The Pastors Being Driven Out by Trumpism

<p>Evangelicals make up about a quarter of the population in the United States and are part of the nation’s largest religious group. But lately the movement is in crisis.</p><p>The biggest issue is church attendance. Many churches closed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and struggled to reopen while congregations thinned.</p><p>But a smaller audience isn’t the only problem: Pastors are quitting, or at least considering doing so.</p><p> </p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/ruth-graham">Ruth Graham</a> is a national correspondent covering religion, faith and values for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Across the country, theologically conservative white evangelical churches that were once comfortably united<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/09/us/arkansas-pastor-evangelical-churches.html"> are at odds over many of the same issues dividing the Republican Party</a> and other institutions.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>