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10 Books to Address Christian Nationalism in Your Church

10 Books to Address Christian Nationalism in Your Church

Last updated on: June 12, 2026 at 3:12 pm by Leah D. Schade

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10 Books to Address Christian Nationalism in Your Church 2026-06-12T15:12:54-04:00 Leah D. Schade

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Discover 10 books pastors can use to address Christian nationalism through preaching, book studies, and congregational conversations.

10 Books to Address Christian Nationalism in Your Church

10 Books to Address Christian Nationalism in Your Church. Photo by Leah D. Schade

Rising Interest in Christian Nationalism

Interest in the term “Christian nationalism” (CN) has surged in recent years. Since January 2025, as the new presidential administration has openly embraced Christian nationalist rhetoric, that interest has remained elevated.

If you serve a congregation, some of your parishioners may be wondering what Christian nationalism is and its implications for the church in America today.

A great place to start is the Public Religion Research Institute’s Christian nationalism studies. Their surveys measure how many Americans adhere to, sympathize with, skepticize, or reject Christian nationalist ideology. PRRI also studies how those views connect to politics, race, authoritarianism, and democracy.

According to PRRI research, “Christian nationalism is a malleable term used by social scientists, journalists, and others to identify a certain kind of right-wing Christian and/or the ideology that they hold.” This ideology shapes religious beliefs, media consumption, policy positions, and attitudes toward marginalized groups.

According to PRRI, while the majority (64%) of Americans oppose this ideology, fully one-third are either Christian nationalist “Adherents” or “Sympathizers.” You may find this to be the case in your church or community.

My Perspective

As a seminary professor and co-founder of the Clergy Emergency League, I focus much of my teaching, research, and activism on Christian nationalism. I have grave concerns about the ways that this movement is weakening democratic norms, institutions, and Constitutional protections.

I’ve seen Christian nationalist rhetoric used to justify stripping rights from immigrants, trans people, and women. The white supremacist ideology at the core of Christian nationalism has deep historic roots and manifests in modern Jim Crow laws and policies. These policies gut voting rights, gerrymander voting districts, and attempt to erase the history of chattel slavery in America.

I’ve come to define Christian nationalism as: a political ideology that distorts and weaponizes Christian teachings to legitimize and advance an aggressively patriarchal, racist, and ethnocentric agenda. Many church members are now looking to their pastors for help understanding what this means for their faith and their congregation.

Why Resources for Addressing Christian Nationalism Are Needed

My seminary students and clergy colleagues often ask for books that can help their congregations engage, resist, and counter Christian nationalism. Whether for preaching, book studies, education forums, or volumes to add to the church library, pastors need resources.

So I’m offering this list of ten books I’ve personally read and would recommend for addressing Christian nationalism in your congregation. This is not a comprehensive list, but it’s a place to start.

For each book, I’ve described the intended audience, included some background about the author(s), and explained its defining features. I’ve also noted whether it would work for a church book study and how I found it helpful for preaching.

I’ve listed the books alphabetically by author. Links to each book are embedded in the title.

[Want to see a handy chart comparing these books? Click here.]

Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor

By Caleb E. Campbell. InterVarsity Press, 2024. 193 pages with endnotes. No index.

Disarming Leviathan was written by Caleb Campbell — an Evangelical who understands Christian Nationalist culture from the inside — for guiding parishioners away from the “leviathan” of Christian nationalism and toward the love of Jesus. Campbell sees Christian nationalism as a mission field for reaching people who do not truly know the Bible and Christ. The book brings an attitude of hospitality to bear, guiding people toward constructive conversations.

For a church book study, the eight chapters could be read over eight weeks or split four-four over two months. No study questions are provided, but the layout with call-out boxes can serve as conversation starters.

For preachers, Chapter 7’s “Field Guide” for engaging Christian nationalist ideology offers biblically-based frameworks for countering its logic — great material for sermon outlines.

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Divide

By Pamela Cooper-White. Fortress Press, 2022. 190 pages with endnotes. No index.

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism, cover

Cooper-White’s book is academic in scope, and her analysis as a professor of psychology and religion is valuable. She offers a clinical guide to the psychological dynamics behind the CN mindset. It’s written from an observer’s rather than a participant’s perspective and scrutinizes Christian nationalism’s relationship to white supremacy, political power, and the psychological drives that fuel extremist beliefs. Chapter 2’s section on conscious needs and unconscious lures is particularly eye-opening.

