Devils of Democracy: America's Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to Today (Michael E. Heyes) - Review
The title of the book—Devils of Democracy—may be a bit misleading. At first glance, you might think this
was simply a book about metaphorical political demons that inhabit the current
political sphere, but in reality, this is a book about belief in real demons.
At the same time, there is a thread that is focused on the way conspiracy
theories work, that is, conspiracy theories laced with beliefs in the demonic. Devils of Democracy isn’t just about the connection of demons to American
politics, since the author, Michael E. Heyes, takes things back to ancient
times. In other words, Devils of Democracy is a rather complex book.
That's not surprising because the connection of belief in demons and politics
is itself complex.
Devils of Democracy: America's
Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to Today was written
by Michael E. Heyes, an associate professor and chair of the Department of
Religion at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The version of the
book I read and on which this review is based is an Advanced Reading Copy.
Heyes’ Devils of Democracy examines the relationship between belief in
demons and politics, and as such is connected to his larger interest in
monsters and demons. This book, though it covers a lot of ground, is deeply
concerned about contemporary political life, including the role of belief in
demons among supporters of Donald Trump. That support includes the embrace of
spiritual warfare as a political art. Many of those who embrace spiritual
warfare are also Christian Nationalists, people such as Lance Wallnau and Paula
White, two strong Trump supporters. A central theme in the book is Heyes's
suggestion that "Americans, as it turns out, love political demons"
(p. 7). This love of political demons goes back to the beginnings of American
history. It was also a significant driver of support for both sides of the
Civil War, with each side seeing the other as in league with the Devil.
Heyes divides Devils of Democracy into five parts, taking the reader on a historical journey from
the ancient world to the present. Part I is titled "Thousands of Years of
Demons: A History." It comprises two chapters. Chapter 1, "In the
Beginning," takes us back to the biblical story and the role that Satan
and demons play in it. Whereas Chapter 1 introduces us to the Devil and the
idea of demons, Chapter Two, "Dealing with Demons," focuses on the
New Testament, especially Jesus' ministry of exorcism. From the New Testament,
Heyes takes us forward into early Christianity, including the ideas found in
the writings of Augustine, among others.
Part II is titled "The First
American Apocalypse." This section focuses on the Seventeenth and
Eighteenth Centuries. This section also has two chapters, the first of which is
titled "The Papal Beast and the French and Indian War" (Chapter 3).
Here we discover how belief in the demonic functioned during a time of war pitting
the predominantly Protestant British American colonies and the Roman Catholic
French. For many Protestants, the Pope was the anti-Christ, so you can see how
this would work during a time of war. The second chapter in the section is
titled "A Revolutionary Apocalypse" (Chapter 4) and focuses on the
Revolutionary War. Here we discover, for example, that the Stamp Act was portrayed
in demonic terms, such that its agents were demonic agents. Though George III
was Anglican, he was portrayed by many as being a secret Papist, and therefore
in league with the Papal Beast. Connected to this chapter is "The Modern
Takeaway," which focuses on apocalyptic movements such as William Miller's
and the more recent predictions of Harold Camping. Heyes points out that mixed
into the apocalyptic theories has been belief in American exceptionalism.
Part III is focused on
"Spiritualism to the Civil War: The Nineteenth Century." We sometimes
forget how popular spiritualism, which includes efforts to speak with the dead
through seances and other mediators, was during the nineteenth century. Spiritualism
may not be as popular today as it was then, but there are links between the
contemporary world and nineteenth-century efforts (think the Ouija Board) to
contact the dead. This section has six chapters, beginning with Chapter 5,
"Speaking with the Dead," which is followed by a chapter titled
"The New Witches of Endor" (Chapter 6). This latter chapter focuses
on the language of witches in relationship to spiritualism and the beginnings
of opposition. The discussion of opposition continues in Chapter 7, "The
Wages of Sin Is Death." Here Heyes develops more fully the belief in
demons and the attribution of demonic to spiritualism, even if that wasn't how
Spiritualists understood themselves. Chapter 8, titled "Abominable
Beliefs, Abominable Politics," is intriguing because Spiritualists were
connected to more progressive political and cultural movements, beginning with
the idea of free love, which emphasized the freedom of women to make their own
choices in matters of education, marital status, and other social realities.
Related to this is Women's Suffrage, which was again supported by people
connected to Spiritualism. Finally, there was a connection to abolitionism,
which was embraced by many Spiritualists. Many anti-spiritualists opposed these
social justice issues. When it comes to the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was
connected to the demonic by his opponents. Thus, we have Chapter 9,
"Abraham Lincoln's Pact with the Devil." Heyes notes that there has
been a lot of attention given to the question of whether Lincoln was, in fact,
a Spiritualist. While the evidence is inconclusive, it reminds us of the
interest people have in Lincoln’s spiritual/religious views. Chapter Ten is
titled "The New Black Magic," a chapter that focuses on new
inventions that made Spiritualism more popular and more individualistic, such
as the development of the Ouija Board. Spiritualism as a movement in American
life peaked in the 1920s and then began to wane in popularity, though this has
not been true of the spiritualist tools such as the Ouija Board. The section
closes with a "Modern Takeaway" that focuses on the relationship of
gender and conspiracy, with women being more attracted to Spiritualism and the
opposition to Spiritualism by anti-spiritualists focusing on gender. Think of
the popular view that witches are generally women. Heyes offers an intermission
before taking up Part IV, which focuses on the role of dispensationalism in
anti-spiritualism and discussions of the demonic. The first three sections set
the table for what is to come in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries,
which are the focus of Parts IV and V.
