Christian Nationalism Is a Threat to Democracy & Christianity
Christian Nationalism is a dangerous political ideology that rejects religious freedom. Christian Nationalism pushes the false narrative that the United States was founded as a “Christian nation” and that our government officials should keep it that way.
The truth is that Christianity is never mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. Religion, however, was mentioned three times:
- to prohibit attempts to establish a national religion
- to prohibit infringing upon the free exercise of religion
- to prohibit religious tests in order to hold public office
Followers of Christian Nationalism believe that our laws should be based on “Christian values” and that only Christians are “good Americans.” This belief system also often overlaps with white supremacy, racial subjugation, discrimination, and even violence against LGBTQ+ people, women, and religious minorities.
As Christians, we believe that to follow Jesus’s teachings and his command to love our neighbor, we must be active in our pursuit of justice for all people. This means we cannot be silent when others are dehumanized, condemned, or targeted in any way.
Key Differences Between Christian Nationalism & Christianity
Christian Nationalism followers believe the Ten Commandments should be displayed in every public school classroom, and students should join together in Christian prayer at the start of each school day.
We believe that the 1st Amendment protects religious freedom and the separation of church and state. We agree with the law that allows students to engage in voluntary, private prayer and religious activities during non-instructional time. The use of forced or coerced religion of any kind does not belong in a public school.
Christian Nationalism leads attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals and the LGBTQ+ community at large, including advocating for violence against LGBTQ+ individuals and even the arrest and imprisonment of trans adults and the parents of trans children.
We believe that all people are beloved children of God and advocate for the inclusion, rights, and safety of LGBTQ+ individuals and their families.
Christian Nationalism includes the belief that history books and historical landmarks should only reflect one version of American history and should not include things like the genocide of Indigenous people, slavery, and the fight for civil rights.
We believe that historical revisionism and denialism in our books, museums, and public landmarks are a danger to our democracy and our integrity as a people. As Christians and Americans, we believe the unvarnished truth about our past is paramount to our future.
Christian Nationalism seeks policy on patriarchal marriage. That includes revoking women’s right to vote, autonomy over their own bodies, and reproductive choices.
We believe women have the right to maintain autonomy over their own bodies, including decisions about their reproductive health. Women should always retain their constitutional right to vote, no matter their marital status.
Christian Nationalism includes the belief that allegiance to country is how believers demonstrate their allegiance or devotion to God.
We uphold the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state and believe that allegiance to country and commitment to Jesus are not intertwined. Our faith calls on us to be good citizens and participate in the democratic process.
Christian Nationalism followers believe books, television shows, and movies should only reflect “Christian values.” Any that do not should be banned.
We believe censorship of any kind is dangerous and unacceptable. Access to new ideas and the ability to learn from others, who may or may not be aligned with our own beliefs and experiences, is crucial for a healthy democracy.
What the Founders Established
The private letters, public speeches, and official documents of our Founders reveal a deliberate commitment to secular government.
“The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”
— Treaty of Tripoli, signed by President John Adams and unanimously ratified by the Senate (1797)
“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.”
— James Madison, letter to William Bradford (1771)
“I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”
— Thomas Jefferson, letter to Danbury Baptists (1802)