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Nicknamed "The
Apostle to Millionaires", Fifield was instrumental in ushering in the "unholy alliance" of corporate-funded Christianity and Christian identity politics in the United States. Politically conservative but doctrinally liberal, he crafted an interpretation of the Bible that catered to his
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demanded an apology from
Fifield after he falsely stated in a program that "it was a matter of historical record that Benjamin Franklin denounced the Jews at the Constitutional Convention in 1787." On other occasions, Fifield and his organization were also accused of racism and anti-semitism. He
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The First
Congregational Church was at the time heavily indebted due to the costs of a cathedral-style building which had a 176 foot high tower, more than 100 rooms, auditoriums, and a gymnasium. The church had 1,500 members at Fifield's arrival, but after Fifield initiated a major increase in
131:. "Freedom under God" was a much used phrase by Fifield and the organization. The message was mainly directed towards Congregational, Presbyterian and Episcopal ministers and laymen through radio and television programs and a monthly magazine
103:. The merger was approved by a clear majority of the general council of the Congregational churches in 1949, and Fifield became part of the minority movement that tried to stop the merger from going through. The merger was completed in 1957.
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In 1949, Spiritual
Mobilization started broadcasting a short radio program called "The Freedom Story". By late 1951 the program, which included brief remarks by Fifield, was broadcast on more than 800 radio stations.
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congregation. Notably, Fifield dismissed the many passages in the New
Testament about wealth and poverty, and instead assured the elite that their worldly success was a sign of God’s blessings.
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Fifield received an honorary Doctor of
Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1934. The following year, he moved to Los Angeles to head the First Congregational Church.
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169:. The speech, which underlined that Christian leaders and religious arguments were crucial in the effort to promote a free-market agenda, was exceptionally well received.
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The members of the First
Congregational Church were mostly among the wealthy, giving Fifield the nickname "The Apostle to Millionaires".
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activities membership rose to over 4,500 in the beginning of the 1940s and the debt was paid off in 1942.
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and was co-founder and president of the conservative free-market organization
Spiritual Mobilization.
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192:. Fifield called the Birch Society "a very important enterprise that might help save our freedoms."
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Apostles of
Discord: A Study of Organized Bigotry and Disruption on the Fringes of Protestantism
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50:, where his father was a Congregational minister. After having served in the infantry during
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The Big Myth: How
American Business Taught Us to Loathe Government and Love the Free Market
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successfully campaigned to remove UNESCO material from use in schools in Los Angeles.
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In 1961, Fifield hosted and had televised on his own show a speaking appearance by
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Los Angeles Minister Urged to Apologize for Broadcasting Anti-Semitic Falsehood
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In 1935, Fifield co-founded Mobilization for Spiritual Ideas with president of
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The Church from 1937 to 1942 paid substantial money to Spiritual Mobilization.
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Fiefield and the organization attracted the attention of philanthropist
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One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America
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in 1935. He became its president; its ideology has been described by
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where he praised capitalism and business leaders, while denouncing
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Academy Stamp & Autograph. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
119:. Fifield started his religious-political organization
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The Conservative Press in Twentieth-Century America
22:(June 5, 1899 – February 25, 1977) was an American
204:degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 1934.
339:How Corporate America Invented Christian America
150:whom Fifield met and with whom he corresponded.
276:Ronald Lora and William Henry Longton (1999)
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16:American Congregational minister (1899–1977)
508:United States Army personnel of World War I
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394:. New York: Bloomsbury. pp. 186–193.
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91:Fifield strongly opposed a merger of the
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153:In 1940, Fifield gave a speech to the
390:Oreskes, Naomi; Erik, Conway (2023).
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155:National Association of Manufacturers
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46:Born in Chicago, Fifield grew up in
513:Chicago Theological Seminary alumni
432:"Birch Group Head Opens Tour Today"
372:Kevin M. Kruse (November 17, 2012)
135:with William Johnson as editor and
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503:Clergy from Kansas City, Missouri
374:For God So Loved the 1 Percent...
93:Congregational Christian Churches
357:Kevin M. Kruse (March 14, 2015)
188:, the founder and leader of the
62:in 1921. In 1924, he obtained a
359:A Christian Nation? Since When?
337:Kevin M. Kruse (April 6, 2015)
97:Evangelical and Reformed Church
498:Religious leaders from Chicago
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287:pp. 153–154. Greenwood Press.
231:. Basic Books. pp. 16–.
200:Fifield received an honorary
70:and was ordained a minister.
493:University of Chicago alumni
68:Chicago Theological Seminary
478:American Congregationalists
28:First Congregational Church
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419:Jewish Telegraphic Agency
20:James William Fifield Jr.
473:American anti-communists
159:Waldorf Astoria New York
139:as a major contributor.
129:Christian libertarianism
101:United Church of Christ
488:Christian libertarians
305:Ralph Lord Roy (1953)
178:Anti-Defamation League
121:Spiritual Mobilization
115:Donald J. Cowling and
107:Spiritual Mobilization
483:American libertarians
319:. Boston. pp. 286–294
163:Franklin D. Roosevelt
146:and former President
60:University of Chicago
48:Kansas City, Missouri
26:minister who led the
255:Fifield Jr., James W
225:Kevin Kruse (2015).
137:James C. Ingebretsen
64:Bachelor of Divinity
380:, January 17, 2012.
186:Robert W. Welch Jr.
436:The New York Times
344:2015-08-22 at the
312:2015-06-10 at the
283:2015-06-10 at the
260:2015-05-26 at the
202:Doctor of Divinity
190:John Birch Society
421:, July 27, 1951.
238:978-0-465-04064-3
133:Faith and Freedom
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468:1977 deaths
463:1899 births
52:World War I
32:Los Angeles
457:Categories
208:References
42:Early life
95:with the
348:Politico
342:Archived
310:Archived
281:Archived
258:Archived
167:New Deal
165:and the
157:at the
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196:Awards
444:2021
396:ISBN
233:ISBN
376:,
30:in
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