Pete Hegseth wears his Christian pride on his sleeve — literally. The Minnesota National Guard veteran, TV host and now nominee for U.S. secretary of defense has a slew of religiously inspired tattoos that have drawn attention as Hegseth's public vetting for a senior position in President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet has begun.
Read MoreRepublican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance’s appearance at a far-right Christian revival tour last month may have broken tax and election laws, experts say. On Sept. 28, Vance held an official campaign event in Monroeville, Penn., in partnership with the Courage Tour, a series of swing-state rallies hosted by a pro-Trump Christian influencer that combine prayer and public speakers.
Read MoreSpearheading one of a growing number of attempts among evangelicals to empower clergy and laypeople to reframe the political divide, the creators of “The After Party” hope to foster conversations that will not only promote healing but enable those engaged to participate in public life in ways that are constructive, rather than chronically divisive.
Read MoreThroughout the United States, Christian nationalism has left in its wake broken communities and churches. Both those who subscribe to it and those who disagree are often left hurt and embarrassed. As the movement grew within his own church, Pastor Caleb Campbell set out to understand Christian nationalism’s appeal and how to help Christians minister to their friends and family committed to it.
Read MoreWith election day just three months away, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk pulled no punches in his keynote speech to pastors gathered for a recent political training conference in a Dallas suburb. His message: Pastors need to vote for former President Donald Trump, become activists and mobilize their congregations to do likewise.
Read More(OPINION) Since 2016, in private conversations and in responses from newspaper readers, the question I’ve probably been asked more consistently than any other is: “How do you account for White evangelicals’ devotion to Donald Trump?” So I’ve taken stabs at answering that question. But more often than not I’ve ended up shrugging and saying, “I don’t know. I don’t get it, either.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Thoughtful Christians do need to speak up. During the late 20th century Marxist-Christian syncretism was a major problem, but Christian nationalism has much more influence within the evangelical world now and is, right now, the greater danger. In “Untangling Critical Race Theory,” Ed Uszynski writes, “Too often Christian commentary denounces CRT while making light of the real problems it seeks to address.”
Read More(REVIEW) The new series “3 Body Problem” is a secular show that wrestles with how the failures of the secular project have threatened the modern world and wrestles compellingly with nonreligious answers on how to solve them. Hollywood has recently begun to spotlight the evils of overtly atheist regimes. This year, “3 Body Problem” takes on Maoist China.
Read MoreHall’s new book — “Who’s Afraid of Christian Nationalism” — shines a light on the debate around Christian nationalism following the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, which is often characterized by unfounded claims, lots of name-calling and plenty of fear-mongering. Here’s our interview with Hall on the origin of the term and what it all really means.
Read MoreNeighborly Faith studied academic publications addressing this issue and created a detailed, 14-point compromise definition stating, in part: “Christian Nationalism is a movement advancing a vision of America's past, present, and future that excludes people of non-Christian religions and non-Western cultures. Christian Nationalists romanticize Christianity's influence on America's development, attributing the nation's historical provenance to God's special favor.”
Read MoreIn a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel agreed with 2nd Judicial District Judge Marie Avery Moses in rejecting a motion to dismiss the suit, but struck down a key item. The suit was filed by former Dominion Voting Systems executive Eric Coomer after businessman and podcaster Joe Oltmann went to conservative media, including Metaxas’ show, purporting to have evidence that Coomer conspired with Antifa to rig the 2020 election.
Read More(OPINION) When the National Council of Churches, an ecumenical group known for a more progressive approach to social policy, completed its Revised Standard Version of the Bible in 1952, it celebrated the text with a ceremony at the White House. NCC leaders gifted President Harry Truman the first printed copy, looking to gain publicity and credibility from the president.
Read More“We must fight Christian nationalism. It’s what fueled Jan. 6 and the pews in our churches, every Sunday, are filled with them.” That isn’t the only time I’ve heard that ominous warning offered up by an earnest, well-weaning pastor, non-profit leader or Christian influencer. It’s shaped by a narrative repeated often by the press, echoed in a seemingly unlimited new genre of books and accepted as gospel even by many people of faith.
Read More(OPINION) What did the Founding Fathers really believe about the role of religion in America? When Franklin, Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison appeared, they were trying to figure out what they believed personally about God even as they debated religion’s role in a fledgling nation. These guys didn’t fit into our 21st century boxes.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights five takeaways when attempting to define and measure Christian nationalism. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) Some forms of Christian nationalism pose no imminent threat to American democracy. But there is a new breed of chauvinistic, theologically bull-headed Christian nationalists who might be better called “Christian supremacists.” These hard-liners believe that Christianity deserves a privileged space in American society.
Read More(OPINION) We must learn the painful lessons from the last eight years, during which time many of us became better known as supporters of Trump, if not apologists for Trump, than as followers of Jesus. In doing so, we deeply damaged our witness and drove many Americans, especially young Americans, away from Jesus.
Read More(REVIEW) How big a threat is “Christian nationalism?” Fear of Donald Trump increased the revenues of big media companies in 2016, and fear of “Christian nationalism” in 2024 is helping the sale of books screaming about it.
Read MoreTrying to recover from under an avalanche of legal bills, former President Donald Trump said that he’s selling Bibles as he embarks on another White House run. “Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless the USA Bible,” he said in a video posted to Truth Social.
Read More(OPINION) With the ever increasing warnings about the alleged danger of “Christian nationalism,” however ambiguous that term might be, it is only fair to ask: Is America a Christian nation? And, just as importantly: Has America ever been a Christian nation? And how does this relate to Christian nationalism?
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