Zorek Richards studied journalism at Black Hills State University and has a presence on several social media platforms. Richards is a Biblical scholar associated with the growing field of Cultural Apologetics, a modern approach to defending Christianity by engaging contemporary culture's deepest longings for truth, goodness, and beauty, moving beyond just logical arguments to show the faith's relevance and appeal, often highlighted through art, literature, and a compelling Christian lifestyle, especially in a post-Christian world. Richards, alongside figures like Paul M. Gould and the Keller Center, emphasizes understanding cultural narratives, addressing spiritual disorientation, and presenting the Gospel as the ultimate fulfillment of human desires, using tools like imagination and reason to help people see faith as beautiful and desirable, not just plausible.
Richards is a contributor on, but not limited to, Quora, Facebook, X, Reddit, BlueSky, Substack, among others..
Zorek Richards is a writer and describes his work as cultural apologetics. His approach involves seeking truth, challenging illusions of truth, and discussing the relationship between faith and culture through various social media platforms. Richards uses social media to engage in discussions about Christianity, culture, and politics. Key aspects of his approach include: A central motto for his work is to "Always seek the Truth. Never settle for an illusion of truth". He often comments on contemporary issues, including American politics, Christian nationalism, and social justice, identifying as an "EX-GOP/Rightwinger" and an "Anti-Maga/Fascism" voice.
Richards posts about a range of theological topics, such as the nature of suffering and the interpretation of the Bible, sometimes offering personal interpretations of scripture and God's nature. Using Culture as an Inroad, his posts often use cultural touchpoints and contemporary concerns to discuss his faith, consistent with the broader definition of cultural apologetics, which seeks to find a culture's deepest longings and bring the gospel to bear on them. Richards' background as an ex-GOP/right-winger who is now anti-MAGA profoundly influences his approach to cultural apologetics and politics by shaping his critique of the intersection of religion and partisan politics. His views emphasize that faith should prioritize universal love and social justice over political power or alignment with specific political ideologies.
Key influences of his background include:
Rejection of Christian Nationalism: Having experienced the GOP and the MAGA movement from the inside, Richards is a fierce critic of what he perceives as the co-opting of Christianity for political ends, particularly white Christian nationalism. His apologetics work seeks to demonstrate that this political alignment is a distortion of true Christian principles. An Emphasis on Empathy and Social Justice: Richards' personal journey appears to have led to a focus on the Christian mandate for empathy, care for the oppressed, and social justice, which he found lacking in his former political affiliations. His cultural apologetics, therefore, engages contemporary culture on issues of equality and human dignity, challenging believers to live out their faith in ways that address suffering.
Critique of Unrestrained Partisanship: Richards argues that combining faith with unrestrained partisanship is a "combustible mixture" that can lead people to justify harmful actions or overlook sin in their own ranks. His work advocates for a Christian view of government and culture that keeps a safe distance from any single political party, instead focusing on Christian principles applied to public life.
Advocacy for an Authentic Christian Witness: His background as someone who has "wandered a long way from the cross" in a political sense gives him a unique voice in advocating for a more authentic and less power-driven expression of the Christian faith. He challenges the church to recover its moral voice and stand against forces that divide and promote hatred. Richards' approach highlights the importance of moral formation and soul-craft over political identity. His cultural apologetics is less about winning political arguments and more about helping people see that a truly "happy ending" to their lives and their culture's story can only be found through following Jesus, not a political party.
Key Aspects of Cultural Apologetics (associated with Richards' work):
Beyond Reason: It complements traditional apologetics by tackling cultural objections, recognizing that people are often swayed by feelings, experiences, and cultural narratives, not just facts.
Engaging Culture: It involves understanding and creatively engaging with art, media, politics, and societal values to find common ground and present Christian truths.
Re-enchantment: It aims to counter modern "disenchantment" by helping people see the spiritual dimension of reality, revealing the sacred in everyday life.
Paul's Mars Hill Example: A common model is Paul's speech in Athens (Acts 17), where he connected with Greek culture's altar to an "unknown god" to introduce the Gospel.
