Where to begin
Jim Wallis founded a Christian social justice organization in 1971 called Sojourners, publishing a monthly magazine by that name. Adam Russell Taylor succeeded Jim Wallis as president, continuing to speak out for social justice with a progressive Christian voice.
Taylor’s review in Sojourners of the first debate of the Republican presidential campaign names “6 Warning Signs of Christian Nationalism in US Politics.” People of Christian faith have never been of one mind about everything, which is true of our current national conversations about an anti-democratic, authoritarian movement seen especially among Christian nationalists.
He acknowledges the spectrum of ideas and actions in this movement – that not all are the same – but captures its essence in these words:
The term “Christian nationalism” gets used in different ways, but some experts define it as “a constellation of beliefs — that the founding of the United States was ‘divinely inspired’ or that God is invested in the success of the U.S. — that manifest in political goals.” In politics (and some churches), these ideas are part of a coordinated strategy to ensure white Christians maintain their ongoing dominance in all sectors of U.S. society. When I think about examples of Christian nationalism, I think of the subtle ways some people imply that one must be Christian to be a “true” American, or argue that the growing presence of non-white people and non-Christians pose a threat to “traditional” values, or stoke fear by saying that Christianity is under attack.
If you’ve been following my blog and website since last fall, you know that I consider this a dangerous movement, not only in the U.S. but globally. You can find a multiplicity of resources on my site, including interviews, a video introduction, and ways to connect with other groups who work on this every day.
Adam Russell Taylor’s article is one place to start. Please all of it, but here is a summary of the 6 Warning Signs he describes – posed as 6 questions to ask “throughout the upcoming election to evaluate whether any candidates seeking public office are advancing Christian nationalism and anti-democratic views”:
1. Does the candidate perpetuate the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump? - “In other words, do they seek to undermine trust in our electoral process and thwart free and fair elections?”
2. Does the candidate stoke fear through “us-versus-them” rhetoric or by demonizing anyone deemed “other”? - “Do they use language that dehumanizes migrants, evokes threat and warfare, and echoes similar language … including coded language, often called dog whistles, that signal to audiences that white Americans are the “true” or “real Americans” and others are therefore suspect and less patriotic or less truly American.”
3. Does the candidate proclaim a revisionist history account of the U.S. being “a Christian nation”? – “Our nation was founded around the First Amendment’s commitment to no established religion and the free exercise of religion.”
4. Does the candidate talk about America’s “chosenness” and greatness without acknowledging the way our nation has continually fallen short of its founding principles? – “Including the systemic injustices deeply rooted in history that continue to disadvantage and harm Black and brown Americans.”
5. Does the candidate only talk about faith or “biblical values” when it comes to hostility to LGBTQ+ rights and opposing abortion? –“ This misguided and overly narrow agenda says very little about so many other issues of grave moral consequence — from climate change to poverty to racialized policing and immigration, and more.”
6. Does the candidate demonize racial justice commitments or dismiss them as being “woke”? – “Christian nationalism is often tied to an ethno-nationalist identity, which in the U.S., means being white. Many candidates who claim to be ‘anti-woke’ are simply refusing to imagine an America in which the promise of ‘liberty and justice for all’ is truly extended to people of every racial group. Many of these people also deny that there is any need to seek repair or systemic change to correct past and current wrongs.”
How do we respond to this global movement, including the U.S. movement of Christian nationalism? Where do we begin? Our individual answers will be different because of what we can do given our various situations in life – our time and energy and interests. Adam Russell Taylor provides a starting point for those still wondering how to begin. Learn these six questions to evaluate political candidates, and watch closely for the answers. Together we can weaken the movement and strengthen democracy.
