God-Given Rights and ‘ CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM ’
BY ROB PACIENZA
I n a recent interview with MSNBC , Politico national investigative correspondent Heidi Przybyla was asked about the “ infusion of Christian nationalism ” in Congress following the appointment of an evangelical Christian , Mike Johnson ( R-La .), as House Speaker .
Responding to the question , Przybyla said , “ The thing that unites them as Christian nationalists — not Christians , by the way , because Christian nationalist is very different — is that they believe that our rights as Americans , as all human beings , don ’ t come from any earthly authority . They don ’ t come from Congress ; they don ’ t come from the Supreme Court . They come from God .”
As the clip went viral for its inanity , Przybyla scrambled to defend herself , claiming that MSNBC cut off her complete response . Yet the segment clip makes Przybyla look even worse , revealing her breathtaking ignorance of American history , basic political theory , and Christian religion .
“ And in the past , that so-called natural law is , you know , a pillar of Catholicism , for instance . It has been used for good in social justice campaigns . Martin Luther King evoked it in talking about civil rights , but now you have an extremist element of conservative Christians who say that this applies specifically to issues including abortion , gay marriage , and it ’ s going much further than that ,” she insisted , before referencing the Alabama Supreme Court ruling on human personhood .
In one tweet posted on X , Przybyla claimed , “ There are different wings of Christian Nationalism [ and ] they are bound by their belief that our rights come from God ,” and seemingly insisted that Christians who support pro-life policies are “ Christian nationalists .”
A CONFUSION OF TERMS Nationalism , often called patriotism , is acceptable and even honorable under a biblical worldview and Protestant public theology . There is nothing wrong , and everything right , with cultivating an affection for one ’ s own nation and recognizing the positive features of its history and people .
It is important for the church to embrace a biblical patriotism that is faithful to the Word of God and our Lord Jesus Christ . As a conservative Christian and pastor , I believe that Christianity is the leavening force , the moral influence , and the essential moral compass of a nation that intends to have ordered liberty .
Christianity provides the sense of human dignity , the principle of transcendent law , the idea of limited government , the standard of universal justice and equity , all under a common law , with the duty to seek to fulfill the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you .
A REJECTION OF AMERICA ’ S FOUNDING PRINCIPLES Przybyla ’ s assertions also betray her rejection of our nation ’ s founding principles . Think about it . No lesser a document than the Declaration of Independence refers to “ the Laws of Nature and of Nature ’ s God ” and says , “ We hold these truths to be self-evident , that all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness .”
So , when Przybyla arbitrarily declares that belief in the transcendent nature of basic human rights is an extremist threat to the country , she is rejecting not only biblical teaching but also the American Revolution , the Declaration of Independence , the United States Constitution , and the majority of Western tradition .
20 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW