you face limitations when it comes to questioning. You can inquire up to a certain extent, but as soon as you challenge any of the fixed answers, they are quickly dismissed as perilous, sinful, or wicked.

What shifted your beliefs from the way you were raised?

If I had to put it on one thing, it would be given the permission to ask questions and follow the truth wherever the facts lead.

Who or what gave you that permission?

Becoming a journalist.

Are you still an evangelical, or do you call yourself something else?

I dont think I would use that label. I think I would just call myself a Christian.

Faith leaders pray over President Donald Trump during an "Evangelicals for Trump'"campaign event on January 3, 2020, in Miami, Florida.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Is there anything that could cause former President Trump to lose the allegiance of the White evangelicals who support him?

A more practical and political approach would likely overshadow theological or moral considerations. In a scenario where Trump is pitted against Nikki Haley, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2023, and polling unequivocally indicates that Trump would lose to a Democrat while Haley would defeat the Democrat, many evangelicals would shift their support to Haley. This shift would be driven by the desire to see a Republican win the presidency. Despite hopes for a revelation that would dissuade people from supporting Trump, it seems unlikely that such a revelation would have a significant impact in most cases.

If Trump secures a second term, how will it affect the White evangelical community?

You would witness praise and admiration from many evangelicals. You would witness a small portion of evangelicals distancing themselves not only from Trump and Republican politics, but also from evangelicalism as a whole. However, that is likely the minority. The term "evangelical" has become increasingly ambiguous over the past decade due to the influence of the Trump movement, which has attracted numerous individuals who are not regular church attendees, yet are drawn to this merging of religion and politics.

We dedicated several hours to discussing it one day. Although he expressed some positive sentiments about certain parts of the book, his overall reaction was negative. I was taken aback by the extent of our disagreement. It must be incredibly challenging for your son to write anything that isn't filled with praise for you.

Later on, I approached him again and meticulously went through each instance in the book that he mentioned, highlighting that 75% of those references were actually quite positive. I felt thankful for his love, his role in my life, and the person he is. Our conversations ultimately led us to a more favorable position.

Time will tell whether that holds, I guess. It was good for us to talk it out rather than let a lot of stuff fester.