For a church book study, the Introduction and chapters could be covered over four weeks, allowing adequate absorption of the in-depth analysis. You won’t find study questions for the chapters, but the material will lead to robust conversation.

Preachers will find Chapter 3’s “red-yellow-green light” metaphor useful for triaging follow-up pastoral conversations after a sermon on CN and determining next steps.

[Watch: Psychology of Christian Nationalism, a conversation with The Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper White, 2023, hosted by the Clergy Emergency League.]

Red State Christians: A Journey Into White Christian Nationalism and the Wreckage It Leaves Behind

By Angela Denker. Broadleaf Books, 2022. 319 pages with endnotes. No index.

Red State Christians is a general audience book written written by journalist Angela Denker who traveled across the U.S. to talk with Trump voters. Denker writes as a mainline progressive. Yet she listens deeply to Evangelical, Catholic, and Hispanic Christians, offering a nuanced portrait of people who hold Christian nationalist values. Chapter 1, “Christian Nationalism and Fourth of July Church in Dallas, Texas,” sets the stage for the fusion of conservative Christianity and the political movement that has gained power.

Denker visits rural, suburban, and urban areas; talks with men and women, youth and elders; and crosses many U.S. regions to explore hot-button issues including abortion, guns, the economy, and immigration.

For a church book study, the twelve chapters could be spread out over several months. Or begin with the Intro and Chapter 1, then pick the chapters that resonate most with the congregation’s setting and demographics. The book doesn’t include study questions, but the stories will generate plenty of discussion.

For preachers, the nuance, narrative, and details will steer you away from strawman characterizations of Christian nationalists. And her stories could serve as effective sermon illustrations.

The Religion of Whiteness: How Racism Distorts Christian Faith

By Michael O. Emerson and Glenn E. Bracey II. Oxford University Press, 2024. 198 pages with research appendices, endnotes, bibliography, and index.

Though academic in scope, The Religion of Whiteness is written with accessible language and tone. Emerson and Bracey are sociologists who study religion and race. They conducted a nationally comprehensive study using surveys, focus groups, and ethnographic research in four congregations. They coin the term “religion of whiteness” to describe the way racial discrimination is embedded within American Christianity. Helpful charts and compelling data show how deeply whiteness has shaped Christianity in the U.S. The authors also show how whiteness has taken on the characteristics of religion itself. This book highlights specific research into the role whiteness and racism play in buttressing Christian nationalism.

While not an obvious choice for a church book study, the book is very readable and will open the eyes of those who engage it. The seven short chapters are suitable for those with a college education.

Preachers will appreciate the way the authors explore the emotional component of whiteness which is essential to name when talking about Christian nationalism and white supremacy. The authors also provide characteristics and profiles that can help preachers understand what they experience from white Christians in their congregations.

The 7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action

By Carter Heyward. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022. 273 pages with endnotes, resources, bibliography, and index.

7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism, cover

Written for a general reader religious audience, this book by Episcopal priest Carter Heyward brings decades of experience observing Christian nationalism’s influence on the religious and political landscape. The first half explores the seven “sins” of white Christian nationalism: omnipotence, entitlement, white supremacy, misogyny, capitalist spirituality, domination of the earth, and violence. The second half offers seven corresponding calls to action: empowering one another, humility, the Blackness of God, celebrating gender and sexuality, transforming capitalism, belonging with Earth, and breaking the spiral of violence.

For a church book study, start with the first two chapters to get oriented, then consider pairing the “sin” chapters with the corresponding “call” chapters for a total of nine sessions. No study questions, but deeply engaging material for readers will generate discussion.

Preachers will find the seven sins and their corresponding calls useful for sermons on those specific topics. Also, Heyward provides definitions of terms and concepts that preachers can quote directly in their sermons.

[Watch: Pioneering Wisdom and a Call to Prophetic Action – An Evening with Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward, 2023.]

White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity

By Robert P. Jones. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2020. 314 pages with research appendices, endnotes, bibliography, and index.

