Okay TAT readers, today’s essay on CN and WCN or rather Christian Nationalism and White Christian Nationalism is a very sensitive topic and will be discussed with all due respect. Some commentary will not go over well with the MAGA crowd and some not perfectly well with all others but… as that both CN and WCN are primary pillars of the anti-American MAGA movement, we have to talk about it. For the purpose of today’s discussion, I will simply use CN since I believe both to be the same or nearly so. Spoiler alert: Every major Christian Church opposes CN but, since that many believe that CN is equivalent to Christianity, we must sort out the distinctions. As always, this essay will include links to the most credible of sources, including the NCC or National Council of Churches.
So as with other select topics, I must always add a disclaimer.
Like my father, I have a deep interest in religious studies. Am I an expert with titles, degrees etc., no. Still, in my work in national security, learning about religion was always a necessity, especially Islam and Judaism. Due to India’s suffering under Modi, who wields Hindutva or violent extremist Hinduism against Indians the way that my governor, Greg Abbott wields extremist CN against Texans, and the GOP wields CN against America. Professionally, and after deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and other less than hospitable areas of the world, I have been forced to learn not only about the Sunni versions of violent extremism but also, the Iranian terrorist, theocratic regime’s sponsored Shia terrorism.
When I married my first wife while we were both in the Army at the end of Vietnam, she was Israeli/ Canadian and Judaism became an equally devoted learning focus along with my historical interests in the Middle East and the dynamics between religious belief systems. Her parents were Sabras who fought for Israeli independence and counted among their friends, many with the evil tattoos of Nazi concentration camps, still clearly visible on their forearms. I learned to read, write and speak Hebrew, although which has sadly, almost disappeared in the two decades since I used it daily.
Working against Russia meant deep dives into the Russian Orthodox Church whose now Patriarch Kirill, was a long-time KGB snitch against fellow religious leaders and followers. Supporting Ukraine against Putin meant deeply diving into the split between Russian and Ukrainian Orthodoxy and the long-preexisting split between Rome and Constantinople, now Istanbul. Fortunately, I have a dear friend that is expert in most of this and has for nearly two-decades mentored me in areas wrapped in Canon, doctrine and the evolutions of all church/ religious institutions in areas that I operated in. When it comes to select religious beliefs and ideology, I am far from uninformed, despite my lack of titles or degrees.
The bottom line to all of this background is that religion, when used to build moral resilience in its followers, is one of the most powerful and moral forces on earth. When used immorally like with AQ, ISIS, the Klan, the BJP, Modi’s Hindutva extremist party and so many others, it presents a clear and present danger to all, especially within democracies. This is how I came to write this essay today. CN is a death knell to our democracy, if it is not corrected. Does this condemn Christianity in general… absolutely not! In fact, it is more important than ever that Christians practicing their beliefs in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, do all possible to recover their brothers and sisters, from the abyss of CN. The same applies to every other religious belief system, now or future.
In the CT/ Counterterrorism world I spent most of my Army career in, theology and ideology are a must to understand. Poor understanding equals losing and costing lives. Proper understanding and knowing how to engage indigenous peoples, is how we save and protect lives. Sometimes those methods are violent and sometimes true, ethical influence is the answer. Most often, it is a combination of both. Here at home, ethical influence and education are our only primary tools. TAT is designed to provide education on critical topics and based on my experience, I also offer well-informed insights or what many call opinions. I prefer mentoring.
My problem with Christian/ White Christian Nationalists
First and foremost, let’s begin with some baseline facts. CN is in my professional opinion, nearly synonymous with WCN, at least generally speaking. WCN is more along the line of how most Southerners saw Christianity in the runup to our Civil War. As a Texan, I see the still powerful strains of that Confederate era WCN in our TX GOP. It is even written into the Texas GOP 2022 Midterm platform. This is not only a direct challenge to the constitutions of Texas and the US but, humiliates the sensibilities of every truly patriotic citizen. Texas is not alone and far from it. The new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson has spent most of his adult life in trying to impose his CN onto any citizen he could.
Whether you agree with the SCOTUS ruling on abortion or not, any true patriot would be ashamed of their decision because, it was largely formed on their religious beliefs, not legal. Very few things are as un-American and unconstitutional than allowing religious views to establish law for all Americans. The Alabama Supreme Court, much like that of Texas and other deeply “red states,” has thoroughly attempted to undermine a sacred American principle regarding “freedom of religion.” Ridiculously, all of these justices believe themselves to be patriots, despite knowing that they have intellectually disavowed themselves, of our founders and their democratic principles.
