Recently, Andrew Whitehead, a Sociology professor at Indiana University, along with Samuel Perry, Sociology professor at the University of Oklahoma, conducted some research on the topic of “Christian Nationalism.” According to their definition, Christian nationalism is “a cultural framework that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life.” Based on their definition, Christianity becomes more of a cultural and tribal phenomenon than a spiritual one. Thus, from the very beginning, they have defined this as a negative cultural movement that is “a threat to a pluralistic, democratic society and something that needs to be wrestled with in order to move forward ….” They additionally argue that this “kind of nationalism is dangerous. It is dangerous to civic health; it is dangerous to the health of Christianity.” Interestingly, this definition applies only to Christians who hold traditional values, not to those who adhere to some form of liberal theology.
But hold on a second. What are they really saying here? Essentially they are advocating two things. First, Christians who hold traditional values (Evangelical Christians, in particular) do not have a right to express their opinion about politics, and second, that those who do express an opinion about politics have abandoned the true faith and begun expressing beliefs that put the country in the place of God. This does not apply, however, to those on the left who are social justice advocates. They are allowed to legitimately talk politics because their political point of view does not accept traditional Christian values as integral to the moral and value system of our nation’s political operation. Just as racism is now widely recognized to be a societal evil, the effort is underway to turn biblical Christianity into the new racism.
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