A noted Christian author takes aim at Donald Trump and his evangelical supporters.

As a 30-year professional golfer who co-founded the official PGA Tour Bible Study group and has authored more than a half-dozen Christian-themed books, including Moses Predicted COVID-19 (2020), Zarley has a long record of promoting his “lifetime evangelical” faith. Unlike many of his fellow White evangelicals, Zarley (who “voted for Republican presidents all my life until lately”) believes that former President Donald Trump was, and continues to be, “unfit for the job and a danger to democracy.” This book, part four in a planned series on biblical prophecy, argues that Trump’s personal and political behavior, from his narcissism to his overt sexual indiscretions, are antithetical to Christianity and the values found in the Bible. Written chronologically from Trump’s 2015 presidential campaign through the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, with a short introductory biography of Trump’s upbringing and business record, Zarley covers the major events, scandals, and blunders of the Trump administration through the lens of a dismayed Christian. Most chapters address specific incidents of the Trump presidency, such as his impeachment hearings and his handling of Covid-19, but others take a more holistic view, comparing, for instance, “the megalomaniac” Trump to Christ in their opposing views on success, judgment, and love. Originally published on the author’s blog at Patheos, the book’s 200 short chapters have been lightly edited to avoid repetition and make for a smoother read. And while Zarley is convincing in many of his political takes, which are typically backed by ample footnotes, the book nevertheless reads more like a compilation of op-eds than a seamless original narrative. Given the work’s admission that “Trump’s political division has hurt families all across America,” in particular Christian homes divided in their political allegiances to Trump, Zarley’s willingness to become a target of right-wing ire is commendable, considering his lifetime investment in evangelical circles. Whether he succeeds in his goal of “deprogramming supporters of President Trump,” however, is yet to be seen.

A persuasive, well-argued case against Trump by a prominent evangelical.