Podcast
Episode 32: The FBI and White Christian Nationalism
How did the Federal Bureau of Investigations contribute to the rise of white Christian nationalism? Lerone A. Martin, author of The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover: How the FBI Aided and Abetted the Rise of White Christian Nationalism, joins us to discuss the place of religion and race at the FBI. Why did J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI’s long-serving director, believe a Christian America was a safer America and what did he do to make that vision a reality? How did the FBI form partnerships with conservative Christian leaders and institutions, and what religious activities took place at the FBI for its special agents? And how does knowing this history about religion and race at the FBI help us make sense of the rise in white Christian nationalism today?