WHAT SHOULD CHRISTIANS DO?

Our culture is becoming more hostile to Christianity. We are living in what is very much a “post-Christian” world. In times past, Christianity was seen as either a social good or at least tolerated; today, traditional Christian beliefs about sexuality and gender (which have been held for 2,000 years) are now viewed as dangerous.  Progressive elites and the political left see this as an opportunity to legislate against Christian beliefs and norms. I am concerned, however, that many politicians on the right inflame these issues for their own personal gain instead of addressing them with civil dialogue and persuasion. Social media makes having a reasoned and civil discussion even more difficult. How should Christians respond? I do believe we are living in a critical time, and Christians should respond in a Christ-honoring and biblical manner. I would like to explore how we should respond in the next three blogs. These issues can’t be explored fully in a blog, so I offer only an outline of thoughts to consider. I would encourage you to think about these issues. Christians need to be both full of compassion and think critically, or as Jesus said,to be “as wise as serpents but as innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16). We need to have both the mind and the humble attitude of Christ (1 Cor. 2:15, 15; Phil. 2:5-10).

HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS RESPOND?

How should Christians respond? I think there are three possible ways:

• The first response is to withdraw from society, to stay in a “bubble” as our culture degenerates. This is not an appropriate Christian response. Jesus called us to be “in the world, but not of the world,” to be salt and light to preserve the world. Christians have a responsibility to God to be engaged with our culture. This should include some form of political involvement because God cares for this world and for every human in our society, and so we should work to promote the good of all. Politics is one way to do this. As Christian political philosopher Glenn Tinder wrote, “The notion that we can be related to God and not to the world—that we can practice a spirituality that is not political—is in conflict with the Christian understanding of God.”[1]

• The second response is to see politics as either the primary means to effect change or at least the most important one right now. This blog will critique one form of this second response, which has come to be known as “Christian nationalism.”

• The third response is what might be called a “missionary” response. As Tim Keller writes, “Christians must learn to do something new—to engage politically, yet critically…in order to truly be salt and light in society rather than part of its decay.”[2]  My next blog will contrast Christian nationalism with a Christ-like, Christ-honoring missionary response. In the last blog, I will outline the contours of this “missionary” response—how we should respond as Christians.

AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM

America has been and is an exceptional nation. It was founded on Christian and Jewish principles such as the dignity and worth of every individual, equality, justice, and freedom. These  principles are the foundation of any legitimate government. Although no nation (nor any human for that matter) is without faults, America has a rich history and has a critical role in defending  freedom and democracy in our world today. It is a good thing to love this country and to show honor to our heroes where honor is due. It is a good thing to honor and emulate the noble accomplishments in our history, while at the same time recognizing and learning from America’s mistakes. America is exceptional, and this type of American exceptionalism we might call “open exceptionalism,” the recognition that our exceptionalism comes from such principles as a constitution, rule of law, the dignity and worth of everyone, protection of minority rights, freedom, and making sacrifices for the good of others.

But because America has been so exceptional, it is tempting to think the greatness is in the nation of America itself and not in these principles. That type of thinking can be called “closed exceptionalism,” where “Americans’ loyalty attaches not to the ideals America strives for, but to the nation doing the striving.”[3] This is the danger of Christian nationalism, the belief that America as a nation has a particularly special place in history and that any means are legitimate in order to preserve it–including violence and resorting to very non-Christian methods (as evidenced by the January 6, 2021 violence, in the “name of Jesus”).  Christian nationalism is idolatrous and dangerous, and I believe Christian leaders should denounce it – not embrace it.   

THE DANGERS OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

What is Christian nationalism and why is it so dangerous? Christian nationalism is more than love of country or seeking to preserve the Christian principles on which our nation was founded. Christian nationalists don’t just believe that America was founded on Christian principles; they believe America is and should always be a Christian nation. Christian nationalists generally define this as a Protestant (not Catholic) Christian nation. Christian nationalists tend to believe that government should protect and sustain America’s unique cultural identity, and America should remain defined by its Christian heritage.[4]  As Paul D. Miller expounds in The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, there are several logical and anti-Christian problems with Christian nationalism:

