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# Ross Douthat on "The American Heresy" - Mere Orthodoxy | Christianity, Politics, and Culture
- URL: https://mereorthodoxy.com/ross-douthat-on-the-american-heresy/
- Published: 2008-07-24T05:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-18T17:41:43.000Z
- Description: Unfortunately, it’s hard to disagree with his assessment: Obviously the world of religious conservatism also includes lots of people who are invested in actual Christian orthodoxy, as opposed to the Osteen-Shori vision of God as a really powerful life coach. […]
- Author: Mere Orthodoxy
- Tags: Matthew Lee Anderson, Evangelicalism

[Unfortunately, it’s hard to disagree with his assessment:](http://rossdouthat.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/07/the%5Famerican%5Fheresy.php?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)

> Obviously the world of religious conservatism *also* includes lots of people who are invested in actual Christian orthodoxy, as opposed to the Osteen-Shori vision of God as a really powerful life coach. But the theological continuum that encompasses both Schori-style liberal Protestants and Oprah-watching, *The Secret*\-reading spiritual seekers – call it [moralistic therapeutic deism](http://blog.beliefnet.com/crunchycon/2007/12/goodbye-boomers-hello-moralist.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com), call it [gnosticism](http://www.amazon.com/American-Religion-Emergence-Post-Christian-Nation/dp/0671867377/ref=sr%5F1%5F3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216929652&sr=8-3&ref=mereorthodoxy.com), call it the American heresy – extends *way* deeper into the “religious right” than a lot of people think.