The Rise of Christian Nationalism in America
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Edited by Tanmayi Patil, Aliza Susatijo, Owen Andrews, and Sarah Ahmad
What do January 6th and the assassination of Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman in the summer of 2025 have in common with one another? They are two prime examples of the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States. Christian nationalism, a political ideology that has risen in popularity in recent years, puts American religious freedom, pluralism, and democratic governance at risk. This movement seeks to combine Christian philosophy with American politics. An ideology mainly supported by white evangelical men, it promotes the idea that the United States was founded on Christian values and is therefore a Christian state.
The ideology promotes the Christian faith as the guiding force for U.S. laws. Christian nationalists believe that to be considered an American, one must be a practicing Christian and integrate Christian values into public schools, institutions, and government policies. This is not just personal religious expression; this puts Christianity on a pedestal and uses it as the basis of law.
A founding principle of the U.S. Constitution is the separation of church and state, emphasized in the First Amendment, which prohibits Congress from establishing a religion and guarantees the freedom of religion. These are two values Christian nationalism seeks to disassemble. Its vision of a one-religion government contradicts the religious neutrality the United States practices and leads to discrimination against people who don’t conform or follow the Christian faith. There have already been Christian nationalistic policies in the U.S. Book bans, LGBTQ+ rights, bibles in the classroom, reproductive health restrictions, and marginalizing non-Christian holidays in public schools are some of the many policies that derive from Christian nationalism. It is not just suppressing others' practices and beliefs but reinforcing Christian ideals. Requiring Christian prayers, symbols of Christianity in courtrooms, and justifying policies based on faith discriminate against other religions. Non-Christians are forced to adopt Christian practices and acts of imposition outside of places of worship. It sends a message that Christianity is the religion of the American people and opposing views are not welcomed. Legislative policies that support this movement not only violate individual rights but also support a hateful and exclusionary ideology that dismantles America’s pluralism.
America is built on diversity. Citizens and non-citizens have different backgrounds, ethnicities, and beliefs. Christian nationalism cultivates a culture of hate towards individuals that do not share the same identity. The ideology wants to confine people in a mold that works in the frameworks of Christianity and, in numerous cases, aligns with white nationalist ideology. Discriminatory ideals like xenophobia, racism, and homophobia are manifested through this narrow thought process, which divides the nation and puts everyone but the white Christian man in harm's way. Christian Nationalism is known for tolerating violence against minority groups — for instance the 2018 synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh and the 2015 Charleston church massacre. These acts of violence not only discriminate but attempt to stop democracy. Raiding the Capitol and assassinating a political leader to stop opposing views is a threat to democracy. These racially and religiously motivated acts of violence demonstrate how faith can be twisted to justify hate.
Christian nationalism undermines democracy. As seen in the 2020 election, religious language and propaganda were used to reason that the election was fraudulent. These are examples of political violence that was fueled by Christian nationalism. Justifying their terroristic actions by faith exhibits how harmful this movement is. Violently obstructing a democratic process, especially with no factual or solid evidence, is an act of terrorism. It’s un-American to hinder the votes of others due to a disagreement. Everyone has the right to express themselves and their own values. People are allowed to hold their own religious beliefs. It becomes problematic, however, when religious groups attempt to assimilate people, control politics based on religious values, and project unwanted values. The United States was founded on the principle of freedom and equal rights for everyone and the separation of church and state. Christian nationalism distorts American principles by teaching that there is a preferred citizen and the only way to govern is in God’s name. Democracy is based on negotiations, debates, and voicing different values. Christian nationalism has tried to disrupt this constitutional principle and therefore threatens democracy.
Constitutional values are being broken by this movement because it infringes on freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and democracy while also enacting violence against minority groups. Violating someone’s rights is the opposite of American patriotism. Patriotism is being passionate about a nation and all the people that identify with it. The hateful rhetoric Christian nationalism instills does not belong in the United States. An ideology that imposes a religion on a nation threatens that nation’s democracy. Therefore, Christian nationalism attempts to have Christian doctrine in our legal system threatens these nations and needs to be condemned.