Category: Anti-Semitism

Just Released: On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives

In late November 2025, Routledge just released the edited volume, On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives, edited by David M. Gides and Joan Braune. In it, I have a chapter entitled, “Messianic Ruscism: Christian Nationalism and the Lure of Putin’s Russkii Mir,” which discusses why certain American Christian Nationalists look to palingenetic Russia, with its reversal of Soviet theomachism for the resurgence of Orthodoxy and autocracy, as a model of what they’d like to do in America. The “symphonia” of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Putinist state is a template for a renewal of “Christian America” for many self-avowed Christian Nationalists, who see “shared values” in the conservative values of the anti-West politics of Putin (and Alexander Dugin). Obviously, I’m deeply critical of this vision for America as well as for Russia. Get yourself a copy of this book. Joan and David did an excellent job!

You can find the book at Routledge’s website: On Christian Nationalism.

1

UO Students to The Zekelman Holocaust Center

On Thursday, November 13th, 2025, I was able to take the students in my “Religion and Philosophy in the Third Reich” course at The University of Olivet to The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills, MI. For many of the students, it was the first time they were confronted with artifacts and exhibits related to the mechanized mass extermination of a civilian population: the Jews of Europe. We had a wonderful guide, “Jimm,” who not only explained the many exhibits on display, but reminded the students about the categorical need to stand up to injustice, prejudice, violence, and genocide. If you haven’t been to The Zekelman Holocaust Center, I would strongly suggest a visit. It is well worth it. Below are just a few of the pictures taken on our visit:

0

Discussing the “Magic Helper” at the Self & Society Symposium – Chicago

On August 7th, I had the wonderful opportunity to discuss my book, The Dark Charisma of Donald Trump: Political Psychology and the MAGA Movement, at the Self Society Symposium (SSS) at Loyola University in Chicago. The SSS is coordinated by the great scholar, Lauren Langman, of Loyola University. I was joined by many other sociologists, psychologists, theologians, and philosophers to discuss ongoing issues in our society, especially the U.S. drift towards authoritarianism. In my presentation, I used Erich Fromm’s notion of the “Magic Helper,” found in his seminal 1941 book, Escape from Freedom, to highlight how Trump’s most submissive devotees perceive him as a national messianic force. We had a wonderful dinner and discourse the night before our symposium at Lauren’s house in Lincoln Park, for which Lauren was the most gracious host.

If you are interested in my book, The Dark Charisma of Donald Trump: Political Psychology and the MAGA Movement, it is available three different ways: Ekpyrosis Press Website; Amazon; Lulu.

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