Stories for Humans

For a long time I didn’t pay any attention to the conversation around Christian Nationalism. The idea that a country could or should be governed by those who believe in Christ, to the extent that Christian values and ideals were written into the laws of the land, seemed far-fetched. Unlikely. Even, fanatical.

Lately, it has become obvious that too many Christians are blind to the encroaching, seductive ideology of Christian Nationalism. It could be because they haven’t heard the term explained, or been misled that it simply means influencing culture, or perhaps they have been swept into it themselves, unaware.

An unfortunate side effect of the recent American election is it has emboldened Christian nationalists. Some of the more militant varieties are sliding out from the mists and mocking women with, “You have no rights now”, or being openly racist, insulting fellow believers and doing it all in the name of God. No, dear brother or sister, you don’t have a free pass to deride and mock others because Elijah did it to the prophets of Baal. Not every Christian Nationalist is behaving like Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, but it does seem like more of a feature than a bug. Real strength is in humility, kindness, patience, restraint – not name calling, posturing, or outright bullying others.

“Christ is King” should be a phrase that believers can agree is faithful and biblical. Sadly, it has been co-opted by Christian Nationalism as a declaration of who they are, rather than pointing to Jesus the Saviour. After seeing a post on social media that makes fun of someone or is openly racist or misogynist, I check their bio and often, there it is; “Christ is King” or a similar phrase. From the pulpit, pastors declare it as a subtle or even bold dog whistle, alerting other Christian nationalists that they are in friendly territory.

I do believe that Jesus Christ is “he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords”, as written in 1 Timothy 6:15. However, not in the way Christian Nationalists proclaim – as a way to sanctify political leanings under the guise of spiritual authority. We cannot pick and choose verses to support our own platforms and opinions, but rather must look at the whole of Scripture, particularly through the lens of the gospel.

Starting with this verse in 1 Timothy 6, let’s back it up a bit and see if the tenets of Christian Nationalism resonate with how the passage develops:

3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,

Christian nationalism is another gospel. A different doctrine. It exalts the political sphere and pastes a paper Jesus on the crown. It is not the way of Christ, who met with the lowly and refused to take power from the Romans by force, even though he was being pushed to do so by the professing believers of his day.

4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.

The pride and arrogance of those who espouse Christian nationalism – William Wolfe, Doug Wilson, Joel Webbon, Dusty Deavers, Mark Driscoll, Sean Feucht et al – is obvious upon listening to them speak. They aren’t trying to hide it, because they believe it is their right and privilege as Christian ambassadors.

He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

This “craving for controversy” is everywhere in the writing and speaking of Christian nationalism. For example, Joel Webbon, who is a contributing author to “The Statement on Christian Nationalism and the Gospel”, recently said, “I think the 19th amendment should be repealed. I think that first and foremost because I’m a Christian. That IS the Christian position.” Repealing the 19th means taking the right to vote away from half the population. He appears to desire power and control, especially over women, and somehow thinks Jesus would condone this behavior. Mark Driscoll has made a living out of craving quarrels and using godliness as a means of gain. Just go to his website and donate at least $10 monthly, and he’ll tell you all about it. He has gone from being exposed as an abuser and charlatan, to popping up somewhere else with another church, another theology, another grift. His messages and YouTube channel have a growing influence, especially among the newly saved.

In some fashionable online circles, proponents of this movement seek controversy for clicks and attention by spouting antisemitic rhetoric, racist ideas, or military language calling for crushing defeat of enemies, real or imagined. They discuss how Hitler had “a lot of great qualities”. They hide behind their “strongmen”, using fake names and red-eyed crusader helmet avatars while saying the absolute worst filth to anyone who questions them, and they do it in the name of Christ.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

The passage then goes into the oft-quoted verse, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil”. The theme of corrupting truth which results in a desire for riches on the backs of people looking for help and hope has been played out again and again in the mega churches of North America, and many of the leaders of these places have fallen hard due to immorality or use of church funds for dishonest gain. So what do we do? Who do we listen to? Is there no hope for someone trying to be a faithful follower of Christ?