Academic but accessible for those with a college education, White Too Long is a blend of social science, history, and memoir. Robert P. Jones, raised in an Evangelical setting, is the CEO and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute — one of the foremost sources of data on religion and culture in the U.S. His book meticulously analyzes surveys measuring white Christian identity across denominations. While the book does not mention Christian nationalism directly, it traces the history of whiteness in America that gave rise to CN and its legacy in today’s churches and the political arena. Jones’s personal stories bring the data to life while disrupting the comfort of white Christianity.

This is not a beginner’s level book and there are no study questions. However, the stories within the chapters would make great conversation starters for a church book study. The seven chapters are best spread out over a longer period of time for deeper processing.

For preachers, the last two chapters — “Stories of Change” and “Toward Respect and Repair” — offer examples of how people are shifting their attitudes and what more can be done. This kind of “good news” and “next steps” are necessary for sermons about countering Christian nationalism.

Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice

By Leah D. Schade. Alban Books / Rowman & Littlefield, 2025. 260 pages. Endnotes after each chapter. Contains index, scripture index, and bibliography.

Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice, Leah D. Schade, cover

(Yes, shameless self-promotion here!) Written specifically for preachers and ministers who are discerning how to talk about contemporary issues in their churches, Preaching and Social Issues offers Gentle, Invitational, and Robust approaches to sermons about social issues that are useful in any denomination. Chapter 8 focuses specifically on Christian nationalism, using it as one of three social issues with which to apply ethics, scripture, and theology. A standout feature is the Assessment Tool in Chapter 2, which helps clergy gauge their risk and capacity for addressing social issues. An online version is also available for both clergy and laity.

While not designed for a congregational book study, this would be ideal for a clergy study group. The eleven chapters could be covered over two months of weekly meetings.

The book gives preachers three sermon strategies for each of the Gentle, Invitational, and Robust approaches — a total of nine ways to preach about social issues, including CN. Chapter 11 provides practical advice for dealing with pushback to sermons on political issues, which is particularly helpful for those addressing Christian nationalism.

The Politics of Faith: The Bible, Government, and Public Policy

By Jerry L. Sumney. Fortress Press, 2020. 131 pages. Short endnotes. No index.

Written for laity and accessible to those with a high school education, The Politics of Faith is by Jerry L. Sumney, a professor of biblical studies who makes biblical scholarship very accessible for exploring faith and politics. While the book does not mention Christian nationalism specifically, it counters the claim that the church can’t discuss politics — often used to shut down such conversations. It does this by demonstrating that the Bible addressed the political issues of its day and that examining them opens the door to healthier conversations about faith and public life. Chapters on the Mosaic Covenant and the witness of the prophets lay the foundation, while the remaining chapters explore the Gospels, Paul, and Revelation and their implications for the church and politics today.

This is the book to read with a congregation before talking about Christian nationalism because it roots the discussion in the Bible. Each of the eleven chapters includes study questions. [Read a fuller review of The Politics of Faith here.]

For sermon preparation, the chapters offer biblical perspectives on social issues, and the last chapter draws out implications of what it means to live, work, and advocate for policies that align with God’s purposes.

[Watch: The Bible, Politics, and Ministry: Guidance for Clergy and Congregations, A Conversation with Biblical Scholars, 2022, hosted by the Clergy Emergency League.]

Preaching in Hitler’s Shadow: Sermons of Resistance in the Third Reich

Edited by Dean G. Stroud. Eerdmans, 2013. 203 pages with endnotes and bibliography. No index.

While Preaching in Hitler’s Shadow is mainly for pastors and religious or political history buffs, parishioners will find it compelling to encounter actual sermons preached against the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1930s and ‘40s. Editor Dean G. Stroud studied and taught German history and was himself a pastor. This collection is a testament to the prophetic courage of those who used their pulpits to resist the Third Reich.

Although Stroud’s book does not mention Christian nationalism specifically, it offers an important historical record of what religious nationalism looked like in Nazi Germany and offers a template for understanding the patterns and playbooks being used by the Christian nationalist movement today. The introduction alone is worth its weight in gold, describing how Hitler used “positive Christianity” to manipulate the masses and turn the state into a religious entity. The twelve sermons from preachers such as Dietrich Boenhoeffer, Karl Barth, and Helmut Gollwitzer, address Kristallnacht, Aktion T4, and attitudes toward Jews and the war.