Considering my deep professional and personal interests in global religious practices, I have always found that the credible voices from such institutions go a lot further than my opinions. To this point, I offer insights from some of our nation’s most prominent Christian Churches below:
What is Christian Nationalism? Christian nationalism is characterized by the following religious affirmations: - that the United States was founded as a Christian nation - that America is exceptional. - That is, God has given the United States particular blessings and privileges not available to people in other countries, and the nation must remain Christian in order for those blessings to continue - that only Christians are the proper custodians of this nation’s heritage; that Christianity (or a particular form of Christianity) should have privileged status in the United States, particularly in matters of law and political policy - that, even when their presence is tolerated, people who practice other religions or none cannot be fully American — they are not welcomed, their voices are discounted, and they are not to be trusted with political and cultural leadership - that Christians in general and some Christians in particular should enjoy a level of legal protection not granted to those who practice other religions - that Christians have been made to suffer unjustly, leaving them no alternative but to respond with revolutionary zeal to preserve the United States as a great Christian nation. - THE DANGERS OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM IN THE UNITED STATES: A POLICY STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES - NCC/ National Council of Churches - 2021
What Pentecostals think: Stung by recent media coverage linking Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity to Christian nationalism, a group of Christian leaders has thrown down the gauntlet. They've created a new website, www.narandchristiannationalism.com, that went live Wednesday - a mini-declaration of war. It contains a 1,544-word statement that condemns Christian nationalism, which is the belief that America is a Christian nation and that its government must support Christianity as the nation's defining and original religion. The statement aims to separate the bulk of the nation's roughly 73 million Pentecostals and charismatics from what these leaders say is a fringe element that espouses "a dangerous and unhealthy form of 'Christian nationalism.' " The leaders said they "deny any affiliation" with a movement "that speaks of a potential Christian uprising against the government or hints at the use of force to advance God's kingdom." They also said they "reject all ideologies and movements claiming ethnic or racial superiority." - Pentecostal Leaders Disavow Christian Nationalism in Stark Statement - Newsweek - Julia Duin - Oct. 20, 2020
What the Baptists say: "It’s time to defend Christianity from Christian nationalists. What seems like a fringe movement in American politics today can become a danger to religious liberty tomorrow for all Americans when the power of the state is used to advance the work of any group that presumes to speak on behalf of the whole church." "Christian nationalists also seem unaware of or uninterested in Article 6, clause 3 of the Constitution that states, “No religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” Christian nationalists hold a quite different view. They insist their religious beliefs must inform public policy for the entire country on everything from immigration to abortion rights, human sexuality, foreign policy, gun ownership and every matter that has long been sheltered by the right to privacy." "Not only is Christian nationalism a bad political philosophy, it is also faulty Christian theology, asserting that God has some special bond with the United States. Christian nationalism seeks to take a worldwide religious faith centered in the love and grace of God, and in concern for one’s neighbors and for the neediest among us and twist that faith into an ideology that would allow an extremely conservative group of persons to impose their political agenda on the nation and the world." - Christian nationalism is a danger to our nation - Baptist News Global - MARVIN MCMICKLE - August 10, 2022
What the Catholics say "The Archbishop of Vienna has warned that as Europe's migrant crisis reaches a fever pitch, the continent risks falling into old fears that could build new walls that are contrary to the Christian concept of charity. "Faced with the challenge of many migrants and refugees, which is a great challenge, there is the risk that everyone withdraws into their own limits; that the borders, barriers, walls, the Iron Curtain, will return, will exist again, even if in a different way," Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said Jan. 18. An "enormous challenge" for Europe is to have the Christian virtues of prudence, mercy, and charity overcome the fears and "new nationalisms which seem outdated," but which are, in fact, alive and well, he said, adding that "we are again in a new wave of neo-nationalism in Europe." - Cardinal Christoph Schönborn - Europe's 'new nationalism' is problematic, Austrian cardinal warns - Catholic News Agency - Elise Harris - Vatican City - January 19th, 2016
What the Methodists say "I personally do not know any Methodists who demonstrate this group of characteristics. No doubt some are out there, but such beliefs and practices are not normally in our religious DNA. It should go without saying that authoritarianism, racism, and animus toward immigrants are inconsistent with Christian belief. Methodists of many stripes believe that leadership at all levels should be open to both women and men. While we may dispute with one another regarding scientific findings, we generally do not oppose science in principle. If this list accurately represents what we mean when we say “Christian nationalism,” then Christian nationalism is an ethos we should not only reject, but actively oppose." "Traits that Methodists associate with Christian Nationalism - Approve of authoritarian tactics like demanding people show respect for national symbols and traditions - Fear and distrust religious minorities, including Muslims, Atheists, and Jewish people - Condone police violence toward Black Americans and distrust accounts of racial inequality in the criminal justice system - Believe racial inequality is due to the personal shortcomings of minority groups - Report being “very uncomfortable” with both interracial marriage and transracial adoption - Hold anti-immigrant views - Fear refugees - Oppose scientists and science education in schools - Believe that men are better suited for all leadership roles while women are better suited to care for children and the home - Methodists and Christian Nationalism - Wesleyan Covenant Association - David Watson - October 4th, 2022
As I wrote a couple of months ago, our founders were “woke” for their times and in many forms, the radical progressives of their day. Many of our founding principles, especially as enumerated in our Declaration of Independence discusses “inalienable human rights” which were a particular focus of the Scottish Enlightenment.
