White Christian Nationalism: How did we get here? What can we do about it

Pastor Jonathan D. Riedel will lead a discussion on the origins and goals of Christian Nationalism on Saturday, October 24 at Newaygo Congregational United Church of Christ, 432 Quarterline St, Newaygo, 4937. The doors open at 10am for refreshments and networking, with the program from 10:30 – 11:30am. This is part 2 of Pastor Jon’s research and discussion. All religious faiths and the public at large are welcome. The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty state that Christian Nationalism “is a political ideology that is inherently incompatible with religious freedom because it seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and America’s constitutional democracy. Christian nationalism is not simply about belief. It is a political project. And that distinction matters.” (https://bjconline.org/christiannationalism/). According to Copilot Search, White Christian nationalism is a specific ideology that combines Christian beliefs with a sense of racial identity, asserting that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and should remain so, often at the expense of non-white and non-Christian populations. “Many Christian Churches in America have been struggling with an often silent but powerful force that has affected how they govern themselves and how they interact with the world around them,” states Pastor Jon. “Many churches have been complicit in spreading white Christian nationalism out of fear and out of the hope of sparking a sort of spiritual revival. This reinforces the impact that this pernicious philosophy has had on our politics.” National and regional faith based organizations are taking collaborative efforts to assess the effects of Christian Nationalism on their own congregations, and on the politics of our country. One such local group is Michigan Christians Against Christian Nationalism, who state “We believe that Christian Nationalism threatens our faith and country. We are an independent local group