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Escaping MAGA and Rediscovering Jesus in 2026

January 07, 2026 by Duncan Pile

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When I try out a new idea, I put it on like a set of new clothes and see how it feels. If it diminishes my compassion, or in any way distances me from Jesus (in terms of my emotions), I take it off again and don't waste any more time on it. For example, in my early twenties, I was drawn to the Faith Movement, which taught that you can bend reality to your will if you develop sufficient faith. You can move mountains, silence storms, and heal broken bodies, just as Jesus did.

Though initially exciting, thinking that way put me in charge of the world around me, which was a tremendous burden that, over time, altered my relationship with God. The easy, organic connection I used to enjoy became rigid, punctuated by declarations of faith and claims on God’s promises. It took me a while to understand what was going on, but eventually I saw the light and gave up on faith-teaching and all its tenets. My approach to faith softened, and I fell in love with God all over again. In all honesty, I was staggered to discover how far I’d strayed, but I’ll never forget the joy, the relief, the blessed reunion of the homecoming.

To avoid being sidetracked into other inorganic expressions of faith, I became more cautious about being swept up by new theological ideas. Instead, I learned to test them out, trying each on like a garment and observing the changes wrought in my relationship with God. Anything that diminished Jesus or hardened my heart towards others was given the boot without further analysis, even if it was embraced by people I respected. Over the course of my adult life, this has allowed me to identify and turn away from theological and ideological compromises at the early stages of adoption, and remain grounded in the loving nature of Jesus.

It's time to abandon compromised political ideologies

Sometimes, embracing new political ideas, ideologies, and directions can result in subtle theological reframing that warps the character of Jesus to make him more acceptable. For example, supporting “Christian nationalism” unavoidably changes a person’s perspective on the character and teachings of Jesus.

When Peter cut off Malchus’ ear in Gethsemane, Jesus rebuked him for using force. Matthew 26:52-53,

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”

Jesus had the resources of Heaven at his disposal but refused to use them. His reasoning became clear when he stood, accused, before Pilate. John 18:36,

"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

His words reveal when force is appropriate – to defend an earthly kingdom – and when it is not – to defend the Kingdom of God. Christian nationalism, then, is a problematic expression of faith, because it attempts to use force to establish a version of the Kingdom of God (however flawed it might be) as an earthly kingdom.

The idolatry of Christian nationalism

The most prominent manifestation of Christian nationalism in the world is the current US administration, which weds what is perceived as Christian belief (though is often just right-wing or conservative ideology) to forceful anti-immigrant policy and the waging of international wars, among other things. The president and other influential figures invoke the name of Jesus while promoting racism and othering non-white people groups such as Somalis and Mexicans.

Believers who buy into the religious nationalist ethos have to reshape their understanding of Jesus and his teaching in order to make him fit the political agenda. I don’t see how it’s possible to be faithful to the meaning of the Good Samaritan – that everyone is our neighbour – while approving of ICE’s harsh detention practices, tearing families apart without due process and imprisoning them in awful conditions, based on their ethnicity. The cognitive dissonance must be agonising.

Christian nationalism is established, maintained, and expanded by force, including the force of military might and narrow legislation, which simply can’t be squared with the example of Jesus. Christ was utterly committed to service and never placed himself above anyone else. He never sought power or any kind of advantage over others, was never driven by a thirst for revenge, and never treated anyone differently because of their ethnicity. He revealed the servant heart of God by washing his disciples’ feet and telling them to do the same for others. Right now, Christian nationalists on social media are telling me that illegally invading Venezuela without constitutional approval and kidnapping Maduro and his wife are actions driven by faith, when they are, at best, actions driven by greed.

Humility and service are not valued by Christian nationalism, which teaches its followers to shun empathy, and reframes the wisdom of the Sermon on the Mount as weakness. The cross, in particular, is antithetical to their compromised beliefs. How can a Christian nationalist who clings to power above service, hold tightly to the cross, which is the ultimate symbol of sacrifice? How can they revere a saviour who gave his life for his own creation? Philippians 2:5-8,

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”

New year, new you

I want to ask readers who support the US administration's Christian nationalist agenda some questions:

We’ve just celebrated Christmas. How did you feel about the all-powerful God who entered the world as a vulnerable child and soon became an immigrant, hated and hunted by the politically powerful? Does the Christmas story touch you the same way it used to?

What has embracing MAGA Christianity done to your conscience? Has it become callous, less empathetic? Are you able to look away from families torn apart by ICE and harden your heart to their plight? What spiritual compromises have you made to hold to your political ideology?

How do you feel about the servant heart of Jesus and his call for us to consider the needs of others above our own, including the needs of immigrants?

The reason for writing this article is to nudge well-meaning believers who have been seduced by MAGA Christianity into a little self-examination. You might discover, much as I did all those years ago when stepping away from the Faith Movement, that you’ve strayed further from Jesus than you realise, and I want to compassionately invite you to give this some real thought and prayer.

I understand that, for many, the cost of disassociating yourself from MAGA Christianity might seem painfully high, but if that’s the price of saving your faith, of returning as a prodigal, then so be it. God will celebrate your return, embrace you, and look after you. You might even rediscover peace.

I also want to share some resources for those considering taking the brave step of abandoning Christian nationalism and returning to Jesus:

https://leavingmaga.org/

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/tnyradiohour/articles/why-is-leaving-maga-so-difficult

https://wordandway.org/2025/10/22/the-maga-betrayal-of-christianity/

Dear fellow believer, is this the year you finally escape the clutches of Christian nationalism and come home to Jesus?

I hope the answer to that question is yes. May the Lord bless you and keep you in 2026.

1/7/2026 10:26:07 PM

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About Duncan Pile

Duncan Pile is a writer, author and speaker, living in Derbyshire, England with his wife and stepson. His mystical approach to faith straddles the Evangelical/Progressive divide, and flowing from lived experience, he is passionate about the deconstruction and reconstruction of the Christian faith.

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