Discussion Questions

Dean Taylor says he wrote a “petition to President Donald Trump” that, with only a few words changed, was actually a telegram Mennonites sent to Adolf Hitler—what specific phrases in that petition make it feel “revival-like,” and what does that reveal about how easily religious language can baptize a political spirit? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Which exact words in that “petition to Trump” sound like a religious revival, and what does that show about how religious talk can make a political movement seem holy?

When Dean recounts the older German man saying Nazism “was like a revival” that “swept over us like a spirit,” what does that suggest about the reality of spiritual deception, and how does it challenge the modern assumption that sincere religious enthusiasm is automatically from God? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Nazism felt “like a revival” and “like a spirit,” what does that say about being spiritually fooled, and why doesn’t strong religious excitement always mean it’s from God?

Dean describes being shocked when an Amish patient said, “you bet I am” voting, and then a Baptist coworker pressed him: “If you’re going to vote for the commander in chief, then why don’t you support him in war?”—how does that question expose hidden inconsistencies in how many Christians separate civic participation from moral responsibility? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does the question, “If you vote for the commander in chief, why not support his wars?” show that many Christians split voting from responsibility for what leaders do?

In the pretzel-stand story, the Mennonite woman justifies voter registration with, “It’s getting so bad, we’re going to have to”—what fears or threatened losses tend to make Christians abandon historic convictions, and what does that reveal about what we actually trust to preserve “the good”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What fears or losses make Christians drop long-held beliefs, and what does that show about what we really trust to keep “the good” in our society?

Dean warns about “the leaven of Herod” getting into Anabaptist people—what did he seem to mean by that leaven in this conversation (tone, loyalties, hopes, methods), and where do you see those same ingredients shaping Christian thinking today? JumpstartAnother way to ask: In this talk, what did Dean mean by the “leaven of Herod” getting into Anabaptists (like tone, loyalties, hopes, or methods), and where do you see the same pattern in Christians today?

Dean argues that the Mennonite excuse “we didn’t know” about Nazi atrocities misses the deeper problem: “we’ll end up giving our support to an antichrist and not even know it”—what spiritual and practical safeguards could keep a church from sincerely supporting evil while believing it is supporting good? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What habits or guardrails could keep a church from honestly thinking it supports good while it is actually supporting evil?

Dean’s reading of Romans 13 emphasizes two kingdoms: the state bears the sword and the church has the “ministry of reconciliation”—how would the earliest Christians living under Nero have heard this, and what modern Christian assumptions does that overturn about “taking back” society through political power? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How might Christians under Nero have understood Romans 13 about the state and the church, and what does that challenge about using politics to “take back” society?

Dean insists Nero was “ordained of God” yet not “blessed,” using Pilate, Nebuchadnezzar (“my servant”), and Assyria (“rod of my anger”)—how does this reshape the way you interpret claims like “God put this leader in office,” and what kind of loyalty does it demand (or forbid) from Christians? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If God can “appoint” a ruler without “blessing” him, how should we hear claims like “God put this leader in office,” and what kind of loyalty should Christians give—or refuse?

Dean criticizes “pacifism” as trying to vote in a pacifist agenda, and he calls for active, costly kingdom work—what parts of his positive vision (restorative justice, human trafficking intervention, going “to the place of danger”) feel most threatening to your comfort, safety, or reputation? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Which parts of Dean’s call to costly kingdom work (like restorative justice, fighting human trafficking, or going into danger) threaten your comfort, safety, or reputation the most?

Dean says the church should function like an “embassy” of the kingdom—“show the whole world what the whole world should look like if it would follow the king”—what would need to change in your congregation’s daily life (money, time, enemies, nationalism, media habits) for that to become visible and believable? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If the church should be like an “embassy” that shows what God’s kingdom looks like, what would need to change in your church’s daily life to make that real and believable?