American Fascists

American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America

Company type	Nonfiction book
Industry	Publishing
Founded	2007
Founder	Chris Hedges
Products	Book

American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America is a 2007 nonfiction work by American journalist Chris Hedges. The book examines the emergence of the American Christian right and contends that this politically engaged group displays traits commonly associated with a fascist movement.

Contents

The opening chapter contrasts the widespread Christian acceptance of Biblical fallibility with a minority viewpoint endorsing Biblical inerrancy, which advocates for a Christian nation through dominion theology and selective readings of the Revelation. It emphasizes this faction’s considerable media presence, corporate support, and political achievements during the George W. Bush administration.

Chapter two connects the expansion of this movement to a "culture of despair" fueled by economic instability and job outsourcing, particularly affecting the Rust Belt. The Christian right capitalizes on this despair by promoting narratives centered on salvation and societal renewal.

The third chapter, titled "Conversion," explores church strategies such as love bombing to increase congregation size, followed by an examination of "The Cult of Masculinity," which advances male dominance and marginalizes women through selective scriptural interpretations.

Chapter five, "Persecution," investigates how anti-LGBT bias is justified within the movement through processes of othering and projection. The subsequent chapter discusses how conflicting motivations are sustained by a "War on Truth" that supports pseudoscientific practices like conversion therapy and creationism.

Chapter seven critiques the ostentatious displays of wealth by business figures and proponents of prosperity gospel within the movement, noting followers’ acceptance of economic inequality as a sign of divine blessing. The following chapter exposes how certain organizations prioritize monetary gain above spiritual objectives. "God: The Commercial" contrasts televangelist Paul Crouch’s extravagant lifestyle with the poverty experienced by their audience.

The concluding chapter, "Apocalyptic Violence," analyzes sermons encouraging readiness for apocalyptic conflict, highlighting media such as the Left Behind series that identifies current institutions and Islam as Antichrist forces. Hedges argues that corporate-backed Christian right groups, increasingly adopting violent rhetoric, threaten the open society. He closes by calling for resistance against what he views as a biblically unfounded fascist movement.

Reception

Rick Perlstein writing for The New York Times criticized Hedges for approaching the subject as an amateur, relying on unsupported theorizing and weak examples. Perlstein expressed skepticism about Hedges’ depiction of the Christian right as a violent menace and felt his focus on imminent mass violence was counterproductive.

Conservative publications such as National Review and Human Events issued negative assessments, accusing Hedges of exaggerating the Christian right’s potential for violence and unfairly branding the movement as fascist.

Joe Bailey from the Daily Emerald challenged Hedges’ political analysis, arguing that Christians have legitimate rights to pursue political objectives and suggesting that Hedges’ "culture war mentality" might actually strengthen the Christian right.

Historian Jon Wiener questioned the validity of Hedges’ comparisons to the Weimar Republic and noted ambiguity in the book’s policy recommendations.

Jonathan Liu’s review in the New York Observer described American Fascists as "audacious" in its sweeping social critique but observed Hedges’ tendency toward exaggeration, possibly influenced by intellectuals shaped by experiences from World War II. Liu also regarded Hedges’ portrayal of an anti-gay event as less alarming than suggested.

In an interview with Michelle Goldberg at Salon.com, Hedges acknowledged the book’s anger stemmed from frustration over how some exploit Christianity for personal benefit while undermining its fundamental teachings.