The Threat of White Christian Nationalism

Faith, Power, and Supremacy: The Danger of White Christian Nationalism in America

Jemar Tisby wrote that "white Christian nationalism is neither mere Christianity nor simple patriotism. It is a dangerous ideology that resembles racist extremist movements of the past such as the Ku Klux Klan." (Tisby) This historian gives breath to a thought that has been creeping into Americans' minds over the last few decades. To understand this threat, we must recognize that religion has played a role in a large majority of American identity, but White Christian nationalism is not just about faith. It is about control, racial supremacy, and political power. This threat has been around since the arrival of the European colonizers. “White Christian nationalism is a political ideology used to maintain a white supremacist and patriarchal society” (Nalani & Yoshikawa 552). It has fueled systems of oppression in this country that have put people down for generations. It remains one of the largest threats to democracy, equality, and freedom that fills me with an undeniable dread. This isn’t about any individual Christian belief, more of a movement that has used Christianity as a Trojan horse since the beginning of this country’s history, sheltering fascist and hateful rhetoric under the guise of faith. White Christian nationalism has combined religious extremism with racial dominance and political violence for over 2 centuries.

The foundations for white Christian nationalism were built starting in 1493 when Christopher Columbus sent ships back to America upon his return to Spain. “He was commissioned to return to the Americas with a much larger fleet of 17 ships, nearly 1,500 men, and more than a dozen priests to speed the conversion of Indigenous people who inhabited what he, along with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, still believed were Asian shores.” (Jones) Not long after, the Doctrine of Discovery was issued by Pope Nicholas V. The Doctrine states “To invade, search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue all Saracens [Muslims] and pagans whatsoever, and other enemies of Christ wheresoever placed, and the kingdoms, dukedoms, principalities, dominions, possessions, and all movable and immovable goods whatsoever held and possessed by them and to reduce their persons to perpetual slavery.”(Jones) It allowed Europeans to kill, enslave, and claim the land of non-Christian natives. At this point faith was not just personal, it was weaponized as a tool of total domination. It justified genocide, slavery, and colonialism, creating a horrific start to America's colonization. During the colonial and founding era, Christian supremacy was built into the laws, pushing very-anti native, anti-black, and anti Jewish views. Enslavers used Christian preachings to justify slavery and the horrible acts they were committing. Although the Constitution intentionally separated church and state, the religious rule still held cultural power, and everyday life revolved around it. Following the founding era, white Christian nationalism continued, evolving through movements like Manifest Destiny, which framed the expansion of the United States' mission to spread Christianity and civilization, normally at the expense of indigenous and nonwhite communities. This led to the murder of millions and the displacement of those who were left to take their land. “Christian nationalism became an engine for moral exceptionalism” (Jones).

“Christian nationalism is not a recent phenomenon, it was woven into the origin story of the nation, used to justify conquest, slavery, and exclusion.” (Jones) During the Civil War, white Christian churches preached racial hierarchy as divine order, and abolitionists faced resistance within these Christian institutions. While slavery was abolished, the ideological mixture of whiteness, Christianity, and power persisted well into the 20th century. It instilled a feeling of superiority and belief that they were divinely chosen to lead the United States down a righteous path. Later down the line, in 1865, white supremacy gave rise to the Ku Klux Klan, which used crosses, prayers, and Christian values to justify terrorism against black Americans. Churches also played major roles in maintaining Jim Crow segregation in the South, continuing the preachings of racial hierarchy. The Cold War put Christianity at the forefront of American identity. “During the Cold War, political leaders explicitly invoked Christianity to distinguish the United States from ‘godless’ communism, further embedding Christian identity into American nationalism.” (Graves) During this time, the United States adopted the national motto “In God We Trust” and added “Under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.