 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display at the proper time —he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. (italics mine)

Notice it doesn’t say, “Pursue manliness, cultural relevance, domination, and work to overthrow the government” as the signs of godliness. Yes we are to fight the good fight, but not by overpowering others and forcing our beliefs on them. The Christian nationalist movement is intertwined with a resurgence of “muscular Christianity”, which was popular in the mid-1800’s, and has recently become a focus of North American churches looking to empower and equip men to lead their families, take responsibility, and oppose feminism. While the attraction of this focus is undeniable and in some respects sorely needed for men, it has been twisted to become not only a means to the good end of Christ-likeness, but an end in itself. The idolatry of worshipping ourselves in “our best form” becomes a delicious kind of poison, but deadly nonetheless.

And so we come full circle in the passage to where we began, with the phrase “King of kings and Lord of lords”. As a culmination of Paul’s careful instructions and warnings, Timothy is exhorted to “keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach” until Jesus returns “at the proper time”. Jesus is the one who sets it right, who reigns, and He is the one who decides the time and place that is done – not us. Not Christian Nationalists, who look for a Christian Prince to reign in His stead, and espouse that in the meantime, Christians are to take their rightful place as rulers over the nation.

Would Jesus want anything to do with this movement? Let’s take a look at what He says and does. In Matthew 4, the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness, where He is tempted by the Devil. Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Matt 4:9

But Jesus knew this was not the Father’s plan.

The multitudes of John 6 followed Jesus after His miracles. They wanted to make Him king, but not because they saw their need for a Savior. They are responding to the prospect of overturning Roman occupation, hoping for political relief, comfort, food. Their desire was not for Jesus, but to return their land and cities to the ways they knew, the way that served them best. This is a common human cry. Jesus understood it, but He did not give in to it. Not here, not in the garden of Gethsemane, not when questioned by Pilate. “My kingdom is not of this world”, he replied.

“So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.” John 6:15

All through the Gospels we see that the message of Christ is an upside-down kingdom. He sends the rich and powerful away, but fills the hungry with good things. His parables and stories exalt the humble, heal the leper, and help the Samaritan. Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a war horse. Yes, one day He is coming as king, but today is not that day, and He is not using Christian America as a stand-in until He gets around to coming back. That’s not how any of this works.

I grew up saluting the Christian flag and the Canadian flag in school, a carryover to Canada from the American Rushdoony-inspired, Christian Reconstructionism movement and curriculum. My schooling experience was also heavily influenced by Gothard-style teaching, though I was unaware of it at the time. The passion for country and nation is easily transferred to passion for faith; the lines become blurred when both are held tightly together and displayed at the front of the room, or when songs of devotion to nation are in the same hymn book as songs of devotion to Christ.

I was primed to be a Christian Nationalist. The reason I’ve escaped being captured by the fervor of this movement, besides the grace of God, is through study, thought, and reading far and wide, gradually recognizing the unhealthy echo-chamber I had allowed to be constructed around my mind. Truth has a way of seeping in through the cracks. Once I had seen clearly by the light of day, I was free from this frankly unbiblical way of viewing the world. A narrow view of “us vs them”, where everyone who doesn’t look and sound like us and have what we have is “other” (think Ace and Christy in the ACE curriculum, if you know you know), and must be either assimilated, subjugated or eliminated.

That’s a lot to unpack. It has been a lot to unpack, over the course of a lifetime.

The seduction of Christian Nationalism is that it sounds right, on the surface. Of course, Jesus is King over all. Yes, He has called believers to be salt and light in the world. But no, He has not called us to subjugate the nations under the banner of Christianity, starting with the USA (or Canada, as the case may be). May the Holy Spirit give us discernment to know when we are being handed a false gospel, even if it’s wrapped in all our favourite things.