"God Has Used Worse People"

"The first strand is an old one. You can look at the way in which Christians, Protestants, have seen personal success as a sign of God's work.
"The real political linkage is one that comes about through these corporate leaders in the 1930s, who are looking for someone to push back against the New Deal. When their own efforts fall flat, they go looking for ministers to make the case for them. They come together around a common set of values: They see the New Deal and the labor unions' power as forces of 'pagan statism.' Through that common enemy, they make an argument that Christianity and capitalism are one and the same.
"In my book, I talk about James Fifield, who argues quite explicitly that both the systems are based on individual salvation. In his telling, a good Christian goes to heaven; a bad one goes to hell. A good capitalist makes profit, a bad one goes to the poorhouse. In both systems, individuals rise on their own merits."

At The Atlantic, Emma Green interviews Kevin Kruse, author of One Nation Under God, about Evangelical Protestant support for Donald Trump.