Death of a Salesman

"I have never killed anyone, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction." - Clarence Darrow

The recent departure of Edwin J. Feulner at age eighty-three provides us with an opportune moment to reflect upon one of our republic's most enduring and profitable enterprises: the transformation of Christianity into a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party. Feulner, who spent the better part of four decades as president of The Heritage Foundation, was a master practitioner of what we might call the Godly Grift—that uniquely American talent for wrapping secular ambition in scriptural clothing while picking the pockets of the faithful.

That Feulner should spend his final earthly years crafting policy recommendations for Donald Trump—a figure who embodies every deadly sin with the enthusiasm of a Renaissance Pope—tells us everything we need to know about the current state of American Christianity. It also provides a perfect case study in how our religious-industrial complex operates: with the morality of a casino and the subtlety of a pimp.

The Business of Salvation

To understand…