Christianity teaches that there is one true Gospel: The Good News of Jesus Christ, found in the Bible. This Scriptural Gospel tells us that Jesus was sent to die for the sins of all, and by faith alone, in His sacrifice for us on the cross, we receive salvation. Most (if not all) who call themselves Christians would agree with this foundational belief. As Jesus says in John 14: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This is the one true Gospel.
However, this message has been getting lost. In America many Christians have mixed up the message of Christianity and created a false gospel, based on a false narrative and a misguided system of hope. It has created a sort of “Hyper-Spiritualized Patriotism” that manifests in something called Christian Nationalism. I would define Christian Nationalism as:
A damaging mixture of moralistic religion and blindly partisan politics blended together, which puts one’s trust, allegiance, and hope into the political process and figureheads instead of solely in God. It champions patriotic zeal ahead of the true Christian message of Jesus Christ and His loving sacrifice. This entangled system of beliefs serves the self, denies others, and applauds power over grace. All the while, masquerading as pure doctrinal Christianity, thus reflecting poorly on the actual message of Jesus, and damaging the witness of the church. This creates division and disunity, and shows a lack of basic Christian care, virtue, and trust.
Now, there is nothing wrong with a Christian involved in politics. The political process in and of itself is not the issue at hand here. Christians interested in politics are not my point of contention. A Christian involved in politics ceases to simply be a “Christian voting” or “a Christian Republican/Democrat” when he or she forgets their true calling and priorities as a Child of God, and begins to compromise their values, beliefs, and teachings in the name of partisan (on both sides) politics and political gains and policies. Most recently this trend has been more closely tied with Republican politics and the candidacy of Donald Trump, although in the past it could have been applied to the Democratic party as well.
Christianity ceases and Christian Nationalism starts when foundational doctrinal beliefs are discarded in favor of the hopes and worldly promises of our country and our tainted political process. When pride and identity are wrapped up in the flag of our country instead of in the promises of our true Savior, there and then we have created some sort of new religion, that is easily mistaken for Christianity, but adds poisonous ingredients that tarnish the true words and teachings of Jesus.
A False Narrative: Perpetuated and Embraced
This system of thinking (Christian Nationalism) find’s its roots in the idea that the Founding Fathers of our nation founded and setup our country to be a “Christian Nation.” It posits this was their intention, and any deviation from this “Christian Ideal” is seen as America straying from its intended purpose. This false narrative is followed and stressed, with the idea being that we need to make America a Christian Nation AGAIN…or as some would now conveniently say: “Make America Great Again.” The problem is the “again” part. America was not founded as a Christian nation. It was founded as a nation of religious freedoms and tolerance of religious activities. John Adams literally said, “The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian Religion.” That’s pretty clear. America was not setup to be a theocracy. Yet many religious folks believe that we somehow have to “Get back to what the founders wanted” and “Embrace our Christian roots.”
It has been proven that many of the Founding Fathers (Including but not limited to: John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and George Washington) were not Christians, but were Deists, believing in Deism rather than Christianity. In short, Deism is the belief that there is a higher power, or “god”. But this belief is grounded in reason and logic, not faith. It is primarily an intellectual belief system, that says that this “god” does not interact with humanity in any way, and instead remains aloof and far off. This is not Christianity.
There are several other facts that debunk the narrative stating that America was founded as a Christian nation, but these go mostly ignored by those who claim the origin of America to be Christian. Was America founded on religious freedoms? Absolutely. Was it founded on morals and values that are often reflected or in agreement with Christian values? I’d say yes. But this does not make America a Christian nation. Again, it is a Democracy (Ok, ok I know…Democratic Republic!), not a theocracy.
A False Hope: Politics and People
This yearning to return to a “Golden Age of Christian America” –expertly tapped into by Trump– has caused large sections of the Christian church in America to put their hope in the false gods and idols of Politics and Politicians. Basic Christian morals take a back seat. The crux of Christianity is the cross; that is where our hope rests. But too often the flag of our country is waved in front of the cross. Christian Nationalism, with its power and standing, is embraced while Christian compassion and care are discarded and thrown off as weak, soft, and inadequate.
Now, I am not saying that as Americans we should not love our country. And if you are reading this and that is what you think I am saying by all this, then maybe you need to step back and look at your priorities, because that type of reactionary and defensive thinking is one of the things that is creating the problems we are seeing in our country and world today.
I do feel blessed to live in the United States of America. God has greatly and richly blessed me, and I was INCREDIBLY fortunate to have been born in the time, place, and situation that I find myself in. I would go so far as to say that I am even privileged. However, as much as I appreciate my country, I do not put my trust in it. As much as I may admire a particular person/politician, I do not put my hope in them.
Politicians, laws, Supreme Court rulings, political parties, political platforms, campaign promises, reforms, and everything else related to people and politics are all just temporary noise and an inconsequential distraction. It’s a time waste. To put our trust and hope in a political figure, movement, or idea, is really just misguided, and is a subtle form of idolatry. I understand the stupid irony of me writing a political post/article and basically saying that politics don’t matter. But really, they don’t.
