Who is a Christian Nationalist?
There is increasing noise coming from a certain spectrum of the media / commentators that Christian nationalism is either not really something, or it’s a term being used too broadly, as there couldn’t possibly be that many Americans who are Christian nationalists, and in either case, we should all just work together. Both takes are really bad ones.
What you have to understand is Christian nationalism “is the belief that America's founding is based on Christian principles, white protestant Christianity is the operational religion of the land, and that Christianity should be the foundation of how the nation develops its laws, principles and policies” (Professor Anthea Butler). It’s a political and cultural framework and people, through their beliefs and actions, choose to accept or reject the tenants of the ideology, placing them on a spectrum.
How is that spectrum determined?
Professors Sam Perry and Andrew Whitehead identified 6 questions from the Baylor Religion survey that form the core of their model in Taking America Back For God (2020).
The federal government should declare the United States a Christian nation
The federal government should advocate Christian Values
The federal government should enforce strict separation of church and state
The federal government should allow the display of religious symbols in public spaces
The success of the United States is part of God’s plan
The federal government should allow prayer in public schools
How you answered, from strongly disagree to strongly agree, puts you on a scale.
What Perry and Whitehead’s research showed is 19.8% of Americans strongly aligned with the 6 questions (one of those would be scored in reverse), and were identified as ambassadors of the Christian nationalist ideology. “Indicators of Christian nationalism are powerful predictors of ultra-conservatism for white Americans, especially on any issues involving race, discrimination, xenophobia, or justice. But they have very little influence on the attitudes of Black Americans. And often little influence on Hispanic Americans too.” (From The Flag & The Cross). For people of color, strongly aligning doesn’t translate into imposing those beliefs on others, and speaks to aspirational goals of the country living up to its promise. For white Americans, strongly aligning leads to the imposition of those beliefs across a whole host of issues, working from a place of assumed authority and power. They are the people who aggressively push the ideology forward.
32.1% of Americans aligned with the 6 questions, but not as strongly perhaps even disagreeing on an issue. Those folks were identified as Accomodators, meaning they might not push for all elements of the ideology, but are willing to go along with it if others are pushing, as they are generally aligned. Hence the name for the group identifier. That leaves the other 48% of Americans are either Rejectors or Resistors.
20% of Americans are fully immersed and aligned with the ideology. They are very loud, their leaders are funded by or are billionaires, they have been working for decades to build infrastructure enabling them to create propaganda machines and pull more Americans into their ideology. Ambassadors understand they need to seize levers of power to impose the ideology (see the definition above) on all Americans. They believe: “America was founded as a Christian Nation. The founders were orthodox Christians. The founding documents are based on Biblical principles. Perhaps even divinely inspired. America is divinely favored. Hence, its power and prosperity. But America is threatened. By non-white, non-Christians and non-Americans. On its soil. On its borders. It must be kept white and Christian. Or made so. By whatever means necessary." (Professor Phil Gorski) The last line is key. They intend to tear down the separation of church and state and democracy as we’ve known it. This group deserves the moniker of Christian nationalist, and in many cases are claiming it.
So who is saying the term Christian nationalism is being used too broadly? Generally, it’s Accomodators. In many cases it’s white, straight, Protestant Christians who see what is happening, are allowing it to happen, and don’t like being referred to with a negative term that they see reflecting back on them. But if you privately agree with elements, you go along with the things happening in your political party, in your state and town, in your faith community, you are aligning with and enabling Christian nationalism. Is that a Christian nationalist? Let me put forth something posed by Professor Sam Perry: “I think we would agree that the only racists in the world aren't just people who call themselves racists.”
This commentary on Christian nationalism not existing, or isn’t as prevalent, or isn’t as dangerous bring me to the words from Dr King on “the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice”. Many of these white moderates today fall into the Accommodator group. Their push back against the Christian nationalist tag is to seek that absence of tension, allowing them to absolve themselves of responsibility.
If you don’t like the vision for America that Christian nationalists want to impose on our country, there really isn’t a middle ground. You have to decide whether you want to Accommodate, Reject, or Resist. If your choice is accommodate, via your silence, your vote, or your acquiescence, you are contributing to Christian nationalism, allowing actively or passively the Overton window to shift further right.
So, who is a Christian nationalist?
See it. Name it. Fight it.