While first coined in the 1940s, over the past decade, Christian Nationalism has become increasingly more common in American discourse. You might have recently heard it used by a politician during a rally or a pundit on the news. Perhaps even at your church by a pastor or friend. So, what is Christian Nationalism?
Christian Nationalism may sound like a religious movement. It may even sound like an innocent expression of faith. Make no mistake, it is neither of these things. It’s actually a political ideology, one which seeks to fuse Christianity with American identity, and demands that our government, laws and society reflect a very narrow, conservative interpretation of the Bible.
It isn’t about faith at all, but control. In fact, leading Christian organizations like the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the National Council of Churches (which includes tens of millions of members) reject Christian Nationalism as a weaponized distortion of their beliefs.
Anti-Christian and Anti-American
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”
From the very beginning, the grand American experiment was grounded in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
While today we are still fighting for the inherent equality of all people outlined in those opening remarks of the Declaration of Independence, there is no denying why those words were written in the first place. After all, our earliest settlers came to this country to escape persecution and find religious freedom.
Look no further than the very First Amendment of the Constitution to find the freedom to assemble, the freedom to speak out against the government, and the freedom to worship:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Here’s what you won’t find in the Constitution: the words “God,” “Jesus Christ,” “Christianity” or even “the Bible.” Even in the Declaration of Independence, “their Creator” isn’t expressly defined. Why? Because our founding fathers believed in religious freedom, and the Supreme Court has upheld those principles, such as the separation of church and state, again and again.
Even “One Nation Under God” wasn’t added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954 in the midst of the Cold War.
Yet the Christian Nationalist ideology isn’t just opposed to these fundamental American values, it tarnishes them completely.
Christian Nationalists in Words and Actions
The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-St. Louis contains documents on the Christian Nationalist Crusade, founded by Gerald L.K. Smith. He first established the racist and anti-Semitic group in St. Louis in 1942 to “preserve America as a Christian nation being conscious of a highly organized campaign to substitute Jewish tradition for Christian tradition,” and to “fight mongrelization and all attempts to force the intermixture of the black and white races.”
The term has also been used internationally to describe far-right ideologies and policies in states like Hungary following World War I.
Today, Christian Nationalists insist the United States is a Christian nation, and are even actively rewriting history to sell the lie. Just look here in Texas, which has become a battleground of Christian Nationalism. From book bans to the Ten Commandments in classrooms, the State Board of Education has even recently passed a reading list full of Biblical texts, making Texas the first state in the country to mandate schools teach the Bible.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick repeatedly argues that the separation of church and state doesn’t exist. GOP megadonor Tim Dunn once allegedly told former Texas House speaker Joe Straus that only Christians should hold leadership positions in the Legislature. It doesn’t stop in Texas.
Perhaps most nefarious is Doug Wilson, a self-proclaimed Christian Nationalist who was invited to the Pentagon to lead worship services as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s pastor. Wilson, who leads Christ Church in Idaho, believes a woman’s right to vote should be repealed, has said homosexuality should be prosecuted as a crime, and has even defended slavery.
These aren’t fringe, one-off beliefs.
Turning the Tide
Today, one-third of Americans say they either adhere to Christian Nationalism or sympathize with it. The same study found this rises to more than 50% among Republicans and 46% of white Christians. But again, this is not a religious movement. It is a political ideology intrinsically tied to far-right beliefs and authoritarianism.
It must be stopped.
The consequences are too severe. We cannot become a country that strips women of their right to vote. We cannot become a country that bars Muslims from holding office. We cannot become a country that arrests people simply for who they choose to love. That isn’t American, and it certainly isn’t Christian.
The Texas Freedom Network remains firm in our mission to counter the rising tide of Christian Nationalism. From fighting at the State Board of Education, where Board members gave “Glory to God” following the passage of that Biblical reading list, to the Texas Legislature where Christian Nationalists are working behind the scenes to influence our politics. Sign up for religious freedom alerts to join the fight, and visit our Christian Nationalism in Texas webpage for even more information, including profiles on the key players.
