On Christian Nationalism

The most pervasive threat to American Christianity and American politics.

"The Godless left is relentlessly attacking me for my Christian faith. I am a proud Christian and a proud American. That's why I am a proud Christian Nationalist.”

“There's nothing wrong with leading with your faith...If we do not live our lives and vote like we are nationalists—caring about our country and putting our country first and wanting that to be the focus of our federal government—if we do not lead that way, then we will not be able to fix it."

-         Marjorie Taylor Greene – Georgia Congresswoman and Christian Nationalist

Christian nationalism has been defined as

“The belief that the United States is defined by Christianity and that the government should take steps to keep it that way”

This philosophy isn’t a recent phenomenon. This evil conflagration between spirituality and politics has been building and growing for some time.

You can see its formation in the love and admiration that some Americans had for Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. The love of a “strong man” system of government, the fixation on ethnic purity and rabid nationalism. One-time American hero Charles Lindbergh was involved in an early America First group – the America First Committee, and he was a strong and vocal opponent of our entry into World War II.

While his stance against entering the war changed over time, his writings and statements revealed a malevolent amalgam of Aryan supremacy and anti-Semitism. For instance, a diary entry reads

"We must limit to a reasonable amount the Jewish influence ... Whenever the Jewish percentage of total population becomes too high, a reaction seems to invariably occur. It is too bad because a few Jews of the right type are, I believe, an asset to any country."

"Racial strength is vital; politics, a luxury."

“We can have peace and security only so long as we band together to preserve that most priceless possession, our inheritance of European blood, only so long as we guard ourselves against attack by foreign armies and dilution by foreign races.”

You can see Christian Nationalism gaining momentum as many American Christian sat out the Civil Rights movement. Future leaders of the so-called Moral Majority like Jerry Falwell proclaimed that it wasn’t their business to intervene on behalf of Black people.

The movement began to crystallize during the ascent of the aforementioned Moral Majority, led by Falwell and others, who initiated an illicit union between religion and politics. Fundamentalist Christians partnered with Republican politicians to push a supposedly pro-Christian, but definitely anti-personal liberty, anti-privacy, nativistic agenda. In a relatively few years, this decidedly unholy union would bear strange and dangerous fruit.

They used the Iran hostage crisis and 9-11 to foment an anti-Islamic movement, which has become the third pillar of Christian Nationalism along with racism and anti-Semitism.

But the movement reached its apotheosis with the rise of the former president. Republican presidential candidates from Ronald Reagan on played to the Moral Majority, fundamentalist Christian crowd. These candidates appealed to Christians with occasionally skillful use of Christian buzzwords and Scripture.

But when the former president ran, the Christian Nationalism movement was just waiting for the right candidate to support.

He was tailor made for their purpose.

He was everything they wanted – racist, anti-Semitic, nativist, with the long-burgeoning appreciation for totalitarianism appreciated by a party whose presidential candidates seem unable to win the popular vote.

He also made stark naked appeals to Fundamentalist Christians. These appeals were rife with irony. Unlike the previous GOP candidates, the previous president’s personal life and public and private comments belied his overtures of piety and spiritual focus. Moreover, unlike his predecessors, his attempts to appeals to his base while making references to Christianity and Scripture were at best, clumsy, and at worse, disingenuous.

Yet, his followers made every allowance for his behavior because he was “their man.” They excused his boorishness, they made allowances for his moral shortcomings. It was easy for them. He was following the first African American president who they loathed and was running against a woman and a former First Lady who is among the most hated political candidates this country has ever seen.

They won.

And then four years later, they lost.

But they have crystallized to where they do not use code words. Like the words of Taylor Greene above, they are open with their beliefs and intentions.

Never mind the entrenched First Amendment separation of church and state.

Despite the fact that Jesus is not a respecter of persons, political parties, or countries.

Even though that elevating America on the same plain as Christianity is anathema to following a Savior who is available to all people everywhere.

Christian Nationalism is a blight on both Christianity and American politics.

There is no place for it in either venue.

It is a base corruption of both and will lead to disastrous results for both.

It is evil and must be opposed with relentless strength and vigor.

For the sake of American and for the sake of the faith that many of us hold dear.