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Who is afraid of Christian Nationalism?

Who is afraid of Christian Nationalism?

Last updated on: May 7, 2024 at 10:59 am by Ted Peters

Who is afraid of Christian Nationalism? 2024-05-07T10:59:23-07:00 Ted Peters

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Who is afraid of Christian Nationalism?

Who is afraid of Christian Nationalism? There a far more people afraid of American Christian Nationalism (ACN) than there are American Christian nationalists. For the last two years I’ve been suspicious that the Christian nationalist movement is a figment of the imagination of anti-evangelicals lurking in both politics and mainline churches. By injecting exaggerated images of a vicious monster that wears the warts of both Christianity and Trumpism, anti-evangelicals can justify sneering and jeering. Now, it seems, a scholar partially supports my hypothesis.

He is Mark David Hall at Regent University’s Robertson School of Govenment. Here is Hall’s thesis: “Christian nationalism exists and it is problematic, but it does not pose an existential threat to American democracy and the Christian church in the United States as far too many critics claim.” To answer the question — who is afraid of Christian nationalism? — Hall has just published a new book, “Who’s Afraid of Christian Nationalism? Why Christian Nationalism Is Not an Existential Threat to America or the Church” (Fidelis Books 2024).

Are we ready to slay the Christian Nationalist Dragon?

In a previous post, “To Slay the Christian Nationalist Dragon,” I tendered my hypothesis. Christian nationalism (CN) exists, to be sure. But the description of CN as a fire-breathing dragon in the form of a dangerous social movement is the fabrication of progressive Christians who want an excuse to engage in cultural warfare and to collect donation money. There is no Christian Nationalist Dragon to fight. A dragon’s egg, perhaps. A baby dragon, perhaps. But no dragon worthy of mortal combat.

Who is afraid of Christian nationalism? An army made up of Christians Against Christian Nationalism (CACN) is readying itself to fight the dragon. That dragon spits fire, allegedly. Sociologist Samuel Perry tells us that White Christian Nationalists support authoritarian repression and violence. Christianity and whiteness are identified, he contends. This claim is made in a Christians Against Christian Nationalism broadcast. Most of what the world knows about ACN is what CACN says about them. Writing in Public Square Magazine, C.D. Cunningham suspects such “commentators seek to overstate the problem.”

Who is afraid of Christian nationalism? We all are. But we should note that American Christian nationalism is not a doctrine propounded by any Christian church, denomination, or school of theology. In fact, denominational and theological spokespersons, including the Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty, have publically stated their opposition to ACN.

On February 21, 2023 Matthew Harrison, President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, threatened excommunication to those who spread “horrible and racist teachings of the so-called ‘alt-right’.” On his list of banned ideologis are “white supremacy, Nazism, pro-slavery, anti-interracial marriage, women as property, fascism, death for homosexuals, even genocide.” The Lutheran spokesperson declares, “This is evil. We condemn it in the name of Christ.”

Who is afraid of the Trump Bible?

Does the Trump Bible look like ACN? It certainly does. But note that this is not a Bible you will find in the pews of your local church. Try Ted Peters’ “Get Your Trump Bible.” Or Julie Nichols’ Patheos post, “Don the Con Man; He’s Now Selling Bibles.”

Conclusison

Who is afraid of Christian nationalism? Not me. I’ve never met an American Christian nationalist. Nor have I seen one lurking around my back yard late at night.

Yet, I certainly am afraid of what might happen should Trumperism gain the power it needs to demolish our democratic institutions and throw our nation into chaos. That’s the actual dragon we need to fear.

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Ted Peters

Ted Peters is a Lutheran pastor an emeritus professor at the Graduate Theological Union. He co-edits the journal, Theology and Science, with Robert John Russell on behalf of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, in Berkeley, California, USA. His single volume systematic theology, God—The World’s Future, is now in the 3rd edition. He has also authored God as Trinity plus Sin: Radical Evil in Soul and Society as well as Sin Boldly: Justifying Faith for Fragile and Broken Souls. See his website: TedsTimelyTake.com. Last year he published a new 2023 book, The Voice of Public Theology, with ATF Press.

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About Ted Peters

Ted Peters is a Lutheran pastor an emeritus professor at the Graduate Theological Union. He co-edits the journal, Theology and Science, with Robert John Russell on behalf of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, in Berkeley, California, USA. His single volume systematic theology, God—The World’s Future, is now in the 3rd edition. He has also authored God as Trinity plus Sin: Radical Evil in Soul and Society as well as Sin Boldly: Justifying Faith for Fragile and Broken Souls. See his website: TedsTimelyTake.com. Last year he published a new 2023 book, The Voice of Public Theology, with ATF Press. You can read more about the author here.

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