None of these things — not BLM, LBGTQ rights, or the pandemic — have “created” foreboding among evangelicals. Because foreboding is and will always be central to evangelicalism. The foreboding is already there. It’s just a matter of what an individual or group or charismatic leader decides to do with it. The very fact that evangelicals could so easily adopt “another gospel” is perhaps the best evidence of this. Christian scripture was designed (and in subsequent versions, enhanced and redesigned) to be as malleable as Play-Doh. Use it to garner resources to feed and provide water to starving, thirsty people in Africa, or to incite violent white supremacist traitors. Your choice.

I certainly applaud efforts to redirect religious thought away from extremism and toward harmony and humanity, but do not attribute the deplorable actions of extremists to courageous and principled efforts to stamp out historic oppression and save lives.