Why Does American Christianity Feel So Political?
In this episode, our guest, Ron Herms, looks at the issues facing American Christians in America.
Why does so much of American Christianity seem disconnected from the teachings of Jesus?
In this episode of the All Saints Podcast, I sit down with biblical scholar Ron Herms for a wide-ranging conversation about empire, power, Christian nationalism, apocalyptic literature, and the church's role in our cultural moment.
Together we explore why books like Daniel and Revelation were written, what the Bible means by "empire," how apocalyptic literature functions as resistance literature, and why the early followers of Jesus understood faithfulness very differently than many modern expressions of Christianity.
We also tackle some difficult and timely questions:
• Why are Christians so fascinated with the end times?
• How did Christian Zionism become so influential in American religious life?
• What does the Bible actually say about power, leadership, and faithfulness?
• How should followers of Jesus respond to nationalism, empire, and political polarization?
• Is there another way beyond fear, violence, and culture wars?
At the heart of this conversation is a simple but profound challenge: What if Jesus calls us not to dominate the world, but to faithfully bear witness within it?
This is an honest, thoughtful, and deeply relevant conversation for anyone wrestling with faith, politics, power, and what it means to follow Jesus today.
Read more about Ron Herms and find FAQs from the episode here.