In 1939, Madison Square Garden hosted a rally organized by the German American Bund. The Bund was an openly pro-nazi group that pushed white nationalism and extremist, far right political views. Christian symbols were displayed alongside fascist imagery, aligning American values with authoritarianism. Behind the stage hung a 30-foot-tall portrait of George Washington surrounded by American flags and the Bund flag featuring prominent swastikas. The Bund didn’t attract 20,000 attendees by advertising hatred alone. They marketed it as patriotic and pro-American. “The official flier advertising the Nazi rally displayed a swastika emblem over the words 'True Americanism and George Washington Birthday Exercises.’"(Bernard) That made it easier to pull in people who were sympathetic to isolationism, antisemitism, or white nationalism. The rally had strong anti-communist messaging, which at the time was extremely popular among Americans. They saw Nazism as a strong counterforce to communism. A few attendees were not supporters but there to heckle the speakers or part of a larger organized protest of the Bund. People lined the streets around the building in protest of the event, but were held back by officers. “The thousands of demonstrators carried signs that said, 'Give me a gas mask, I can't stand the smell of Nazis,' 'Smash Anti Semitism,' and a group of Jewish war veterans from Brooklyn wrapped themselves in a huge American flag.” (Bernard) Around this time, Americans started to use Christianity politically to define Americanism against communism and secularism.

In the 1980s, the rise of conservative Christian political organizations like The Moral Majority, a group associated with the Christian right, started to rise in influence. Groups like these pushed for prayer in school, anti-abortion laws, and more Christian-based curriculum in schools. The Moral Majority and leaders like Jerry Falwell helped unite white evangelical Christians with the republican party, making a connection that is still very strong today. This started the shift from personal faith to a coordinated political movement using religious identity to shape local and national policy. Since then, politics have become more intertwined with religious ideology, driving out the idea of the separation of church and state. Donald Trump openly embraces Christian nationalist rhetoric, often using Christian signaling to promote himself as a defender of “religious liberty.” Christian imagery has often been used at rallies, especially alongside anti-immigrant and anti-Islam messages. Political figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert have openly called for the United States to be a Christian nation and apply religious ideals to their legislative decisions. Greene stated, “Americans should proudly embrace Christian nationalism” (AP). As for current policy agendas, state and local laws are increasingly referencing biblical justification for limiting the rights of marginalized groups. White Christian nationalism is now shaping policy in ways that threaten the constitutional rights of non-Christians, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, and People of color. These threats are also extended to all women as restrictions on bodily autonomy have threatened and taken the lives of women across the country. The reversal of Roe v. Wade was largely driven by Christian conservative legal advocacy groups like Alliance Defending Freedom. These groups have also attacked trans rights, drag shows, and gender affirming care, often framing it as protecting “God's order”. They have also worked to place curriculum bans on black history and queer literature, which I believe is an attack on free speech. These actions stem from Christian nationalism's major influence on state legislatures and school boards in the United States.

My position is challenged by those who argue that Christian values are foundational to the American identity. People like Mike Johnson have said, “America is and was founded as a Christian nation, and that figures like Thomas Jefferson were ‘divinely inspired.’” (Smith) And as for the general belief, “Six in ten U.S. adults said the founders intended America to be a Christian nation…about 45% said the U.S. should be a Christian nation.” (Smith) While some insist the United States was founded as a Christian nation, multiple sources challenge this idea. The founders intentionally wanted to keep church and state separate, and Christian values are often selectively interpreted to justify oppression. The Constitution and the Treaty of Tripoli are two of my biggest arguments against these claims. The Constitution is explicitly secular with no mention of Christianity, and Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli leaves no room for ambiguity, stating, “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion” (Vile). The founders also had very diverse religious views. Jefferson even wrote his own Bible without miracles, focusing more on Jesus’s life and moral philosophy rather than what he thought were corruptions and supernatural elements. George Washington avoided aligning governance with any single denomination, using vague spiritual language to unite rather than to divide. “Jefferson believed that a secret to religious freedom was destroying the concept of heresy, the crime of expressing unauthorized religious thought. And he cared deeply - personally, passionately - about heresy because, in the context of his times, Thomas Jefferson was a heretic, and wanted to live in a nation that tolerated men like him.” (Waldman) The term “Christian values” has been used selectively to justify authority and discrimination while ignoring justice, humility, or compassion.