Escaping religious persecution elsewhere made the pre-US colonies a haven for a wide variety of religious beliefs. Although some groups, once settled became the oppressors rather than the oppressed, most understood by the time of our Constitution, that establishment of any state religion to be particularly dangerous, disrespectful of universal moral concepts that simply had different approaches on how to get to heaven. Most agreed in the formation of our constitution that the imposition of religion, of any type to be a threat to the universal equality of inalienable human rights for everyone. This concept is a direct descendent of the Scottish Enlightenment.
Theocracy and democracy are incompatible for all of the reasons that those dissident and brilliant Scots had built into reform, religion, philosophy, science and art. I have written on theocracy and democracy a few times and will include below a couple of examples. Again, if you are triggered by some caustic commentary regarding today’s MAGA controlled GOP’s theocratic pursuits, proceed with caution, but please do proceed. Understanding the difference will help to form your opinions about whether the religious beliefs that you hold, are patriotic… or not.
Christian Nationalism and theocracy are the antithesis of democracy, not the foundation, as Putin and the US right would have us believe (truthaboutthreats.com)
White Christian Nationalism is the official ideology of the Texas Republican Party. (truthaboutthreats.com)
Summary
Today’s short lesson regarding the battle between authentic Christian Churches and the Christian Nationalism that is now pervasive in the Republican Party, is a warning. This threat is not just to democracy but your everlasting soul, if this is one of your beliefs. Neither should ever be risked, to acquire political power over your fellow citizens in our once prestigious democracy. In order to become the “shining city on the hill” once again, we must protect our founding principles from those who would replace with an immoral brand of religious beliefs that are anything but democratic.
There is not one single reason that anyone cannot believe as they wish in the America that I grew up believing in. Even the Christian Nationalists have the right to believe as they do. My reasons for warning about them today and always, is that they threaten the individual and inalienable rights promised to us in our founding documents. Our democracy has built-in checks-and-balances that have kept us between constitutional guardrails from the very beginning, with but two exceptions: the Civil War and MAGA. The cost in life, opportunity and far more of the Civil War should inform all modern Americans that the ramifications of allowing our most basic of constitutional rights to be removed, undermined or overturned.
Congress knows better but still in the Trump era, attempts to diminish or destroy more than one of our constitutional rights. Our current SCOTUS cannot be trusted to put their religious beliefs aside long enough to protect those rights in a variety of recent decisions. Like at the very beginning of our war for independence, it was a committed group of citizens called minutemen that answered to call to defend human freedom.
I use the word, “minutemen” a great deal in my writing because it speaks to the true nature of what it means to be a citizen of our American democratic republic. We must all be willing to stand up as citizens and not depend on elected officials to ensure the life of our democracy. At different times in our history, every single “faction” or what we today call political parties, has dishonored our constitution in one form or another. As previously noted, today’s MAGA party is only the second time that such a party or movement based on theology and ideology threatened the very existence of our nation.
The bottom line to all of this is that: Since Congress won’t do their job and SCOTUS refuses to adhere to their oaths, it will again be up to Modern day Minutemen and Women to do the job at the ballot box. For full transparency, this is also the title of my last book on protecting the 2020 election that has been beautifully published as a second edition and will be available publicly around the end of the month.
I am a firm believer that democracy is a team sport in which every single citizen should play. Understanding truth and the reality of our nation’s democracy is incumbent on every citizen in order that they vote based on truth, instead of party allegiance. One of my favorite sayings is, “if you think your party is always right, you are wrong.” My party is the US constitution and those who have ensured that it endured all manner of threats. I, like all elected representatives and military members swear the same oath to “protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.” I have sworn to uphold this sacred oath, as a condition of my military service. I have never given a dime to a party and never will. Writing TAT and telling the truth is my way of honoring all of those true patriots that have come before. There is nothing patriotic about Christian Nationalism. That’s the final word today and thank you if you have read this far.
My very best for your weekend,
Paul