Real Christians–those committed to following the Jesus portrayed by the New Testament–are fighting back against “Christian” Nationalism, which bears very little resemblance to the guy portrayed by the New Testament. Their resistance isn’t getting the same amount of media attention as the warriors for theocracy, but it is encouraging to see religious folks who are actually trying to follow the precepts of their faith.
I was heartened by two recent articles from the Religion News Service .
First is a lengthy description of efforts to counter the White Christian Nationalist roots of Project 2025. The article cited the hidden-camera video of the Project’s Russell Vought, that revealed the Project’s goal in Vought’s own words: to “get us off multiculturalism” and promote “Christian nation-ism.” …
It is difficult to measure how many individuals are involved in these resistance efforts, A recent survey by PRRI finds that 30% of Americans wholly reject the ideas associated with Christian nationalism, and another 37% is skeptical. With new campaigns to resist Christian nationalism continually emerging, it is clear many of those concerned individuals have joined organized efforts to fight back.
Those involved range from concerned citizens to scholars and journalists to people who lead organizations and campaigns that are devoting significant resources to resisting Christian nationalism. Some speak and write publicly about what they learn in order to inform others. Some work more quietly to confront extremism and hate within their community or family. Some people join reading groups at their church. Others attend seminars and gatherings hosted by local faith-based community organizing networks like Gamaliel or view webinars through organizations like Vote Common Good, Christians Against Christian Nationalism or the After Party.
The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Freedom leads the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign, and has published an MSNBC op-ed laying out what it called Project 2025’s “underscrutinized theocratic elements.” Not long after the publication of that op-ed, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism reported on Project 2025, including a section on the role played by Christian Nationalism in its policy proposals. Doug Pagitt of Vote Common Good has called Project 2025 a “blueprint for Christian Nationalism” and beseeched, “I am urging you to take this as seriously as I do.” At “Salon,” the Rev. Liz Theoharis wrote that “the wholesale capture of the state is the ultimate goal of [Project 2025’s] Christian nationalist architects.”
There is much more in the linked article, and its worth reading in its entirety.
The other article I found encouraging dealt with a political effort being mounted by genuine Christians–including Evangelicals. Titled “Christians, Evangelicals rally for Kamala Harris ahead of DNC,” the subhead quoted Billy Graham’s granddaughter: ‘Voting Kamala … (is) a vote against another four years of faith leaders justifying the actions of a man who destroys the message Jesus came to spread.”
A diverse group of Christians is throwing support behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ White House bid, organizing fundraisers and Zoom calls in hopes of helping catapult the Democrat to victory in November — and, they say, reclaiming their faith from Republicans in the process.
Their efforts come on the heels of similar campaigns aimed at specific constituency groups, such as the recent “White Dudes for Harris” Zoom call that featured celebrities and grabbed headlines. John Pavlovitz, a liberal-leaning Christian author and activist, was on that call when he hatched the idea for a Christian-centric version and texted his friend Malynda Hale, a singer, actress and fellow activist.
“We had a conversation about how, specifically on the Democratic side of the political spectrum, you don’t hear a lot of people talking about their faith,” Hale told Religion News Service in an interview. “We wanted people to know that there are progressive Christians, there are Christians on the Democratic, left-leaning side, so that they didn’t feel alone.”
Unsurprisingly, the Trump campaign accused the Evangelicals who participated in the call of “apostasy and heresy,” calling them out on social media as “Heretics for Harris.” Franklin Graham accused the group of deliberate “misinformation.”
But call participants like evangelical activist Shane Claiborne appeared unmoved by the criticism, as was Jerushah Duford, a counselor who is also Billy Graham’s granddaughter and Franklin Graham’s niece.
“Voting Kamala, for me, is so much greater than policies,” Duford said. “It’s a vote against another four years of faith leaders justifying the actions of a man who destroys the message Jesus came to spread, and that is why I get involved in politics.”
It’s comforting to see that the effort to co-opt an entire religion for political purposes is receiving pushback from the people who take that religion seriously.
In grade school, kids go back and forth with arguments like “My Pop can beat up your Pop”. Then as adults it becomes “My religion is better than yours”. Silly kid stuff becomes wacky adult arguments. Lets get busy and elect the sane people.
Sorting through the resistance emerging within Christian networks is worth listening and researching despite headlines prompted during this election year. Americans United for Separation of Church and State is one of some groups. https://www.au.org/the-latest/articles/franklin-graham-gets-schooled-by-a-fellow-evangelical/ Thank you Sheila for introducing another among many compelling posts.
It is nice to see som e of Billy Graham’s descendants coming out on the side of decency. Graham, himself, was there for Nixon and Reagan, not especially good stances.
“On the Democratic side of the political spectrum, you don’t hear a lot of people talking about their faith.” No, because these folks, myself included, do not identify as rabid. I’ll guess that these folks can live decent lives without having to be constantly reminded by FAITH radio, and the like, what their religion, or absence of same, demands of them on a daily basis.
In the interview with Russell Vought, he also admitted that Trump planned to distance himself from Project 2025 once it became public. When not bright, how do these people get millions of dollars to run non-profits?
Earlier this year, Jews against Zionism also made a stand against the genocide being committed against the Palestinians in Gaza. However, the media was mostly quiet about it as it was happening. I wonder if they’ll do the same if “liberal Christians” hold Zionists accountable for mass murder.
If anybody spent a few hours researching Jesus, you’d know he wasn’t blonde-haired and blue-eyed. That is a description of an Aryan. He was a Jew born in the Middle East. He never adopted any views that resembled what Christian Evangelists claim. Jesus was definitely a liberal during his short time on Earth and died because of it.
What is it about liberal views that get real leaders killed throughout history? Maybe John Sorg could answer that one.
The silent majority needs to wake up from their slumber and start holding these idiots accountable for their idiotic views. They must be put back under the rocks from which they crawled. Keeping quiet and waiting until Election Day isn’t going to work – it failed in Germany, and silence will allow it to happen in the US.
Nice to see people understanding the the real Jesus message.
I believe that as a human, it is impossible to even be human without faith. However, as a cultural anthropology student (one of many interests as I am nothing if not insatiably curious, much like a cat, but curious about knowledge, not empty boxes), I find all religions interesting because believers are so earnest about their own. Why aren’t more people as earnest about other human history? I just don’t know.
Christian Nationalism, to me, as someone interested in it as a culture but not a religion, is a rebrand of an earlier version of Christianity labeled variously, but based on the assumption that believing leads to having, and having is the reward for believing.
Like much of religion, it is based on ego. I deserve plenty because I believe (assume) certain things and associate with like-minded believers. People who are not like us are not as good or worthwhile as we are.
If most believers of a religion based on abundant earthly rewards are Republican, well then, I must be too, and that must be part of what we believe and why we have plenty.
Culture is fascinating stuff.
I seem to recall that the New Testament says that “Ye shall know them by their Acts”
The so called Christian Nationalists “by their Acts” clearly proclaim their lack of “Christianity.” Thom Hartmann commented this week about the cruelty of the MAGA Republicans, and gave numerous examples of the Un-Christian behavior of the party.
religious factions fighting.now we have to fight to reinstall a god that missed the train to trumps con game heaven.. somewhere this in sect fighting was a news rip after the Iraq invasion. zions,orthodox,roman,etc. the ones I detest is the televagilists of the baker/swaggart etc state. all photo oped at the white house anointing
the king as he sits and laughs his ass off while they touch him.. con guy gone
religious. they came to make sure their tax cuts and the johnson ammendment
would crash.con games in the name of god. I keep that white house photo op in my stash in case i ingest some poison by accident,(or eat at another truck stop). the CDC could use it as poison prevention..
I’ve been calling for this for a while. I guess it’s better late than never. There have been a few individuals who have been critical of the of the CNs, but they have been lone wolves crying in the wilderness. Now we might just have a movement.
As a member of what some term the “silent majority”, I am getting pretty tired of others telling me what they think I should be doing. Why is it we are called “silent”? Perhaps because others are speaking louder while we are working “silently” behind the external noisy crowd of loud opinionated voices. And it seems we are not often included in polls; often we are busy and not answering our phones.
Not all of our citizens are Christians! Many have diverse faith beliefs and traditions, after all we still do have some semblance of The Constitutional allowance of Freedom of Religion, or No Organized Religion.
I would offer that you may want to look to your own house before throwing stones at ours. Sometimes it pays to just take a step back, become silent (and mindful), and just watch and listen.
I love that there is a Baptist anti- Christian Nationalist Movement which has become active in Our Shared Energized Confrontation for Continued Democracy and Freedoms in the “United States” of America.
Bless you all.
Barb. I found your comments a little confusing. Maybe because I have a poor understanding of the term silent majority. What house do you think is throwing stones at yours? Does the fact that you post here mean you are no longer part of the silent ones? No stone throwing, just sincerely curious.
Good to hear that progressive Christians are organizing and pushing back on the Christian nationalist movement. The all-encompassing authoritarian nature of Christian nationalism belies the basic tenets of Christianity of loving one’s neighbor. When prosperity and power are the groups goals/aims, and they justify their ways by disrespecting others and lying to achieve them, it’s obvious that Christianity isn’t their value.
I read that recently the Pope excommunicated a bishop in US that would not back down from espousing and supporting Christian nationalism.
The worst are the officials in high office (speaker of the house) etc. Sacerdotal government office holders hold anti American/democratic stances and are offensive to a lot more Americans than they realize.
Years ago there were bracelets that were very popular that said, ” W.W.J.D.” For those who don’t remember, those initials stood for “What Would Jesus Do”, encouraging people to act as Jesus would.
I’m not Christian and don’t believe Jesus was a god, but rather a very charismatic, wise man who was a great teacher. However, I thought the bracelets were still a good idea if they reminded people to base their actions on the teachings of Jesus.
Perhaps in 2024, a new bracelet should be made: “H.W.J.V.”–How Would Jesus Vote.
Sam, I remember seeing a young man in a t-shirt that asked WWJB for Who Would Jesus Bomb? I didn’t get a chance ask him about it, but it struck me as significant. Now I wonder if it might have been the beginning of the CN movement.
I would like to see a full list of *everybody* connected to Project 2025 made public in the media, early and often, so we know exactly who they are and can shun them appropriately and keep them out of public life. Let’s make it as horrible a thing to have been connected with as eugenics and genocide. I don’t think this is petty at all.
Even in Texas:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/06/16/james-talarico-texas-democrats-00101231