How not to Fall into the Abyss of Christian Nationalism — Walking the Tightrope Between Faith and Politics (1)

This is part one of a three-part series exploring Christian nationalism and its effects on faith and politics. In this first instalment, I will define Christian nationalism and examine its rise in modern political discourse.

A respected Christian leader recently shared a thought-provoking post on his Facebook page on Christian nationalism. He observed that well-meaning Christians who have genuine care and concern for the moral, social, or political trajectory of their country and who are motivated to speak up politically and bring influence are being slapped with the label Christian nationalists. In our ever-increasingly politically polarised world, where people see in binary terms of red or blue, pinning badges on others we disagree with to demonise them is on the increase.

From the start of my blog, I want to make clear that I am not anti-political or social engagement, nor do I have a subversive desire to push people to the left or the right. I want to see God's people play in the political arena in the way that Jesus taught.

I think Jesus intended the church to influence every sphere of society. I know this because Jesus appointed 12 Apostles to spearhead his Kingdom movement. Jesus intended His apostles not to be the New Covenant version of Old Testament priests but modelled after Roman apostles.

The original historical meaning of the word "apostle" (Greek = apóstolos) was not understood or used in a religious sense in Jesus' day. Apostles were the original social influencers with unique skill sets to shape the cultures of nations they were assigned to. Roman apostles were often admirals of an armada charged with going into colonial countries to infuse the culture of Rome. They were chosen because they were the embodiment of Rome. Their mission was to Romanise their colonies. Jesus intentionally borrowed this term from the Romans because that is precisely what He intended to do — Kingdomise the world. The Lord’s Prayer, with its "On earth, as it is in heaven” cry is essentially a culture-shaping prayer.  

This historical understanding of the church's mission was lost by the church for many centuries, but has thankfully been recaptured in recent times; as such, the desire of Christians today that my friend wrote about in his Facebook post, to see Christians influence and shape culture with the value system of the Kingdom of God is legitimate and a return to our apostolic roots.

However, many people, both inside and outside of the church, are rightly concerned with the rise of Christian nationalism, which I want to propose to you is an illegitimate way to undertake our culture shaping assignment (I’ll get into this in Part 2 of my series). What is most concerning to me is how prevalent Christian nationalism is in my evangelical-charismatic slice of the church, and just how many leaders are unaware of what "spirit they are operating in,” when they talk about political and social engagement.

But before I get into this, I need to clarify what Christian nationalism is.

It is often said, "If the badge fits, wear it." In the case of Christian nationalism, how do we know if we are wearing the badge? Our starting place is defining the term.

The term Christian nationalism is not new; it has been around for a couple of centuries and has been used by both Christians and secular social and political commentators in relation to a type of engagement that blends national and Christian sentiments together in unhelpful and even damaging ways. 

To better understand Christian nationalism, let's consider two key definitions—one from within the Christian world and another from a secular perspective.

The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) observe that Christian nationalism is an ideology that merges a distorted form of Christian faith with national pride and political power. It often asserts that the country was founded on Christian principles and that its laws and institutions should reflect this heritage.¹

Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry, Authors of Taking America Back for God, reflect that Christian nationalism is a cultural framework that idealises and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life. It promotes the idea that America has been and should continue to be a Christian nation and calls for a privileged place for Christianity in the public sphere. This often involves the belief that the government should actively promote Christian values and traditions, marginalising other religious and secular perspectives.²

Though the term Christian nationalism has no universally accepted definition, scholars and Christian leaders agree, as you can see from the above definitions, that it involves merging Christian identity with national politics, often to enforce Christian values through political power.

Given this, I want to propose a working definition of Christian nationalism for you to consider:

I want to acknowledge that some people's imediate reaction to my definition of Christian nationalism might be that they feel like an unfair criticism of Christian political engagement to promote societal good. Before you click the "X" at the top of the screen to exit this blog post I’d encourage you to reread my earlier section on "The Apostolic Church as Culture Shapers." I 100% believe this and wrote a book on this very mission, Terraforming Planet Earth: Unleashing the Power of the Lord's Prayer. Hang in there;  I will talk more about how we shape culture according to the playbook of Jesus in Part 3.

In the meantime, as you reflect on the definition of Christian nationalism, take a moment to assess your own relationship between faith and national identity. I'd like to invite you to consider these indicators that may signal a slide into the abyss of Christian nationalism:

• Do you prioritise national symbols, leaders, or parties over Christ's teachings?

• Do you view people outside your political identity as 'others':

• Do you prioritise national ideals over Jesus' teachings in political actions?

Understanding Christian nationalism sets the foundation for further exploration. In the next part of this series, we will explore how this blending of faith and politics can distort religious expression and governance, posing dangers to democracy and authentic Christian faith. Stay tuned!

NOTES:
1. National Association of Evangelicals. (2021, December 9). Christian Nationalism: What is it?. Retrieved from https://www.nae.net/christian-nationalism/
2. Whitehead, A. L., & Perry, S. L. (2020). Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States. Oxford University Press.