Christian nationalism in the United States is the belief that a “true” American should be Christian and that Christianity should influence public policies, sacred symbols, and national identity. At its core, this idea threatens the separation of church and state and undermines the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It also leads to discrimination and, at times, violence against religious minorities and the non-religious and poses a significant threat to religious freedom and religious pluralism.
Christian nationalism is an idea or ideology created by the religious right’s misuse of religious liberty as a rationale for evading laws and regulations aimed at protecting a pluralistic democracy, such as nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQI+ people, women, religious minorities, and non-religious groups. It seeks to merge American and Christian identities. It heavily relies upon a fairy-tale-like story about the founding of the United States as a “Christian nation,” a narrative that often overlooks the different religious beliefs of the country’s founders and the secular principles on which the nation was established. The “Christian” in Christian nationalism is less about religion, belief, or faith and more about identity. It carries with it assumptions about nativism, white supremacy, authoritarianism, patriarchy, and militarism.
Christian Nationalism should concern all Americans!