The debate rages, especially in light of the ascendancy of a virulent form of Christian Nationalism, about whether the United States is a Christian nation. The answer to that question depends on how we define our terms. Constitutionally, the United…
Senators clear the way for Hegseth’s Christian nationalist crusade
It’s hard to find strong enough adjectives to describe the unmitigated disaster the Senate hearing on the nomination of Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense was. Even the few Republicans who had expressed previous concerns about his nomination handled him…
How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase ‘so help me God’ in the presidential oath of office
On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump will take the presidential oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect…
Russell Vought: The gung-ho Christian nationalist who helps Trump be Trump
Deporting millions of immigrants. Deploying the military to quell riots in the U.S. Eliminating the Department of Education and the EPA. Firing tens of thousands of insufficiently loyal federal employees. If Donald Trump’s ambitious campaign promises are to become reality,…
Suburban Houston book bans trace to a complex web of influences, including an SBC pastor
A suburban Houston school district has banned 34 books this fall in a show of force by trustees supported by a coalition of Christian nationalist advocacy groups that has ties to a former Southern Baptist pastor in Houston. By some…
Amanda Tyler on when and how to talk about Christian nationalism at Christmas dinner
Americans have numerous opportunities to push back against Christian nationalism without engaging conservative relatives during holiday gatherings, Amanda Tyler said in a webinar about her new book, How to End Christian Nationalism. Anyone thinking about raising the topic at a…
How Christian extremists are co-opting the book of Esther
I first became aware of far-right Christians co-opting the Book of Esther for political ends when I heard the extremist group Moms for Liberty use Esther 4:14 as its slogan. Since then, the phrase “for such a time as this”…
Here’s why the new Texas school curriculum is so very, very bad
Last week I spent a day in Austin, Texas, to testify for the second time against the new (and newly named) “Bluebonnet Learning K-5 Reading Language Arts” curriculum. Despite significant opposition, the Bible-infused curriculum was approved, which should be unsurprising…
Antioch Declaration exposes a rift among neo-Calvinists
Within the ranks of the far-far-right of American neo-Calvinism, a rift has appeared that some call generational and others see as a rebuke of the patriarchs of patriarchal theology. The latest evidence of this rift is production of a lengthy…