In this unsettling investigation into white evangelicals' fusion of the gospel and guns, veteran journalist William J. Kole exposes how some Christians are standing in the way of reasonable restrictions on firearms--and how it makes us all less safe. On the evening that the bass player on his worship team casually showed him his handgun, the author's world shifted. In that moment, Kole--who was the AP's New England bureau chief when a gunman massacred twenty-six people at Sandy Hook Elementary--knew he had to figure out what was going on. Why were white evangelicals more likely than other Americans to own a weapon? What made them treat the Second Amendment as if it were God-breathed? And how did his own faith, rooted in Jesus's call to turn the other cheek, get hijacked? In the pages of In Guns We Trust, Kole looks at the unholy alliance between white evangelicals, guns, and politics. Writing in the tradition of Tim Alberta and Kristin Kobes du Mez, he takes us into sanctuaries where worshippers raise hands and pack heat; to a rural church that does outreach through target practice with assault rifles; and into the lucrative gun-making industry, in which evangelicals play an outsized role. He introduces us to global Christians who can't imagine owning firearms and dissidents in the US who are working for change--including activists beating guns into garden tools, and nuns who bought company stock so they could sue a gun manufacturer. Our nation is awash in more guns than citizens. With meticulous research, humanizing interviews, and immersive narrative, Kole pulls back the curtain on the locked-and-loaded Christianity that got us here. Ignoring gun-toting believers, Kole argues, means the violence will continue. But when intentional conversation and faithful resistance bear fruit, peace may yet prevail.
William J. Kole is an editor for Axios and an award-winning veteran journalist who has reported from North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He has served as Vienna bureau chief for The Associated Press and also as New England bureau chief. A former lay missionary for the Assemblies of God and worship leader at evangelical churches in Europe and around New England, he served as board president of Dorcas USA, an international Christian relief and development agency. Kole is the author of The Big 100, which Jane Goodall called "stimulating and inspiring." He lives in Rhode Island.
"With a keen journalistic eye and a commitment to uncovering the complexities of American identity, In Guns We Trust is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the intricate dynamics at play in one of the most contentious issues facing the nation today. Prepare for a compelling journey that will reshape your understanding of faith, power, and the pervasive grip of gun culture in America." --Shannon Watts, founder, Moms Demand Action "As a gun safety advocate and woman of faith, I have seen firsthand how bad religion and guns can become dangerously intertwined, with devastating consequences for our communities. Our movement has long sounded the alarm on the ways extremism, easy access to firearms, and the gun industry fuel America's gun violence crisis. In Guns We Trust weaves these threads together, offering a powerful look at how we got to this moment--where guns are the leading cause of death for young people--and how we can build a safer future, one where we choose to love our neighbors, not arm ourselves against them." --Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action "Imagine losing a child to gun violence and then being betrayed by the same group that committed to praying for you. In Guns We Trust offers history and insight into how Christian nationalism has rendered Christians in the United States impotent in the face of injustice. With astute precision, William J. Kole offers an insider view on how white evangelical churches and communities have largely traded their witness to Christ for guns." --Nelba Marquez-Greene, licensed therapist and mother of Ana Grace, murdered at Sandy Hook "With his captivating storytelling, journalistic curiosity, and prophetic lament, William J. Kole shines a much-needed light on how many Christians have actively participated in furthering the scourge of gun violence. He invites us to envision a different future where everyday Christians courageously reckon with our history of complicity by actively moving toward peacemaking. I highly recommend this much-needed resource to any North American Christian wanting to grapple more deeply with the injustice of gun violence." --Joash Thomas, author of The Justice of Jesus "In Guns We Trust demands a reckoning. William J. Kole lays out our predicament. We have to 'put down our guns,' do whatever we can to ensure that no child, no person, is ever killed in the US again, and practice the nonviolence of Jesus so that, finally, we might learn the meaning of the words 'In God We Trust.'" --Rev. John Dear, activist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and author of The Gospel of Peace, The Nonviolent Life, and The Questions of Jesus "In Guns We Trust is a gripping and thought-provoking page-turner that challenges readers to confront America's deep-rooted relationship with firearms. Journalist William J. Kole masterfully weaves together startling facts--such as the reality that there are more guns than people in the United States--with profound questions about the ties between guns, white evangelicals, and politics. This book compels us to ask why, despite heart-wrenching tragedies like Sandy Hook, the country has yet to enact sweeping gun reforms. In Guns We Trust is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the forces shaping our nation's gun culture and policies." --Ebony Reed, coauthor of Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap
