Joel W. Townsend, Author

Sects & Politics

One Christian’s fifty-year journey through the changing world of American evangelicalism, the Christian Right, and Christian Nationalism offering a candid exploration of faith, politics, and allegiance.

Blending personal experience, history, and Scripture, the book invites readers to look beyond earthly causes, movements, and leaders and rediscover the hope found in Christ alone.

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Joel and Linda Townsend with Ellie, the Wonder Dog

About Joel W. Townsend

Joel holds a B.S., M.A., and M.B.A. For more than fifty years, he has studied, taught, and discussed the intersection of faith and public life. He has served as a Bible teacher, worship leader, church planter, and pastor. Drawing from personal experience, historical research, and a lifetime of church engagement, his work explores the ascent of the Christian Right and Christian Nationalism and their sway over American culture and politics.

He wrote Sects & Politics after growing weary of watching complex issues reduced to antagonistic sound bites and slogans. He is of the opinion that healing the fractures requires more than just anger, and that enduring fixes start with open communication. He lives in Tennessee with his wife, Linda, and Ellie, the Wonder Dog.