There are many discussions about Christian Nationalism in the news and on social media, especially now that we are about ten months away from the U.S. general elections. There is an outstanding article in Christianity Today that explains this topic and provides some insightful definitions. I recommend reading the article here.
Here is how the article compares Christianity to Christian nationalism.
“Christianity is a religion focused on the person and work of Jesus Christ as defined by the Christian Bible and the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. It is the gathering of people “from every nation and tribe and people and language,” who worship Jesus (Rev. 7:9), a faith that unites Jews and Greeks, Americans and non-Americans together. Christianity is political, in the sense that its adherents have always understood their faith to challenge, affect, and transcend their worldly loyalties—but there is no single view on what political implications flow from Christian faith other than that we should “fear God, honor the king” (1 Pet. 2:17, NASB), pay our taxes, love our neighbors, and seek justice.
Christian nationalism is, by contrast, a political ideology focused on the national identity of the United States. It includes a specific understanding of American history and American government that are, obviously, extrabiblical—an understanding that is contested by many historians and political scientists. Most importantly, Christian nationalism includes specific policy prescriptions that it claims are biblical but are, at best, extrapolations from biblical principles and, at worst, contradictory to them.”1
Interesting explanation and in my view absolutely correct.
Then in the book, “The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind” by Mark Noll, we read the following, “Because evangelicals so thoroughly assumed the harmony of Christian faith and democratic America, they did not think comprehensively and foundationally about very real problems. Issues like the nagging political conflict between northern and southern states called out for fresh Christian thinking. Many other questions did too. How would this new land react to the growing numbers of immigrants? Was it a genuinely free country, or a land hospitable only to northern European Protestants? Even before the Civil War, outsiders from Catholic Ireland and from Asia had been made feel unwelcome in “the land of the free.” And this was to say nothing of the black population, whose bondage remained a gross contradiction to the lofty sentiments of the Declaration of Independence. Did American democracy have a place for one if one was black? Content as they were with the democratic assumptions of the United States, evangelicals gave very little thought to such matters.”2
Mark Noll published this book in 1994 with the intent of highlighting the disconnect between evangelicalism and intellectual life throughout American history. The author expressed it succinctly: “It intends, rather, to be a cri du coeur on behalf of intellectual life by one who, for very personal reasons, still embraces the Christian faith in an evangelical form.”3 Cri du coeur means a cry from the heart.
I believe that Christians, myself included, have an obligation to study all the issues affecting our society and to use our biblical understanding to contribute positively, pursue justice, and love our neighbors. Blindly accepting the words of so-called “Christian politicians” without questioning their motives is detrimental and contributes to the erosion of our society.
- https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/february-web-only/what-is-christian-nationalism.html ↩︎
- Noll, Mark A. The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. (P. 74). Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994. ↩︎
- Noll, Mark A. The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. (Preface). Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994. ↩︎
DISCLOSURE: If you are interested in the book and want to purchase, the book title is linked to Amazon using the Associate Program. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Thoughts about leadership, history, and more 
CS Lewis wrote that neither God nor Satan cared about the rise and fall of nations, because nations were mortal, while the real prizes were the immortal souls of individuals.
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Interesting. I like that. Thank you for sharing this.
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The Church of England once did an informative report on poverty in the UK. Then right wing press called them Marxists. Is it difficult to speak truth to power and be of an evangelical mind. Thinking of Quakers in Africa and America they evangelise whereas British Quakers are not very good at getting others to be Quaker.
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Interesting. I might need to look for that report and read it. I read Fiona Hill’s perspective on poverty in the UK in her book There Is Nothing for You Here. I’m definitely interested in knowing more. Regarding the Quakers, I know they were big in missionary work, but I’m not sure where they stand now.
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Think American Quakers have a lot of links in Africa still and send funds. More Quakers there I think now. UK ones sit quietly and not ever been missionaries!
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You are right. I looked up the information and found in Wikipedia that about 49% are in Africa.
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And growing unlike in the UK. Perhaps ubuntu and a need for new community spirit that was there before ‘ modern Africa’.
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Your articles cause serious thought on what we know, how we think, and what we believe. I identify as a Christian, not a Christian Nationalist. I pulled up the article in Christianity Today to read. Thank you for sharing.
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Absolutely and thank you for reading.
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It’s probably the wrong day for me to be reading this as I watched the last episode of Fargo series five last night. But that said, the Breaking of Bread in the final scene at least gave some sense of hope that irreconcilable divisions can be resolved.
I hope that such a tangential comment is not too far out of line.
Thanks for your work.
DD
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I didn’t watch the show but I went back and read the synopsis for the episode that you mentioned. I might need to watch that show. It looks interesting. Thank you for your comments and I’m also hopeful that we can reconcile our differences and move together as a community.
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Brilliantly presented, Edward. And not just because I agree with every word. Thank you for this compelling call to think and question.
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Thank you very much for reading my post and your comments.
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Does the book discuss the Puritans and their influence on American culture and politics?
If not, you might want to read about the Puritans.
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Dawn, thank you for your question and comments. The book goes deep into the puritans and their influence as well as his other book, “In the Beginning was the Word – The Bible in American Public Life 1492-1783.” He published another book covering the history after 1783 that I need to read.
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Sounds very interesting!
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Wonderful food for thought, Edward!
I wish more people thought like you!
love this…❤️
“I believe that Christians, myself included, have an obligation to study all the issues affecting our society and to use our biblical understanding to contribute positively, pursue justice, and love our neighbors. Blindly accepting the words of so-called ‘Christian politicians’ without questioning their motives is detrimental and contributes to the erosion of our society.”
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Thank you Cindy. Doing the best I can and like the song Oceans from Hillsong UNITED, “And keep my eyes above the waves, When oceans rise”
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It’s my pleasure and love the songs and those inspiring lines. 💕👍
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It’s astonishing how often “Christian” preachings go exactly counter to the teachings of the master for whom their very religion is named.
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Yes, indeed. Acting like Pharisees and Sadducees, whom Jesus preached against.
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100%
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