• Christian nationalism is unrealistic and impossible in our multi-cultural, pluralistic society. America is made up of many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Trying to impose a nostalgic, Protestant Christian heritage on this rich cultural landscape is not only impossible, it impedes the vitality of the Christian gospel, which encompasses people from all tribes, languages and nations.
• Christian nationalism becomes undemocratic and illiberal. Instead of recognizing the dignity, freedom, and worth of every human being, it tries to coerce others to accept a Christian heritage. It relies on force instead of persuasion, legislation instead of the Spirit of God working in the hearts and minds of people.
• Nations can be democratic without being Christian. As Miller points out, while America was founded on Christian principles, nations do not have to be Christian to be democratic (as evidenced by the modern democracies in Japan and India). America could continue to be a democracy without being a Christian nation.
• Christian nationalism backfires and causes more division than unity. Christian nationalism is just another form of “identity politics” and tribalism. “Much of American evangelicalism is acting more like a cultural tribe, an ethnoreligious sect advocating for its own power and protection, rather than a people from every tribe and nation advocating for universal principles of justice, flourishing, and the common good.”[5]
• Christian nationalists often “cherry-pick” their moral causes. Christian nationalists are sometimes seen as hypocrites because they focus on some moral issues while ignoring or discounting others. While they do fight against abortion and for religious liberty, many are often quiet on racial inequality and take a view on immigration that contradicts the teachings of the Bible on how immigrants and foreigners should be treated.
• Christian nationalists misuse Scripture to place America in the same role as the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. Nationalists misuse scriptures such as 2 Chronicles 7:14 (“If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray…I will heal their land”) and Psalm 33:12 (“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD”). While there is a legitimate application of these scriptures for any nation (not just America), America is not the “new Israel;” the church of Jesus Christ is the new Israel (Gal. 6:16).  The nation of Israel in the Old Testament was chosen by God for unique purposes, primarily the means through which God himself would become a human and establish his church, which church encompasses people from all the nations and ethnic groups. As Miller writes, “America is not Israel; the church is. Americans are not God’s chosen people; those who trust in Jesus from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation are. The divine mission of God’s chosen people is not to spread political liberty, national sovereignty, or capitalism; it is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church is the one and only true Christian nation.”[6]
• Christian nationalism can become idolatrous, and when it does, Jesus will be used by politicians for personal gain, not for the purposes of Jesus. While love of country is good, if it is not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus, it can become a god in itself, and this is especially so when power becomes more important than principle. As C. S. Lewis said, love of country can become “a demon when it becomes a god.”[7] When Christians become too aligned with any one political party, there is a grave danger in becoming just another tool to be used by politicians. Politicians have always recognized the power of religion and have tried to use it to further their own political purposes. Christians should be suspicious and critical of politics and should not hesitate to renounce politicians who lie, belittle, or cause unnecessary divisions. The church should be the “conscience of the state,” not the lackey of any politician.

IS THERE A PLACE FOR POLITICAL RESPONSE?

There is a way and a place for Christians to engage politically because government does matter. As Miller writes, “So long as we live in a democracy, it is good to love our neighbors politically by pursuing justice together in the public square. That means it is right for Christians to pursue and use political power and to influence public policy—so long as we are doing it for justice and peace for all people.”[8] There are a number of excellent resources on how Christians can effectively influence political issues in a Christ-honoring, Christ-like way, and this last footnote has some that I would recommend for further reading.[9]

Stay tuned for Part 2, to be released next week.

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[1] Glenn Tinder, “Can We Be Good Without God?” Atlantic Monthly, December 1989.

[2] Timothy Keller, How to Reach the West Again (New York: Redeemer City to City, 2020), 12.

[3] Paul D. Miller, The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press, 2022), 128.

[4] Miller, 39.

[5] Miller, 7.

[6] Miller, 130.

[7] C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Hartcourt and Brace, 1960), 39.

[8] Miller, 262.

[9] See Jonathan Leeman, Political Church: The Local Assembly as Embassy of Christ’s Rule (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press, 2016) and How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Age (Nashville, Tn: Nelson Books, 2018); Glenn Tinder, The Political Meaning of Christianity (Baton Rouge, La: Louisiana State University Press, 1989); Patrick Miller and Keith Simon, Truth over Tribe: Pledging Allegiance to the Lamb, not the Donkey or the Elephant (Colorado Springs, Colo: David C. Cook, 2022). See also my chapter titled “Baal Politika,” in The Judge and the Left-footed Leaders: Judges and Ruth for Postmodern Times (2020).