Christian Nationalism & The Cost of Political Faith

Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We Could Go

"No man can serve two masters..." – Matthew 6:24

The way Jesus explained it:
Jesus never ran for office. He healed, taught, and turned over tables in the temple—but He never campaigned. When pressed about politics, He drew a line: “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:17). He made clear that his kingdom was not of this world—so why are so many trying to build a throne for Him in Washington?

As of this writing, Donald J. Trump has once again emerged as a central figure in both American politics and American religion. Supporters frame him as chosen by God; critics call him a threat to democracy. But somewhere between these extremes lies a more uncomfortable truth: the nation he inherited—and now seeks again to command—was in desperate need of reform.

Cleaning house:
Trump's attacks on bureaucracy, bloated spending, and foreign over-dependence weren’t entirely wrong. America has long struggled with inefficiency, global manipulation, and leadership more focused on performative unity than real progress. In that sense, his shakeups brought to light deep dysfunctions that career politicians often swept under the rug.

But when those reforms come dressed in nationalist rhetoric and Christian symbolism, the nation begins walking a dangerous line—one where patriotism becomes idolatry and faith becomes a political tool.

What we're led to believe:
Conservatives insist they are restoring God to His rightful place in American life. Liberals argue they’re protecting democracy from religious extremism. The truth? Jesus never asked to be placed on any flag, and the Founding Fathers—many of whom were deists, not evangelicals—deliberately built a Constitution that separates religion from state power.

Political Christianity isn’t new. But the blend we see today—especially among White Christian Nationalists—is built on a revisionist fantasy of America as a covenant nation. It is this mythology that drives culture wars, emboldens racism, and weaponizes morality to control public policy.

Rewriting the past:
In the Jim Crow South, churchgoers enforced segregation in Jesus’ name. During the Civil Rights Movement, many of those arrested were pastors. Religious identity was often used to elevate white men and suppress everyone else. Today, Christian Nationalism rebrands that legacy by scrubbing the “white” out of the rhetoric, but the power dynamics remain eerily familiar.

Parenting and vulnerability:
Teaching children to blindly follow religious leaders—especially ones they've never met—is a betrayal of trust, not a virtue. Religious upbringing should remain a family decision, not a political mandate. When we encourage children to see strangers with megaphones as “holy,” we invite manipulation and danger.

The utopian vision:
How Conservative / Evangelicals envision it:

A God-first America. Churches influencing law. Religious texts guiding classrooms and courtrooms. Sins legislated. Dissenters labeled immoral. But this vision erodes democracy—and turns faith into force.

How Liberal Progressives envision it:
A secular utopia. No prayer in school. No tax exemptions for churches. Every identity celebrated, every tradition interrogated. Faith becomes personal and private. But this, too, creates blind spots—where deeply held beliefs are seen only as obstacles instead of cultural threads that bind communities together.

The ideal vision:
A nation that welcomes belief but isn’t governed by it. Where personal faith inspires action—not legislation. Where people worship freely—but not at the expense of others’ freedom. A republic, not a theocracy. A spiritual people, not a religious regime.

A parable for our time:
Two birds—one dove, one eagle—argued over the sky. The dove claimed peace; the eagle demanded power. They flew so high in their rage that both collapsed in exhaustion. Below, a sparrow gathered twigs, built a nest, and waited for the rain. When it came, both birds landed in that humble shelter—wet, wiser, and willing to share.