White evangelical quietism is a tactic that flips when power shifts

Evidence

While this sentiment is a complete repudiation of his former declaration, the about-face is consistent if it’s understood as a mere tactical change to an underlying commitment, defending a white supremacist status quo. When white supremacy was still safely ensconced in the wider culture, white evangelicals argued that the Bible mandated a privatized religion. This was a powerful way of delegitimizing the work of black ministers working for black equality. But as these forces gained power, white evangelicals discovered a biblical mandate for political organizing and resistance. — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 294

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Premillennial eschatology structurally undermines social justice commitment — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 265; White evangelical leaders lost control of their own flocks to Trump’s appeal — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne: How White…, 573; Conservative minority-veto impulses recur whenever demographic change threatens white political dominance — Nikole Hannah-Jones et al., The 1619 Project: A New American Origin…, 646 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• White evangelicals reversed their stance on immoral public leaders within five years #exemplifies (0.85) — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 605
• Trump framed white evangelicals as a persecuted majority needing to claim power #corroborates (0.85) — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 576
• White evangelical leaders lost control of their own flocks to Trump’s appeal #complicates (0.75) — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 573
• Conservative minority-veto impulses recur whenever demographic change threatens white political dominance #complicates (0.70) — Nikole Hannah-Jones et al., The 1619 Project, 646