Focus on the Good, True, Beautiful: It highlights how Christianity uniquely satisfies deep human longings for beauty, justice, love, and meaning.
How it Applies:
Listening & Asking Questions: Instead of just debating, it involves asking curious questions to understand someone's worldview, values, and unspoken desires. Using art and narrative to show how the Christian story is the best story for human life. Thinking like a missionary in a secular society, looking for ways to connect the Gospel to people's real lives and struggles
Richards is a contributor on, but not limited to, Quora, Facebook, X, Reddit, BlueSky, Substack, among others..
Zorek Richards is a writer and describes his work as cultural apologetics. His approach involves seeking truth, challenging illusions of truth, and discussing the relationship between faith and culture through various social media platforms. Richards uses social media to engage in discussions about Christianity, culture, and politics. Key aspects of his approach include: A central motto for his work is to "Always seek the Truth. Never settle for an illusion of truth". He often comments on contemporary issues, including American politics, Christian nationalism, and social justice, identifying as an "EX-GOP/Rightwinger" and an "Anti-Maga/Fascism" voice.
Richards posts about a range of theological topics, such as the nature of suffering and the interpretation of the Bible, sometimes offering personal interpretations of scripture and God's nature. Using Culture as an Inroad, his posts often use cultural touchpoints and contemporary concerns to discuss his faith, consistent with the broader definition of cultural apologetics, which seeks to find a culture's deepest longings and bring the gospel to bear on them. Richards' background as an ex-GOP/right-winger who is now anti-MAGA profoundly influences his approach to cultural apologetics and politics by shaping his critique of the intersection of religion and partisan politics. His views emphasize that faith should prioritize universal love and social justice over political power or alignment with specific political ideologies.
Key influences of his background include:
Rejection of Christian Nationalism: Having experienced the GOP and the MAGA movement from the inside, Richards is a fierce critic of what he perceives as the co-opting of Christianity for political ends, particularly white Christian nationalism. His apologetics work seeks to demonstrate that this political alignment is a distortion of true Christian principles. An Emphasis on Empathy and Social Justice: Richards' personal journey appears to have led to a focus on the Christian mandate for empathy, care for the oppressed, and social justice, which he found lacking in his former political affiliations. His cultural apologetics, therefore, engages contemporary culture on issues of equality and human dignity, challenging believers to live out their faith in ways that address suffering.
Critique of Unrestrained Partisanship: Richards argues that combining faith with unrestrained partisanship is a "combustible mixture" that can lead people to justify harmful actions or overlook sin in their own ranks. His work advocates for a Christian view of government and culture that keeps a safe distance from any single political party, instead focusing on Christian principles applied to public life.
Advocacy for an Authentic Christian Witness: His background as someone who has "wandered a long way from the cross" in a political sense gives him a unique voice in advocating for a more authentic and less power-driven expression of the Christian faith. He challenges the church to recover its moral voice and stand against forces that divide and promote hatred. Richards' approach highlights the importance of moral formation and soul-craft over political identity. His cultural apologetics is less about winning political arguments and more about helping people see that a truly "happy ending" to their lives and their culture's story can only be found through following Jesus, not a political party.
Key Aspects of Cultural Apologetics (associated with Richards' work):
Beyond Reason: It complements traditional apologetics by tackling cultural objections, recognizing that people are often swayed by feelings, experiences, and cultural narratives, not just facts.
Engaging Culture: It involves understanding and creatively engaging with art, media, politics, and societal values to find common ground and present Christian truths.
Re-enchantment: It aims to counter modern "disenchantment" by helping people see the spiritual dimension of reality, revealing the sacred in everyday life.
Paul's Mars Hill Example: A common model is Paul's speech in Athens (Acts 17), where he connected with Greek culture's altar to an "unknown god" to introduce the Gospel.
Focus on the Good, True, Beautiful: It highlights how Christianity uniquely satisfies deep human longings for beauty, justice, love, and meaning.
