Those who read this column know I frequently write about the dangers Christian nationalists pose to American democracy. Unfortunately, some readers think comments about Christian nationalists in this column refer to all Christians. That has never been the case. One group, Christians Against Christian Nationalism, knows the difference between Christians and Christian nationalists and is working to prevent Christian nationalists from destroying Christianity and America’s constitutional democracy.

Christians Against Christian Nationalism was formed in 2019 by Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a national organization focused on religious freedom for everyone. Tyler started the group after violent events inspired by Christian nationalist ideology took place: the murder of nine people at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C. (2015), the white supremacist “You will not replace us” rally in Charlottesville, Va. (2017), the massacre of 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pa. (2018), and the shooting at the Chabad of Poway, Poway, Calif. (2019).

Throughout these horrific events, conservative media and politicians amplified white Christian nationalist ideology by legitimizing their false claims to “take back the country from those who threaten a white Christian nation.” Tyler regards Christian nationalism as a perversion of Christianity. I agree, especially when Christian nationalist politicians write state and federal laws based on their peculiar interpretation of the Bible — laws that undermine the constitutional separation of church and state. Frequently, these laws deny women the right to choose, prevent LGBTQ+ people from living authentic lives, and direct public taxpayer dollars to fund their quasi-religious/political agenda. Most Christians do not support this peculiar interpretation of the Bible.

The Christians Against Christian Nationalism website states, “As Christians, our faith teaches us everyone is created in God’s image and commands us to love one another. As Americans, we value our system of government and the good that can be accomplished in our constitutional democracy. Today, we are concerned about a persistent threat to both our religious communities and our democracy — Christian nationalism.

“Christian nationalism seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and America’s constitutional democracy. Christian nationalism demands Christianity be privileged by the State and implies that to be a good American; one must be Christian. It often overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation. We reject this damaging political ideology and invite our Christian brothers and sisters to join us in opposing this threat to our faith and our nation.”

Despite the overwhelming evidence that white Christian nationalists were behind the attack on our nation’s capital on Jan. 6, 2021, the official report on the insurrection barely mentions Christian nationalism. To document the role Christian nationalism played in the insurrection, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and Christians Against Christian Nationalism, “… released on February 9, 2022, (the) most complete accounting to date of how Christian nationalism contributed to the events leading up to January 6 and the day of the attack itself.”

Tyler was asked to “testify publicly on Capitol Hill about the threat posed by white Christian nationalism, indicating the growing alarm about an ideology that has become more pervasive and more mainstream since Jan. 6.” In an interview Tyler gave to Time Magazine on December 15, Tyler said, “I’m really grateful that members of Congress are paying attention to how Christian nationalism overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy, and how some of these (white supremist) extremists are being fueled by Christian nationalism, using it to try to justify their violence as being done in God’s name.”

Katherine Stewart, an investigative reporter and author reporting on the religious right for over 10 years, contributed to the report. Stewart’s research uncovered that Christian nationalism is not, as they would have you believe, just another religious organization with a particular point of view. She discovered that Christian nationalism is not a religious organization at all. On the contrary, Christian nationalism is a well-funded and well-connected political movement bent on destroying Christianity and America’s constitutional democracy.

Tyler notes that white Christian nationalism is not only “tarnishing Christianity’s reputation with the general public but distorting the gospel of Jesus beyond recognition,” and, “This kind of power-broker Christianity has been used to perpetuate racial segregation for generations (and is contributing) greatly to the trauma and pain in our streets right now.”

Far from opposing religion, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and Christians Against Christian nationalism are fighting for everyone’s religious freedom.

 

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