Thank you James Utt, Corinne Hayden, and many others for tuning into my live video with Rep. Jared Huffman! If you missed us live yesterday, here’s the recording of my wide-ranging conversation with Rep. Jared Huffman . I hope everyone can join me for the next RD Author Salon right here on Substack+Live.
Rep. Jared Huffman joined me yesterday to talk about his new book, No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism, just published this week. Above, you can watch this engaging conversation with someone who has witnessed the Christian nationalist assaults on our government from the inside. And if you haven’t picked up his book yet, it’s available here from Bookshop. (If you buy from the link below, a portion of the proceeds go to support this newsletter).
As a reminder, RD Author Salon live events are for paid subscribers only. But good news—I’m still offering a 25% discount on all annual paid subscriptions between now and my own book publication date of September 8. If you’re a free subscriber, you can upgrade to a discounted paid subscription with the button below and get access to future author salons throughout the year.
About Rep. Jared Huffman
Jared Huffman is a Humanist and the only member of Congress to admit he does not believe in gods. He founded the Congressional Freethought Caucus with Congressman Jamie Raskin to promote sound public policy based on reason, science, and moral values. He lives in San Rafael, California.
About No Prophets
Sinclair Lewis is said to have warned: “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” On January 6, 2021, Rep. Jared Huffman saw something chillingly close to that vision. Thousands of Christians following self-declared prophets stormed the Capitol. The insurrection should have been a national wake-up call about Christian nationalism. Instead, most Americans and politicians looked away.
No Prophets argues that Christian nationalism is now America’s most dangerous political movement. Huffman pulls back the curtain on religious extremists behind the insurrection who have only grown more powerful with Trump’s return. Openly vowing to destroy church-state separation and democracy as we know it, they now work inside the highest levels of government to drive domestic and foreign policy, reshape federal agencies, undermine science and education, and tilt elections. The endgame: an authoritarian theocracy that imposes their religious beliefs by force of law.
Drawing on his experiences as a formerly devout Christian and the only Humanist ever to serve in Congress, Huffman maps the movement’s largely hidden landscape--taking readers behind the scenes of the Capitol, exposing the tactics and myths Christian nationalists use to advance their agenda, and showing how America is imperiled by our reluctance to confront threats cloaked in Christianity.
But, he argues, it’s not too late. If we muster a broad interfaith coalition grounded in shared commitment to democracy, we can reclaim the public square for everyone--religious and secular--to share on equal terms.
No Prophets is a clear-eyed, urgent appeal to defend the secular foundations of democracy.
