What is Christian Nationalism ?
By Dr . Christian Overman
What is Christian Nationalism ?
It ’ s not an easy term to pin down . Like a good friend of mine said : “ It really is a greased pig .” Christian Nationalism comes in various expressions and is found in a diversity of nations , from Brazil to India , and Poland 1 to Spain , to name just a few .
Because it lacks a universally accepted meaning , “ Christian Nationalism ” is a term that prompts debate ( a soft word for division ), even among sincere Christians . For that reason , I prefer not to use the term .
A recent report by NPR ( National Public Radio ) 2 defined Christian Nationalism as “ the idea that the U . S . is a Christian nation and its laws should be rooted in the Bible .” This definition has two problems : It doesn ’ t explain what is meant by a “ Christian ” nation , and it doesn ’ t clarify what laws “ rooted in the Bible ” means . Does this mean outlawing the sale of pork ?
Among non-Christians , the term “ Christian Nationalism ” has negative connotations . It conjures images of the Salem Witch Trials and people being forced to wear scarlet letters , as though some kind of neo-Puritanism would be imposed by governmental force upon a sea of “ Nones .” Rising anti-Christian sentiment in this country has Biblebelieving Christians increasingly caricatured as dangerous extremists who
must be silenced . The term “ Christian Nationalist ” is , regrettably , part of that fear-inducing caricature .
I say regrettably because there is now a wide swath of American citizens opposed to basic , traditional Christian values . They can neither tolerate nor peacefully co-exist with those who support such values .
I also say regrettably because up until the mid-twentieth century , the vast majority of Americans lived , worked , and governed themselves according to what might be called “ Christian Nationalism ,” although the term was not used back then to the best of my knowledge .
12 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW