On Eve of GOP Convention, Faith Leaders Warn Against White Christian Nationalism

[xser88]

On Eve of GOP Convention, Faith Leaders Warn Against White Christian Nationalism​

It was nearly two hours into a long afternoon rally Sunday when Rev. Dr. Kevin Shaw took the podium in a packed auditorium on Milwaukee’s Northeast Side.

It was not, he reminded the audience, a church service, but from his cadences, the message might have been from a pulpit.

“We must understand that democracy is in danger,” Shaw said, his voice rising. “That’s why we’re here tonight — to protect our democracy, to reject white Christian nationalism and to build the beloved community.”

He spoke of people targeted by racism, because of their sexual orientation, or because they are not Christian — all of whom “constantly have to prove that they belong here in America.”

There were murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

“But the God that I believe in, the Jesus in the text that I’m familiar with, took time for those who were outcasts, took time with those who were considered to not be worthy of God’s grace.”

Sunday’s rally came on the eve of the Republican National Convention set to nominate former President Donald Trump as, once again, the GOP candidate for that office.

In response, the cross-section of faith leaders who gathered on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus Sunday disavowed the strain of religion that, they charged, animates Trump’s candidacy. The policies he pursued in his previous term and the agenda he has embraced on the stump, speakers said, are anchored in white Christian nationalism.

Sunday’s rally was sponsored by the Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope — MICAH, an interfaith social activism organization founded 36 years ago. Shaw is MICAH’s president. He is also the pastor of St. Matthew C.M.E. Church in Milwaukee.

The group’s campaign against white Christian nationalism, launched in August 2023, is called “We All Belong.”

In an interview a few days before Sunday’s rally, Shaw said white Christian nationalism has been at the root of political trends ranging from making voting more difficult to pushing to remove books that report frankly about U.S. history and the treatment of Black enslaved people or the harm done to Native Americans.

“White Christian nationalism teaches exclusion and control,” Shaw said. “Regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or sexuality, we all belong. We are all part of democracy.”

White Christian nationalist thinking also underlies Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation document outlining an agenda for the next Republican president, Shaw said. The proposals include attacks on federal agencies and on the education system, he added.

“It gives one individual too much power,” Shaw said. “That’s not what makes America America, and it’s not Christian.”

Although Trump has claimed no connection with the project, its authors include a number of past and present Trump advisers.

Jim Wallis, a writer and longtime social justice activist driven by his Christian faith, came to Milwaukee for Sunday’s rally. Wallis has written a book, “The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy.”

During a press conference before the rally, Wallis noted that there will be people proclaiming their faith on the podium at the Republican convention.

“The use of religion to promote fear and hate and violence is blasphemy,” Wallis said. “It’s time to name it and say it, and time to debate it.”

On eve of GOP convention, faith leaders warn against white Christian nationalism • Florida Phoenix

It was nearly two hours into a long afternoon rally Sunday when Rev. Dr. Kevin Shaw took the podium in a packed auditorium on Milwaukee’s Northeast Side. It was not, he reminded the audience, a church service, but from his cadences, the message might have been from a pulpit. “We must understand...

floridaphoenix.com

 

[eleos1954]

White Christian nationalist thinking

This is a racist statement (race baiting) .... there are many Christians that aren't "white". ... the use of associating "white" with all Christians is being used as a political "scare tactic". ... it's no secret that some within secular society takes exception with religion (of any sort) and when one expresses their faith in Jesus they are verbally and even sometime physically attacked. Jesus told us it would be this way.

 

[essentialsaltes]

This is a racist statement (race baiting) ....

hardly

there are many Christians that aren't "white". ...

obviously

the use of associating "white" with all Christians is

not what's going on here.

There are white nationalists. There are Christian nationalists. Where those two circles overlap on the Venn diagram, you have white Christian nationalists.

Not all Christians are nationalists
Not all whites are Christians
Not all nationalists are white
We could go on and on, but the speech was warning about white Christian nationalism.

 

[civilwarbuff]

“The use of religion to promote fear and hate and violence is blasphemy,” Wallis said.

Seems like he just pointed his own finger at himself......

 

[rjs330]

Seems like he just pointed his own finger at himself......

I don't think that's the case. Pointing out what is wrong is not promoting hate. I've always had a problem with the arguments that that pointing out something out that is not right is somehow hate and violence or fear. All the phobias that are aimed at us. Saying silence is vi9lence or word are violence. Or accusing us if hate just because we don't think like they do.

He's pointing out what's wrong with white Christian Nationalism and quite frankly Christion Nationalism.

 

[civilwarbuff]

I don't think that's the case. Pointing out what is wrong is not promoting hate. I've always had a problem with the arguments that that pointing out something out that is not right is somehow hate and violence or fear. All the phobias that are aimed at us. Saying silence is vi9lence or word are violence. Or accusing us if hate just because we don't think like they do.

He's pointing out what's wrong with white Christian Nationalism and quite frankly Christion Nationalism.

So I am curious.....who came up with the concept of 'White Christian Nationalism' or even just 'Christian Nationalism'? I have never heard either until leftists began chiming in.....has anyone else?

 

[civilwarbuff]

Maybe we should begin thinking of God's calling of the Hebrews out of Egypt as 'Jewish Nationalism' and start condemning that also?

 

[essentialsaltes]

So I am curious.....who came up with the concept of 'White Christian Nationalism' or even just 'Christian Nationalism'? I have never heard either until leftists began chiming in.....has anyone else?

I mean, depends how far back you wanna go. We can trace some strands from some roots in 19th century Anglo-Israelitism and the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan to Wesley Swift's Anglo-Saxon Christian Congregation and Christian Identity, which leads to Aryan Nations, founded by Swift's successor and on towards today.

On just 'vanilla' (but not necessarily white supremacist) Christian Nationalism, there's the New Apostolic Reformation.

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a theological belief and movement that combines elements of Pentecostalism, evangelicalism and the Seven Mountain Mandate to advocate for spiritual warfare to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society, and end or weaken the separation of church and state. NAR leaders often call themselves apostles and prophets. Long a fringe movement of the American Christian right, it has been characterized as "one of the most important shifts in Christianity in modern times." The NAR's prominence and power have increased since the 2016 election of Donald Trump as US president. Theology professor André Gagné, author of a 2024 book on the movement, has characterized it as "inherently political" and said it threatens to "subvert democracy." Many notable American Republican politicians such as Mike Johnson,[1] Doug Mastriano,[2]Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebert[2] and activists such as Charlie Kirk[2] have aligned with it.[3][4][5][6]

Primarily "influenced and driven by North American evangelicals,"[10] the NAR is rooted in the Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity movements: namely, the first-wave Pentecostalism of the 1900s, the Latter Rain movement of the 1940s, the second-wave Charismatic Christianity of the 1960s through 1980s, and the Shepherding movement of the 1970s and 1980s. The NAR has been described as taking the restorationism, dominionism, and "end-times revival" focus of the Latter Rain movement – thought to lead to a new Christian influence on the world – and the authoritarian nature of the Shepherding movement, described as "a kind of pyramid of power and accountability whereby authority (usually male) would flow down from a leading national (or global) figure to local pastors, and even through a chain of pastoral command between congregants".[11][7][12]

 

[civilwarbuff]

I mean, depends how far back you wanna go. We can trace some strands from some roots in 19th century Anglo-Israelitism and the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan to Wesley Swift's Anglo-Saxon Christian Congregation and Christian Identity, which leads to Aryan Nations, founded by Swift's successor and on towards today.

Yah, why don't you do that and enlighten us all.....Especially since the KKK was a democrat organization which has lasted until today. So yeah, teach us all.....I mean you are such an educated gentleman......right?

 

[civilwarbuff]

I mean, depends how far back you wanna go. We can trace some strands from some roots in 19th century Anglo-Israelitism and the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan to Wesley Swift's Anglo-Saxon Christian Congregation and Christian Identity, which leads to Aryan Nations, founded by Swift's successor and on towards today.

On just 'vanilla' (but not necessarily white supremacist) Christian Nationalism, there's the New Apostolic Reformation.

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a theological belief and movement that combines elements of Pentecostalism, evangelicalism and the Seven Mountain Mandate to advocate for spiritual warfare to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society, and end or weaken the separation of church and state. NAR leaders often call themselves apostles and prophets. Long a fringe movement of the American Christian right, it has been characterized as "one of the most important shifts in Christianity in modern times." The NAR's prominence and power have increased since the 2016 election of Donald Trump as US president. Theology professor André Gagné, author of a 2024 book on the movement, has characterized it as "inherently political" and said it threatens to "subvert democracy." Many notable American Republican politicians such as Mike Johnson,[1] Doug Mastriano,[2]Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Lauren Boebert[2] and activists such as Charlie Kirk[2] have aligned with it.[3][4][5][6]

Primarily "influenced and driven by North American evangelicals,"[10] the NAR is rooted in the Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity movements: namely, the first-wave Pentecostalism of the 1900s, the Latter Rain movement of the 1940s, the second-wave Charismatic Christianity of the 1960s through 1980s, and the Shepherding movement of the 1970s and 1980s. The NAR has been described as taking the restorationism, dominionism, and "end-times revival" focus of the Latter Rain movement – thought to lead to a new Christian influence on the world – and the authoritarian nature of the Shepherding movement, described as "a kind of pyramid of power and accountability whereby authority (usually male) would flow down from a leading national (or global) figure to local pastors, and even through a chain of pastoral command between congregants".[11][7][12]

So, is this YOUR opinion?.....or is it simply the boxed 'Mac & Cheese' version of so called 'Christian Nationalism' that you post when questioned? After all, I would expect more of any educated gentleman than this.....

 

[essentialsaltes]

Yah, why don't you do that and enlighten us all.....Especially since the KKK was a democrat organization which has lasted until today. So yeah, teach us all.....I mean you are such an educated gentleman......right?

I gave you a couple interesting links. If you were really interested, you could do your own research. Otherwise, given your sheltered life where you have never heard of these things, you might remain in the dark.

 

[essentialsaltes]

So, is this YOUR opinion?.....or is it simply the boxed 'Mac & Cheese' version of so called 'Christian Nationalism' that you post

Certainly that first, short but carefully constructed paragraph, was absolutely my own response, crafted freshly to answer your question and incorporating new research of my own.

If it, and the cut & paste from Wikipedia about the NAR, did not satisfy your expectations, all I can say is

 

[civilwarbuff]

I gave you a couple interesting links.

You mean like NAR? Are you really that gullible that you think that is how Christians think? What is wrong with you? You can;t possibly be so ignorant of what we believe and yet stay here and post like you are some sort of expert on Christian beliefs. I gotta stop before I go overboard.

 

[essentialsaltes]

You mean like NAR? Are you really that gullible that you think that is how Christians think?

That's how some American Christians think. That's why this thread is not about Christianity, but about "white Christian nationalism"

 

[rjs330]

This all sounds so bit like the boogeyman to me.

I don't think thus group is any more dangerous than any other small time radical group.

All this talk about them having influence over Trump and setting up some sort of Christian Theocracy ket alone a white one is ridiculous. The only theocracy we gave to be concerned with us the Anti Christ.

This country will never be one until he comes along.

If Trump gets in he certainly won't be creating one.

I wonder if this scare tactic is just another attempt at trying to stop people from voting for Trump.

 

[Pommer]

This all sounds so bit like the boogeyman to me.

I don't think thus group is any more dangerous than any other small time radical group.

All this talk about them having influence over Trump and setting up some sort of Christian Theocracy ket alone a white one is ridiculous. The only theocracy we gave to be concerned with us the Anti Christ.

This country will never be one until he comes along.

If Trump gets in he certainly won't be creating one.

I wonder if this scare tactic is just another attempt at trying to stop people from voting for Trump.

If you do not believe yourself to be a Christian Nationalist, the you needn’t fear this thread since it has nothing to do with average ChristIans but with people who have educated themselves in this ideology, which one might want to look into, to see that you’re probably closer to our lines than to theirs.

 

[civilwarbuff]

I gave you a couple interesting links. If you were really interested, you could do your own research. Otherwise, given your sheltered life where you have never heard of these things, you might remain in the dark.

Nice try at deflection......

 

[civilwarbuff]

That's how some American Christians think. That's why this thread is not about Christianity, but about "white Christian nationalism"

Actually 'Christian Nationalism' was specifically mentioned above so yeah, it gets thrown into the mix. Of course the real word that ties them together is 'Christian' isn't it? I mean if the topic was simply 'nationalism' then you wouldn't be here.....but mention 'Christian' and suddenly the leftists hackles rise.....Sorry, we already know how the story ends.....the leftists lose......

 

[civilwarbuff]

This all sounds so bit like the boogeyman to me.

I agree. I think this is mostly made up by far-leftists who hate Christianity and will go to any lengths to discredit it. The sad part is that is swallowed whole, no questions asked, by so many of those gullible persons on the left who then proceed to spread this nonsense on forums such as these. You have to pity their lack of perception for being used.

 

[civilwarbuff]

If you do not believe yourself to be a Christian Nationalist, the you needn’t fear this thread since it has nothing to do with average ChristIans but with people who have educated themselves in this ideology, which one might want to look into, to see that you’re probably closer to our lines than to theirs.

I am curious: How many of these people do you know? I have spent many years in conservative Christian churches without ever once hearing of such nonsense. Is this a 'hot topic' in your church?