Jesus did not dwell on the politics of the world He lived in. He dismissed them. He did not come to effect political change and policy. He did not come to “Make Israel Great Again”. He did not seek to establish an earthly kingdom based on systems of politics and human endeavours. People wanted Him to; but He didn’t. He wanted to change hearts, and to effect relational change, not to change laws and affect political change. Jesus shows us that time spent dwelling on politics (while not inherently wrong) is time that would be better spent dwelling on things like Jesus and His message of hope and salvation. It is a question of priorities.
Putting our hope in a President is a false hope. Whether that President is a Democrat or a Republican, a Liberal or a Conservative, Black or White, Male or Female, Christian or Non-Christian, that person should never be the source of our hope. To invest our hopes and dreams in any person will only end in disappointment and regret. They will not deliver us. They will not save us.
Christian Nationalism puts aside moral Christian convictions, and instead replaces them with political party affiliation bent on political gains. Whether these gains are well-intentioned is beside the point. The real damage done by the apparent hypocrisy of abandoning the core values of your faith in order to push through an elected official who many believe will “Bring back Christianity”, far outweighs the possible rewards of any political or legislative action that individual may or may not do.
Anything in our lives, whether it be money, power, material possessions, personal relationships, ANYTHING that we put above God, is misplacing our hope and putting it in something false. The gospel of Christian Nationalism is therefore a false hope, resting on a corrupted, idolatrous worldview that does not further the cause of Christianity.
A False Message: Misguided and Misrepresentative
The ideology of Christian Nationalism is misguided and dangerous. Unfortunately for both Christians and Non-Christians, the ideals and values of Christian Nationalism are too often considered pure Christianity, even though they are a truly tragic misrepresentation. I reject the characterization of this Quasi-Christianity as being representative of the true heart of the Christian message. The message of Christianity is not helped or aided by a misguided amalgamation of politics and religion. When the church and the state are not separated, more often than not, the church is the one that suffers. It suffers in both real and perceived ways.
I believe that all Christians should point to Christ, not to country. Now more than ever, need to stand up to defend Jesus, not our political stances and partisan affiliations. We see so much time, energy and passion being spent debating about “liberal vs. conservative this” and “left vs. right that”, that we forget! We forget! We forget what we are, and who we are!
We are not political tools. We are not a means to an end for a politician! We, as Christians, are the representatives of Jesus Christ on earth! We are the Light of the world! We are called to share the love of Christ with ALL. This message applies equally to all races, all genders, all political affiliations, all income levels. It bridges every gap. It heals every hurt and comforts every pain! How can we forget this? How are we so easily swayed by political gains, and false hopes? It is disturbing and sad! It pains me to see my God, whom I love, portrayed in such a poor and inadequate way!
Christians should be shouting in the streets that THIS false gospel is NOT us! Christianity is not about “Country First”. True Christianity is self-sacrificing. It says, I would rather suffer than to ignore the needs of those around me and around the world. I would rather be persecuted than NOT love my Lord and my neighbor FIRST! It shows that MY needs are secondary. Christianity is NOT: Guns, God, and Glory. It is not some catchphrase to be applied to your life only when it serves your self interests, your political leanings, and your own issues. It is important that we say this! It is important that we present Jesus in all His full majesty to those outside of the church! Why do we feel the need to dirty and tarnish His pure love and message by compromising the heart of Christianity? Why do we feel that we need politics to pursue our true calling?
In order to be as clear as possible, here is a list of things that differentiate the false message of Christian Nationalism from the true and trustworthy teachings of the Bible and Jesus:
- Christian Nationalism says: Country First, Me First
- Jesus says: God and Others first, self last.
- Christian Nationalism says: America is (being made?) Great.
- Jesus says: God is Great.
- Christian Nationalism says: Patriotism above all else.
- The Bible says: Christ above all else.
- Christian Nationalism says: Change the Laws.
- Jesus says: Change the hearts.
- Christian Nationalism says: We Trust in Politicians and Politics to save us (Christians).
- The Bible says: Trust in Jesus Christ alone to save us (all mankind).
- Christian Nationalism says: Christians need to be comfortable; comfort is important.
- Jesus says: People will hate you because of My (Jesus’) name. Never promises comfort.
- Christian Nationalism says: We blame others (immigrants, terrorists, minorities).
- Jesus says: We love and speak up for “others”
- Christian Nationalism says: It’s Us vs. Them – Divide, exclude (left vs. right). Exclusive.
- Jesus says: I died for all. Unite. Embrace. Welcome in. Inclusive.
- Christian Nationalism says: Capitalism and Power are to be praised.
- Jesus says: Compassion and humility are to be praised.
- Christian Nationalism teaches: Fear, anger, greed, and self-pity drive us.
- Jesus teaches: Love, hope, joy, and self-sacrifice drive us.