How it Applies:
Listening & Asking Questions: Instead of just debating, it involves asking curious questions to understand someone's worldview, values, and unspoken desires. Using art and narrative to show how the Christian story is the best story for human life. Thinking like a missionary in a secular society, looking for ways to connect the Gospel to people's real lives and struggles
Richards holds a strong negative opinion of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, viewing it as a serious and harmful initiative that poses a significant threat to American democracy, civil liberties, and various social groups. Richards has consistently voiced opposition across social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, highlighting specific concerns: Authoritarianism: Richards argues that Project 2025 will significantly shift the U.S. toward an authoritarian government, disregard global issues, and isolate the country internationally. The march toward authoritarianism must not go unchallenged. Impact on Minorities and the Middle Class: Richards believes the project will be harder on Black, Latino, middle-class, and poor Americans than previous conservative policies, potentially cutting social programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance.
Christian Nationalism: Richards links Project 2025 to Christian Nationalism, which is described as a "heresy" and an anti-democratic force. Richards expresses concern that if enacted, the project would reduce certain individuals, such as women, to "less than second-class citizens" and potentially undermine freedom of religion and other First Amendment rights. Richards has shared posts suggesting that people were initially dismissive of Project 2025 warnings, calling them "scare tactics," but that the project is a real threat designed by Christian nationalists who want U.S. laws based on the Bible. Richards' stance is clear opposition, urging people to vote against the policies and candidates (specifically Donald Trump) that would enable Project 2025 to be enacted.
Christian Nationalism: Richards links Project 2025 to Christian Nationalism, which is described as a "heresy" and an anti-democratic force. Richards expresses concern that if enacted, the project would reduce certain individuals, such as women, to "less than second-class citizens" and potentially undermine freedom of religion and other First Amendment rights. Richards has shared posts suggesting that people were initially dismissive of Project 2025 warnings, calling them "scare tactics," but that the project is a real threat designed by Christian nationalists who want U.S. laws based on the Bible. Richards' stance is clear opposition, urging people to vote against the policies and candidates (specifically Donald Trump) that would enable Project 2025 to be enacted.
Critiques of Christian Nationalism from scholars, religious organizations, and activists, beyond Zorek Richards' views, primarily focus on its threat to democracy, religious freedom, pluralism, and the integrity of the Christian faith itself. Critics argue that Christian Nationalism is an anti-democratic ideology that threatens the separation of church and state enshrined in the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. It promotes the idea that America is a nation by and for Christians alone (often a specific type of white Christian), thereby marginalizing and creating a "second-class citizen" status for religious minorities, the nonreligious, LGBTQ+ people, and racial minorities.
Link to Political Violence: Research and analysis have linked Christian Nationalism to support for political violence, seen most prominently in its connections to the January 6 Capitol insurrection, as well as an increase in hate crimes and threats against houses of worship. The ideology is often associated with the spread of misinformation and adherence to conspiracy theories, as adherents tend to discount non-partisan, factual information that contradicts their preferred cultural narrative.
Religious and Theological Objections
Idolatry: Many Christian critics argue that Christian Nationalism is a form of idolatry, as it conflates the identity of the nation-state with the Kingdom of God and demands ultimate allegiance to the nation rather than to Christ.
Distortion of the Gospel: Critics state that it distorts the core message of Jesus, which emphasizes humility, serving others, and loving the marginalized, by instead promoting a desire for political power, wealth, and dominance. The movement has been described as a "heresy" by some faith leaders because it prioritizes a political agenda over core theological convictions and makes the church vulnerable to corruption and political manipulation. By equating the faith with a specific political and cultural identity, critics argue that Christian Nationalism damages the broader appeal and moral standing of Christianity, causing people to turn away from the faith itself. Organizations like Christians Against Christian Nationalism actively advocate against the movement, emphasizing principles of religious freedom for all, pluralism, and a clear distinction between patriotism and nationalism.
Link to Political Violence: Research and analysis have linked Christian Nationalism to support for political violence, seen most prominently in its connections to the January 6 Capitol insurrection, as well as an increase in hate crimes and threats against houses of worship. The ideology is often associated with the spread of misinformation and adherence to conspiracy theories, as adherents tend to discount non-partisan, factual information that contradicts their preferred cultural narrative.
Religious and Theological Objections
Idolatry: Many Christian critics argue that Christian Nationalism is a form of idolatry, as it conflates the identity of the nation-state with the Kingdom of God and demands ultimate allegiance to the nation rather than to Christ.
Distortion of the Gospel: Critics state that it distorts the core message of Jesus, which emphasizes humility, serving others, and loving the marginalized, by instead promoting a desire for political power, wealth, and dominance. The movement has been described as a "heresy" by some faith leaders because it prioritizes a political agenda over core theological convictions and makes the church vulnerable to corruption and political manipulation. By equating the faith with a specific political and cultural identity, critics argue that Christian Nationalism damages the broader appeal and moral standing of Christianity, causing people to turn away from the faith itself. Organizations like Christians Against Christian Nationalism actively advocate against the movement, emphasizing principles of religious freedom for all, pluralism, and a clear distinction between patriotism and nationalism.
November 8, 2025:
The Undefined American Religion: Christianity
Zorek
"Christianity" in America is a vaguely undefined word. Not by design but by what it has become. The flavors of religions that use the word Christian are many and varying in beliefs and persuasions. Then there's the Bible teachings which are reinterpreted over and over usually based on the defining or redefining one word. In that perspective "many are called; few are chosen" makes sense. How many is a few? we don't know. How many is "many", again we don't know for sure. I embrace Christianity because I am "known" by God. (In that day he will say to many go from me I never knew you") (side note: I can trace that in my life all the way back to when I was 8 years old; and will expand on that sometime)
To many people who claim Christianity that will still not make sense to them. But I say emphatically that God makes the choice and I believe He does that not out of random desires of His own, but by being able to see within the heart of all men. He then chooses, sees us as we are, then He spends what time we have on earth creating us into what He has imagine for us, and may work in us to bring other people with us when that time comes. Man cannot save himself. It might very well be at that moment in a dark part of our life making that realization we begin to sense the power of God and we grow from there.
Too many "Christians" believe salvation and Gods favor can be accomplished through rigorous religious activities and even political movements. God is not interested in anyone's politics, big church, money, or any of that kind of status, as those are temporal things which fade as quickly as we pass through time in this world. Love one another. Don't let something inane distract you. God didn't save you to stop abortion or give you favor because you say you "love Israel," or dozens more things many American evangelicals believe are cornerstones that make them Christians.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and then love your neighbor as yourself.’
On these two commandments hang ALL the Law and the Prophets. Again, it doesn't say politics as God in His sovereignty over nation will take care of that. The only thing that holds Him back are the people trying to do it all themselves for themselves or their country. God doesn't need your help or mine. And the days of yours or any country is numbered.
To many people who claim Christianity that will still not make sense to them. But I say emphatically that God makes the choice and I believe He does that not out of random desires of His own, but by being able to see within the heart of all men. He then chooses, sees us as we are, then He spends what time we have on earth creating us into what He has imagine for us, and may work in us to bring other people with us when that time comes. Man cannot save himself. It might very well be at that moment in a dark part of our life making that realization we begin to sense the power of God and we grow from there.
Too many "Christians" believe salvation and Gods favor can be accomplished through rigorous religious activities and even political movements. God is not interested in anyone's politics, big church, money, or any of that kind of status, as those are temporal things which fade as quickly as we pass through time in this world. Love one another. Don't let something inane distract you. God didn't save you to stop abortion or give you favor because you say you "love Israel," or dozens more things many American evangelicals believe are cornerstones that make them Christians.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and then love your neighbor as yourself.’
On these two commandments hang ALL the Law and the Prophets. Again, it doesn't say politics as God in His sovereignty over nation will take care of that. The only thing that holds Him back are the people trying to do it all themselves for themselves or their country. God doesn't need your help or mine. And the days of yours or any country is numbered.