For a church book study, readers may be shocked to see the parallels to Trumpism and MAGA Christian nationalism — and then realize that the book was written in 2013, before Trump even announced his candidacy. A four-session series could begin with the introduction, then divide the sermons into groups of three for discussion. You’ll need to provide your own study questions.

For preachers, quoting sermons from history is a powerful way to show that this is not the first time the church has had to confront nationalism. Pastors’ groups seeking courage and inspiration for preaching against christofascism today may find the book especially helpful.

American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church

By Andrew L. Whitehead. Brazos Press, 2023. 240 pages with endnotes. No index.

American Idolatry cover

American Idolatry is written for a mainstream religious audience. Whitehead uses first-person storytelling to make his research accessible and compelling. He comes from an Evangelical upbringing and has been a social science researcher on the forefront of CN research for many years. Having that insider perspective gives important credibility and weight to his critique. Chapter 2 defines Christian nationalism, and successive chapters explore different aspects of the movement. Throughout, Whitehead frames his arguments using the teachings of Jesus to counter CN’s tenets and reorient the reader toward a theology of humility, love, and peace.

The eight chapters could be read weekly over two months or grouped together for a Lenten series. No study questions are provided, but the research is deeply informed by his faith, which will resonate with a church book study group. [Read a full review of American Idolatry here.]

Whitehead demonstrates how to ask pivotal questions that can help Christian nationalist parishioners shift their perspectives. This is essential for preachers. His stories of churches actively opposing Christian nationalism highlight practical steps for resistance and change — even when sermons on God’s justice seem overshadowed by nationalism.

[Want to see a handy chart comparing these books? Click here.]

A Pastoral Call to Courage

Christian nationalism is not merely a political problem “out there.” It is a theological and pastoral challenge within our own churches. For clergy, addressing it requires more than information; it requires courage, care, historical honesty, and a clear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My hope is that these books will help pastors and congregations move beyond fear or avoidance and into faithful conversation and action. Each of these resources offers a way to name the danger of Christian nationalism while deepening theological understanding. Ideally, these resources will equip the church to resist CN and focus on Jesus’s mission of healing for the world.

The work will not be easy. But the church has faced the co-opting of the gospel for political forces before. And we are not without resources, wisdom, or the Spirit’s guidance.

In this moment, silence is not neutrality. Preaching, teaching, and organizing against Christian nationalism are ways to bear witness to a faith that rejects domination, fear, and exclusion. Instead, this is a faith rooted in justice, mercy, truth, and love.

A Practical Invitation to Begin

No single book will dismantle Christian nationalism. Neither will one sermon or study group undo the fear, resentment, and misinformation that sustain it. But pastors do not need to do everything at once. The work can begin with one carefully chosen resource, one honest conversation, one sermon rooted in Scripture, or one small group willing to learn together.

If your congregation is just beginning, choose a book that builds biblical and theological foundations. And if your people are ready for deeper analysis, select one that examines racism, authoritarianism, psychology, or history. For your clergy colleagues need support, gather them around one of these resources to strengthen preaching, pastoral strategy, and courage. The point is not to find the perfect book; the point is to begin.

Christian nationalism thrives when it goes unnamed. These books give pastors language, context, and tools for naming it faithfully and responding pastorally. My prayer is that they will help your congregation discern the difference between allegiance to empire and allegiance to Christ. In this way, they equip the church to choose the way of Jesus with clarity, humility, and courage.

Want to suggest another book or resources that can help pastors and congregations address Christian nationalism? Leave a comment below!

Is Your Pastor Preaching Christian Nationalism? 8 Red Flags

Preaching in Trump’s Shadow

Are you a clergy person looking to connect with other Christian leaders in the work of resisting and disrupting Christian nationalism? Check out the Clergy Emergency League.

Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade

The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade is a seminary professor, ordained minister, and co-founder of the Clergy Emergency League. Her opinions are her own.

Leah is the author of Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024), Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and Creation-Crisis Preaching: Ecology, Theology, and the Pulpit (Chalice Press, 2015). She is the co-editor of Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Her book, Introduction to Preaching: Scripture, Theology, and Sermon Preparation, was co-authored with Jerry L. Sumney and Emily Askew (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023).

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