The message of the perverted gospel of Christian Nationalism is not the message of Jesus. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Its followers claim holiness and justice, but they toss them aside when the opportunity for “advancement” or “progress of cause” presents itself. They claim the moral high ground but dirty themselves in the sewer of situational ethics and moral relativism. In the end, its hope is misguided, in that it rests in human hands; and ultimately, it is misrepresentative of Christianity because it trades eternal significance for temporary, fleeting human constructs.
A False Victory: A Poor Witness and a Damaging Outcome
Many Christian Nationalists consider the outcome of this past election to have been a monumental victory. They have taken the opportunity to puff out their chests and point to the “losers” to demean their pain and sadness. Instead of showing concern and care for those who are honestly fearful of a Trump presidency, they have instead resorted, in many cases, to name calling. They point to those around them, labeled “liberals” and “leftists” and refer to them as “crybabies”, “snowflakes”, and other more crass and harsh words. Emboldened by their political victory, they have further forgotten the call of Christ, to mourn with those who mourn, to comfort those around us, and to seek to be a voice for those who ACTUALLY are marginalized in our society and around the world.
Although it is true Trump won our election, I don’t see this as a victory for the “Christian cause.” In order to support a presidential candidate like Donald Trump, Christians who voted for him had to overlook, condone, and excuse his myriad of wrong, damaging, and sinful behavior. Christian Nationalism embraced situational ethics, and said that the end justified the means in electing Trump. The actions of many Christians (mainly white) showed those outside the church that those claiming Christianity were too willing to shift their moral values. All these moral and ethical compromises were done in the name of furthering the false hopes and false victory of Christian Nationalism. This misguided movement fought for a man who does not represent Christ. Christian Nationalists fought the battle and won the White House, but lost their witness. They won their battle, but lost the hearts of those watching them. This false victory is fleeting and temporary.
It fills me with great sadness to see so many good and upright people subscribing to this tainted system of beliefs. Christianity like this (moralistic/nationalistic/partisan) is lost Christianity. It is Christianity without its center and its core…it is empty and invalid. I hate seeing lost people. I hate seeing false hope. And I hate seeing the damaging witness that this empty form of politically driven religion is presenting to our nation.
To those outside the church and outside of the Christian faith, please know this: The form of Christianity presented in this election season is not valid. It is not true, and it is not acceptable. What happened was wrong. There is no other word for it. It was wrong. The message of Trump had no place being associated with the message of Jesus. Unfortunately, Christians are often times wrong in their actions. We are hypocritical and we are hurtful.
But Jesus never is.
TRUE Christianity is always worth fighting for, and I will always defend it. I won’t defend the actions of many within the church this election, but I will always defend Jesus. He will never fail you, He will never marginalize you, and He will never compromise His love, compassion, and mercy. He is trustworthy and praiseworthy. True, uncompromising victory is found only in Him.
The outcome now of this election will be defined by many things. What type of President will Trump be? What promises will he keep and what promises will he drop? I have no idea. But I do know this: Christians need to reject the false gospel of Christian Nationalism. We cannot subscribe to this way of thinking anymore. We need to refocus on the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Trump’s victory was not a moral victory; it was only a victory for a misguided expression of Christianity.
A True Solution: Embrace Hope in Christ
Christianity can be a beautiful thing when it is focused on the hope we have in Christ Jesus.
Christians are called to stand up for what is good and right, and reject what is wrong and harmful. I am not going to list all the actions and words that Donald Trump has said and done that do not align with Christianity. All the objections of Trump are well documented. Politicized religion chose to ignore many of these highly disqualifying attributes. Instead of rejecting a culture of fear, it embraced it. Instead of rejecting the focuses on self and self-interests, it elevated them. This was truly unfortunate.
We now have the opportunity to change, and to stand up for Christ. We need to embrace those around us and show them that our hope rests in Jesus, not in judicial policies and political propaganda.
I pray for Donald Trump. I hope and pray he is a good president. I didn’t vote for him (or Hillary), but I will recognize him as our president. I know that God can use even him for good, and I know God can heal our country. But the church needs to stop finding its identity in politics and people. We need to trust in God. We need to invest our time and resources in growing relationships with people, not growing political standing and influence. We need to seek to influence the hearts of those around us, not the politics that restrict or govern them. We need Jesus to change us, we don’t need to change laws. We need to look at ourselves hard, and ask what we should be doing for others; not what can others do for us. How can we love God more? How can we love others more?
I pray for those who were hurt. I pray for the immigrants who are unwelcome, and the minorities who are truly marginalized. I pray for the LGBTQ Community who are judged, and for the poor who are forgotten. I know that politics will not solve these hurts, but I believe Jesus can. I pray that I can help comfort those who were hurt, and understand them. I pray that Christianity can present Jesus to them, and not present judgement. I believe prayer is stronger than politics.
Christian Nationalism is a very real thing, but it is not true. It is time for the Christian church in America to reject the fear based tilt of Christian Nationalism, and return to the Word of God, found in the only real Gospel that is shown to us through Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross for all of us.
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