Part IV, "The New American
Apocalypse," focuses on the twentieth century, taking note of how concern
about the demonic emerges, starting with the work of "Merrill Unger: The
First Horsemen of the New American Apocalypse" (Chapter 11). Heyes
introduces us to Merrill Unger, a professor at Dallas Seminary, who offered
academic treatises that provided a foundation for later discussions of the
demonic. This is followed by a chapter focusing on "Michael Harper: The
Second Horseman of the New American Apocalypse" (Chapter 12). Whereas
Unger wrote academic treatises, Harper built on and popularized those views for
a lay audience. Chapter 13 is titled "Fertilizing Fear Through Film,"
which focuses on the films of the sixties and seventies, including
"Rosemary's Baby," "The Exorcist," and "The
Omen," which brought the demonic to the attention of a larger population,
setting the stage for later panics. Chapter 14 focuses on Billy Graham's
preaching that included giving attention to the dangers of the demonic. That is
followed by a chapter that explores the ministry/writings of “Frank and Ida Mae
Hammond: The Fourth Horseman of the New American Apocalypse." Together
these chapters set up Chapter 16, "The Satanic Panic." This panic
took place in the 1980s and 1990s, which I remember well, as questions were
raised about day care centers and efforts to lure teens into Satanic allegiance
through music and roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons. If you were
around during that period, you will remember the panic, which seems strangely similar
to the current anti-Trans movement, where politicians suggest that schools are
turning children into transsexuals. We also see a return of this kind of panic in
modern conspiracies such as QAnon.
The first four sections serve as a
prelude to Heyes’ discussion of the contemporary scene. Heyes titles Part V
"Rise of the New Apostolic Reformation: The New Millennium." This is
a movement that is linked to Christian nationalism and the MAGA movement. Several
books have appeared of late addressing the rise of the New Apostolic
Reformation. This is a movement connected to figures including the late C.
Peter Wagner, who was for many years a professor of church growth at Fuller
Theological Seminary (my alma mater). The NAR has become closely connected with
the political fortunes of Donald J. Trump. This section includes seven
chapters, beginning with Chapter 17, "Out with the Old and In with the New
Apostolic Reformation." This chapter introduces the reader to the NAR,
taking note of its key players, including Wagner and Lance Wallnau. After
introducing the movement, Heyes turns to the practice of "Spiritual
Mapping" (Chapter 18), which explores the role demons play in the theology
and practice of this movement. The focus here is on forms of spiritual warfare
that Wagner and others embraced. Connected to the NAR is dominion theology, which
involves the idea that Christians should take dominion over society. Thus, in
Chapter 19, he discusses "Dominion, He Wrote," which introduces the
Seven Mountain Mandate and R.J. Rushdoony’s theonomy. I found it interesting
that Heyes brought Open Theism into the conversation, which has progressive
leanings. Still, apparently Peter Wagner embraced a view of God similar to
those adopted by many who would not want to be associated with Wagner and the
NAR. Chapter 20, "Whatever It Takes," focuses on the embrace of the
NAR leaders of Donald Trump, who was seen as God's chosen candidate to shake
things up, including their presence at the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
While Heyes doesn't go into the detail that Matthew Taylor does in his book The
Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our
Democracy, he offers a slightly different vantage point. Of course, this
movement was supportive of Trump's return in 2024. Among the themes discussed
here is the Jezebel Spirit that was attached first to Hillary Clinton and then
to Kamala Harris, suggesting that both were possessed by a particular demonic
spirit. Chapter 21, "The Monster Manual," introduces us to more
demonic spirits that drive politics, including Leviathan, Molech (abortion),
and more. This chapter leads us to Chapter 22, "Conspiracy!" In his
introduction, Heyes pointed out how conspiracy theories drive political and
cultural debate, often fueled by ideas concerned with the demonic. So, here he
addresses several ways that conspiracy theories form, expand, and influence
people. Central to the discussion is the way we handle knowledge in an age of
social media and anti-intellectualism. He insists that "Demonic
Conspiracies are the Worst!"
Heyes concludes Part V and Devils of Democracy itself in Chapter 23, which is titled "What Happens Next." While
Heyes approaches the topic as a historian of religion who focuses his attention
on the demonic in history, this is not simply an academic treatise. He
believes, rightly in my view, that we are facing dangerous times. So, he closes
by addressing some of the dangers, such as the possible movement from spiritual
to actual warfare, taking note of Pete Hegseth's embrace of the teachings of
Doug Wilson and his infatuation with the crusades. He points to some of the
dangers that face us, including the internet and how it influences us, together
with anti-intellectualism and a feeling of powerlessness, all of which open us
up to misinformation. Heyes advises us to quit the conspiracies, think
carefully about religion, and demand transparency from leaders, especially
about their religious influences. Heyes can't say whether demons exist, but clearly
many people do believe in them, and this belief has consequences, not all of
which are good, making Devils of Democracy a valuable read.
Copies of Michael E. Heyes' Devils of Democracy can be purchased from your favorite retailer, including my Amazon affiliate bookstore and my Bookshop.org affiliate.
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