Understanding the political radicalization of Charismatic Christians, with Matthew D. Taylor
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This interview is with Matthew D. Taylor, who wrote and created a recent podcast series called "Charismatic Revival Fury." Taylor is the Protestant Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies, in Baltimore. Taylor's podcast is in one sense the untold story of the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. But it's so much more than that as well. I can't think of a work of research and story-telling over the past year that is as important as this one. It is a careful look at how a growing number of American Christians are being politically radicalized by a set of leaders who form what is generally known as the New Apostolic Reformation. And I think Taylor's critique is a model for how we can think and talk about this kind of radicalized religion in a way that might help reduce it, rather than pushing people in churches across the country, especially charismatic churches, toward further political radicalization. Taylor's research shows that talking about these topics requires a deftness and precision that avoids painting all conservative Christians with such a broad brush that it risks pushing them closer to extremist radicals, rather than bringing them into a broader conversation that can serve as a moderating force.
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