The Hijacking of Christianity: Religious Fundamentalism, Reagan-Era Colonialism, and Global Ramifications

By Andrew Klein

Historical Context: Fundamentalism as Political Tool

‘Christian fundamentalism’ emerged in the early 20th century as a reaction against theological modernism, emphasising ‘literal biblical interpretation’ and adherence to “fundamentals” like Christ’s virgin birth and bodily resurrection. This movement gained political traction by aligning with ‘anti-communist crusades’ during the Cold War. Under Reagan, fundamentalist leaders like Jerry Falwell transformed the Moral Majority into a powerful political force that framed free-market capitalism and militarism as God-ordained systems. Reagan’s rhetoric deliberately fused evangelical themes with nationalist objectives, declaring the Soviet Union an “evil empire” while positioning America as a divinely favoured nation. This theological-political alliance provided ideological cover for neocolonial ambitions under the guise of religious freedom.

Theological Distortions and Colonial Continuities

Fundamentalists ‘reinterpreted scripture’ to justify expansionist policies:

• Doctrine of Dominion: Promoted the idea that Christians must “take dominion” over earthly governments, providing theological justification for interventionism.
• American Exceptionalism: Framed U.S. geopolitical ambitions as fulfillment of biblical “city on a hill” imagery.
• Selective Literalism: Applied rigid literalism to passages supporting patriarchal/authoritarian structures while ignoring texts about wealth redistribution.

This ideological framework enabled the ‘spiritualization of colonialism‘, where Middle Eastern interventions could be marketed as holy wars against “godless communism” rather than resource-driven imperialism. The Reagan administration actively courted fundamentalist leaders, creating a ‘mutually beneficial alliance’: politicians gained votes and moral cover, while religious leaders gained policy influence and cultural legitimacy.

Reagan’s Middle East Policy: Fundamentalist Crusade by Proxy

Reagan’s approach transformed the region into a ‘Cold War battleground’ with religious overtones:

Strategic Consensus Doctrine: Framed regional conflicts through ‘anti-Soviet apocalypticism’ rather than local dynamics. Reagan asserted that Soviets were; “the focus of evil in the modern world” exploiting Middle East conflicts.

Militarised Christianity: Fundamentalist support enabled Reagan’s unprecedented ‘$1 trillion military buildup’ (1981-1985), including sophisticated weapons transfers to allies. Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger declared, “Defence is not a budget issue. You spend what you need.”

Israel as Theological Proxy: Reagan’s uncritical support for Israel (winning 39% of Jewish votes, a Republican record) aligned with fundamentalist ‘end-times theology’ where Israel’s expansion facilitated Christ’s return. This theological lens distorted peace efforts as evidenced when Reagan called the Lebanon invasion a “legitimate response” to terrorism:

• Sacred Violence – Direct combat engagements increased dramatically – from Lebanon (1982) to…
• Persian Gulf (1984) – with Reagan framing conflicts as battles against “evil” rather than political disputes.

The administration’s “strategic consensus” policy explicitly sought to mobilise Middle Eastern allies against the Soviet threat while advancing U.S. commercial interests, increasing military sales by 325% to regional allies. This fusion of religious and capitalist agendas transformed the region into an arms bazaar where fundamentalist-backed policies privileged military solutions over diplomatic engagement.

Domestic Sacrifice: Dismantling the Social Covenant

The “guns and tax cuts” agenda systematically dismantled New Deal social protections:

Deficit-Driven Austerity: Reagan’s $220 billion military budget (largest peacetime expenditure) coupled with tax cuts created “structural deficits” used to justify welfare reductions. The national debt tripled to $2.7 trillion, creating perpetual leverage against social spending.

Welfare State Demonisation: Fundamentalist rhetoric recast social programs as “Satanic dependency” while corporate subsidies became “divine prosperity.” This ideological shift enabled:

• 60% cut to federal low-income housing programs.
• $20 billion reduction in food stamps (1981-1986).
• Erosion of union protections accelerating deindustrialisation.
• Religious Privatisation: Faith-based initiatives redirected social services to churches, fragmenting the safety net along theological lines. Organisations denying aid to “unrepentant sinners” received federal funding.

The ‘human cost’ manifested in surging inequality – by 1989, the top 1% held more wealth than the bottom 90% combined, reversing three decades of economic convergence. This “sacrifice economy” demanded working-class austerity to fund militarised fundamentalism .

Global Neoliberal Crusade: Structural Violence

Reagan’s fundamentalist-backed policies exported this model globally:

• Washington Consensus: IMF/World Bank structural adjustment programs imposed ‘theological capitalism’ – privatisation, deregulation, and social spending cuts as moral imperatives.
• Labor Exploitation: Offshoring fueled by union busting and trade policies creating ‘poverty-wage zones’ U.S. manufacturing employment fell by 1.8 million (1979-1984) while imports from low-wage economies surged.
• Resource Curse Enhancement: Supported dictators like Saddam Hussein (pre-1990) and Saudi monarchs, trading arms for oil while blocking democratic reforms. Reagan officials explicitly aimed to “enhance the US position in the region at the expense of Western Europe and Japan”.
• Democracy Sabotage: Despite rhetoric, Reagan undermined democratic movements contradicting fundamentalist/capitalist aims. The administration supported ‘repressive regimes’ in Guatemala, El Salvador, and South Africa where religious leaders justifying apartheid received White House invitations.

Legacy of Theocratic Capitalism

The Reagan-fundamentalist alliance bequeathed durable pathologies:

• Institutionalised Inequality: Tax policies entrenched wealth gaps – top marginal rate fell from 70% to 28% while capital gains advantages expanded.
• Sacralised Militarism: Military spending became untouchable “faith-based” expenditure, with 2024 Pentagon budget ($886B) exceeding next 10 nations combined.
• Democratic Erosion: Theocratic appointees transformed courts – federal judiciary shifted from 35% to 60% conservative, enabling recent voting restrictions.
• Global Fundamentalist Wave: Model inspired similar movements – Modi’s Hindu nationalism weaponises religion against minorities while eroding secular democracy.

Modern Christian nationalism directly descends from Reagan-era policies, with 31% of Americans now embracing the view that “America should be a strictly Christian nation” – nearly triple the percentage from 1990. This movement continues advancing ‘corporate theocracy’ where religious liberty protects profit, not people.

Resistance and Reimagining

Counter-movements offer alternative futures:

• Liberation Theology Revival: Pope Francis recently denounced “the new colonialism” of debt-based exploitation.
• Economic Democracy: Worker-cooperatives growing 36% faster than traditional firms.
• Intersectional Alliances: Religious-left coalitions like Poor People’s Campaign bridging racial/economic justice.
• Global Solidarity – Anti-fundamentalist movements from India’s farmers to Chile’s feminists modelling resistance.

Reclaiming Christianity’s ‘subversive roots’ – where the biblical call to “break yokes” challenges both state and corporate power – remains essential. As fundamentalist-backed authoritarianism surges globally, the most potent resistance may emerge from reconnecting spiritual values with material justice, rejecting the colonial hijacking that reached its apotheosis under Reagan but continues evolving today. This requires confronting not just policies but the ‘theological imagination’ that sacralises empire while demonising the vulnerable:

“The religious right in its most contemporary form has an origin in Southern opposition to desegregation and to the Civil Rights Movement… a transparently racist appeal.”

This uncomfortable truth underscores how the Reagan-fundamentalist alliance repurposed Christianity into a tool of domination – a legacy demanding not merely policy reform but profound “theological exorcism.”

 

See also: Neoliberalism, Free Markets, and the Rise of Governmental Corruption

 

 

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