Obama’s presidency strengthened evangelical embattlement and militant voices

Evidence

But militant evangelicalism was always at its strongest with a clear enemy to fight. Two weeks before the election, with an Obama victory appearing likely, one Colorado Springs pastor reminded fellow evangelicals of this: “This could be the best thing that ever happened to the evangelical cause… . We’re used to being against the tide.” He was right. The presidency of Barack Obama would strengthen evangelicals’ sense of embattlement and embolden the more militant voices within the movement. — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 534

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Du Mez’s earlier argument (and the broader embattled-minority literature) that evangelical identity thrives on persecution narrative — echoes her discussion of the ‘persecuted’ self-image throughout the book.