White Christian nationalism is not about faith. It is about power and exclusion, and it is a direct threat to American democracy, and we cannot ignore how dangerous that is. But how did we get here? Generations of people have been leaning into spiritual warfare with their neighbors and swayed by capitalistic politicians with secret agendas. As someone who grew up witnessing faith used in both comfort and control, I believe we must speak out when religion becomes a weapon and is used to shame people because of a different skin color, sexual orientation, or religion. The future of democracy rests upon our understanding and recognition of the history that has shaped the United States and how it has brought us to this point. Hatred is a growing pastime and becoming socially acceptable, and the lack of responsibility from the people in office who are defending billionaires, even if everyday people struggle to have healthcare or adequate living situations. These dangerous groups are promoting a spiritual war on people who do not believe the same things they do and pushing a violent and nightmarish future. This ideology makes political opponents spiritual enemies, creating a dangerous justification for violence and authoritarianism. It does not have to be this way. Our country was built on religious freedom and the idea that any person could come here and create a life for themselves.

I believe we have lost the American dream to capitalism and selfish behavior. Christianity is a faith meant to bring people together and promote community, it should never be used as a political weapon. This is not spirituality, this is supremacy cloaked in scripture. I believe there is faith that brings peace and sits with the subjugated and lost. A faith that rejects false preachings of power and control. I know the bible talks about Jesus flipping tables when he witnessed exploitation, stood up to emperors, and spoke of compassion and justice. We must do more than just disagree. We have to speak up when it is uncomfortable, vote when it seems hopeless, and protect each other even when the world does not. I ask you to recognize the difference between personal belief and extremism. If you have the ability, call your representatives and voice your opinion when you oppose actions taken by our government. Fight for a better future and resist the efforts to erase the diverse, beautiful, multi-faith reality of the United States. And to remember “No one is free until we all are free” Maya Angelou.

Works Cited

Baker, Joseph O., et al. “Keep America Christian (and White): Christian Nationalism, Fear of Ethnoracial Outsiders, and Intention to Vote for Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election.” Sociology of Religion, vol. 81, no. 3, 2020, pp. 272–93. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/sraa015. Bernard, Diane. "The Night Thousands of Nazis Packed Madison Square Garden for a Rally — and Violence Erupted." The Washington Post, 2018. ProQuest, https://tccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/blogs-podcasts websites/night-thousands-nazis-packed-madison-square/docview/2154075467/se-2. Graves-Fitzsimmons, Guthrie. “Christian Nationalism Is ‘Single Biggest Threat’ to America’s Religious Freedom.” Center for American Progress, 13 Apr. 2022, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/christian-nationalism-is-single-biggest-threat to-americas-religious-freedom/. Jones, Robert P. “The Roots of Christian Nationalism Go Back Further Than You Think.” Time, 31 Aug. 2023, https://time.com/6309657/us-christian-nationalism-columbus-essay/. Nalani, Andrew, and Hirokazu Yoshikawa. "White Christian Nationalism and Youth Development in the USA." Society, vol. 60, no. 4, 2023, pp. 551-565. ProQuest, https://tccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/white christian-nationalism-youth-development-usa/docview/2840417841/se-2, doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-023-00863-8. Smith, Peter. “Many Believe the Founders Wanted a Christian America. Some Want the Government to Declare One Now.” AP News, 17 Feb. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/american-founders-christian-nation-conservative-beliefs 4ea388e8d80c54016a6a4460cbef9b82. Tisby, Jemar, PhD. “Now We Call It White Christian Nationalism. It Used to Just Be Called the KKK.” Now We Call It White Christian Nationalism. It Used to Just Be Called the KKK, Footnotes by Jemar Tisby, 21 Apr. 2023, jemartisby.substack.com/p/now-we-call-it white-christian-nationalism. Vile, John R. “1797 Treaty of Tripoli.” The Free Speech Center, 2 July 2024, https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/1797-treaty-of-tripoli/. Waldman, Steven. Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America. Random House, 2008.