📘 Lexicon Entry: Christian Nationalism

Short Definition
A contemporary political movement that seeks to merge American national identity with Christian religious identity, asserting that America was founded as a Christian nation and should be governed by Christian principles
Definition
Christian Nationalism represents a contemporary movement that fuses American national identity with particular expressions of Christian faith, asserting that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and should return to explicitly Christian governance and cultural dominance. This movement goes beyond individual Christian participation in public life to advocate for institutional Christian supremacy, often through appeals to a mythologized understanding of American founding and history. Christian Nationalism provides the organizational and ideological framework for much of MAGA Christianism and Dominative Christianism, offering a political program for implementing theological mutations in public policy. Unlike authentic Christian engagement with public life that maintains critical distance from state power, Christian Nationalism seeks to capture and wield government authority for explicitly religious purposes, often justifying this agenda through Providential Identitarianism that claims divine election for American Christians.
Category
Contemporary Movement
Keywords
nationalism, Christian identity, political theology, religious freedom, church-state relations, culture wars, political movement, American exceptionalism
Citation Guide
Geevarghese-Uffman, Craig. “Christian Nationalism.” *Political Theology Lexicon*. https://www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon. Accessed [date].
Key Characteristics
Fusion of American national identity with Christian religious identity
Advocacy for institutional Christian dominance in government and culture
Mythologized understanding of American founding as explicitly Christian
Opposition to religious pluralism and secular governance
Use of political power to enforce particular Christian cultural values
Leading Figures
Rich Lowry
Adrian Vermeule
Patrick Deneen
Sohrab Ahmari
Gladden Pappin
Edmund Waldstein
Paula White
Stephen Wolfe
Doug Wilson
Andrew Torba
Dutch Sheets
Mike Johnson
Organizational Structure
Decentralized network of churches, political organizations, and media platforms
Congressional Prayer Caucus and similar legislative groups
Christian nationalist media ecosystem including podcasts and online platforms
Local school board and municipal political campaigns
Megachurch pastors and evangelical political organizations
Theological Foundations
Dominion theology emphasizing Christian responsibility to govern society
Selective interpretation of Romans 13 regarding governmental authority
Covenant theology applied to American national identity
Apocalyptic frameworks casting cultural change as spiritual warfare
Historical Development
Roots in colonial Puritan theocracy and manifest destiny ideology
Modern emergence through 1970s-80s Religious Right mobilization
Accelerated through culture war politics and white evangelical political engagement
Radicalized through Trump presidency and January 6th Capitol assault
Political Alignment
Strong alignment with Republican Party and conservative political agenda
Opposition to Democratic Party characterized as opposition to Christianity
Support for authoritarian political tactics justified through religious language
International connections with other nationalist and populist movements
Cultural Footprint
Significant presence in white evangelical churches and organizations
Influence in homeschooling networks and Christian education institutions
Strong representation in rural and suburban conservative communities
Growing presence in military and law enforcement communities
Media Presence
Prominent voices on conservative talk radio and podcasting
Social media platforms and alternative technology ecosystem
Christian broadcasting networks and evangelical media organizations
Integration with broader conservative and right-wing media apparatus
Current Trajectory
Increasing radicalization and explicit authoritarianism
Growing influence within Republican Party and conservative institutions
International networking with global nationalist and populist movements
Potential for violence and democratic subversion
Academic Research
Sociological studies of white evangelical political mobilization
Research on nationalism and religion in American political culture
Analysis of authoritarian movements and democratic backsliding
Key Authors
Path Navigation
Contemporary Movements: Identity Synthesis, Platform Capitalism
Theological Alternatives: Prophetic Patriotism, Counter-Imperial
Historical Context: Civil Religion, Covenant Theology
Last Updated
May 22, 2025
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*This entry is part of the Political Theology Lexicon, accessible exclusively to subscribers. View the complete lexicon to explore related concepts and the full theoretical framework.*
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