Katherine Stewart Unveils 'The Power Worshippers'

Author and investigative reporter, Katherine Stewart, visited with us to discuss her second book, The Power Workshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism. “I’ve been writing about the rise of the religious right as a political force and its consequences on our democracy, and a lot of times people think of the religious right as a cultural movement. They think about the so-called cultural wars. Issues like abortion or same-sex marriages, things like that…but the religious right as a political force, which I often refer to as Christian Nationalism, it’s a political movement, it’s an anti-democratic ideology… its representatives insist that the foundation of the legitimate government is bound up with a reactionary understanding, particularly religion. And it’s not just an ideology, it’s also a movement. A way of mobilizing and often manipulating large segments of the population to vote for the political candidates that the movement favors, so the far-right political candidates. They aim for a bunch of things. They want to create what is essentially a new leadership cadre of people who subscribe to an anti-liberal ideology, they want access to public money, they want political access and influence, and above all, they want power.” Stewart explained that “leadership of this movement actually goes into churches in order to do these presentations to get pastors because then if you can get the pastors, you can get their congregations. So, they go in there and they give them these tools to get them to turn out the vote.”

During the conversation, which was held prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Stewart discussed one of the main agendas of the religious right, which is to ban abortions nationwide, and its serious repercussions. “This is something you don’t hear the so-called pro-life movement talk about, the anti-choice movement, talk about. They don’t talk about the fact that child birth and pregnancy is dangerous. I think it’s 10 to 15% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage and some number of those are going to require medical care, medical treatment, so that the women don’t get, or girls don’t get sepsis, or hemorrhage, or bleed out, or have some other health complications. In addition, women will die trying to self-abort or die in child birth as a consequence… there are all these complications in pregnancy that mandate miscarriage care or abortion care in order to save the woman’s life or health. This law is going to mean that women will die.” Stewart also shared her own personal story, going through a life-threatening miscarriage, in which she was able to receive a delayed abortion that ultimately saved her life.

Luckily for Stewart, the response regarding this book has been overwhelmingly positive. For many, this book spoke to them and helped them understand the political moment we’re facing. They felt comfortable sharing their personal stories, but like many, are deeply concerned about the effects of this movement. However, Stewart assures us that the religious right and those who follow the movement are only a minority of the population. “Those of us who reject their agenda are a majority and we really need to act like it. We need to vote as often as they do, if not more. We need to act in unity when necessary.”