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Tobias Cremer discusses the central themes of his new book, The Godless Crusade, with a response by Maya Tudor, and chaired by Tom Simpson.
The Godless Crusade explores the rise of right-wing populism in the West, proposing that its references to religion are driven less by a resurgence of religious fervour, and more by the emergence of a new secular identity politics. Cremer argues that right-wing populists use Christianity as a cultural identity marker of the ‘pure people’ against external ‘others’ while often remaining disconnected from Christian values, beliefs, and institutions. However, right-wing populists’ willingness and ability to employ religion in this way critically depends on the actions of mainstream party politicians and faith leaders. They can either legitimise right-wing populists’ identitarian use of religion or challenge it, thereby cultivating ‘religious immunity’ against populist appeals. As the populist wave breaks across the West, a new debate about the role of religion in society has begun.
