'Christian nationalism' label emerges from ignorance and intimidation, panelists warn

[Michie]

Lt. Col. Allen West speaks during a panel about "Christian nationalism" during The Christian Post's "Politics in the Pews" event at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, on Aug. 27, 2024. | The Christian Post

Editors' note: This is part 12 of The Christian Post's year-long articles series "Politics in the Pews: Evangelical Christian engagement in elections from the Moral Majority to today." In this series, we will look at issues pertaining to election integrity and new ways of getting out the vote, including churches participating in ballot collection. We'll also look at issues Evangelicals say matter most to them ahead of the presidential election and the political engagement of diverse groups, politically and ethnically. Read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10 and part 11 at the links provided.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — How should American Christians respond as accusations of "Christian nationalism" increasingly fly toward people of faith who try to participate in politics?

During a multi-panel event this week moderated by Christian Post reporter and podcaster Ian Giatti as an extension of CP's "Politics in the Pews" podcast and article series, Lt. Col. Allen West (Ret.), Christians Engaged founder Bunni Pounds and theologian James Spencer, Ph.D., weighed in on the hot-button issue, which they believe to be an attempt to intimidate Evangelicals out of the political process.

Continued below.

'Christian nationalism' label emerges from ignorance and intimidation, panelists warn

How should American Christians respond as accusations of Christian nationalism increasingly fly toward people of faith who participate in politics Panelists discussed the emerging political buzzword

www.christianpost.com

 

[Vambram]

I agree with that conclusion made by those panelists.

 

[Michie]

'An effort to suffocate': Experts warn of emerging threats in America's religious freedom battle

Former U S Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback and other experts warned earlier this week that Christians must continue to fight for religious freedom in American culture

www.christianpost.com

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

I would suggest not being concerned with the label. It should only bother you if are against Christianity in public life/politics and are against nationalism.

 

[iarwain]

I was listening to the radio today, and there was a guy talking about his documentary about Christian nationalists. The person they were interviewing was saying that non-Christians should not be allowed to hold office or vote, because any non-Christian value system invites chaos. While I agree with him about his latter point, I've never heard of anyone saying that Jewish people (say) should not be allowed to hold office, or vote. The interviewer who made the documentary was Jewish.

Anyway, I notice that when people want to do a hit piece on Christians, and particularly Christians in politics, they tend to find people with extremist views, and portray them as typical Christians. Run for your lives! Christian extremists are going to take over the country and take away everyone's rights! That sort of thing. Of course, Christians should be extremists, so there is that... But you know what I mean.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I would suggest not being concerned with the label. It should only bother you if are against Christianity in public life/politics and are against nationalism.

I absolutely agree. They started calling Trump voters nationalist because they were against entering into the Paris Climate Accord, as well as the transpacific partnership and another agreement which was an EU-styled agreement that would have placed our national sovereignty at risk.

I think it just so happened that some were also Christian, though certainly not all however, the Christian nationalist tag was to other the objectors and stop anyone from listening to any policy objections they had.

These days I have decided to fully embrace my Christian faith in the public sphere because quite frankly I'm with you, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Do I have serious moral objections to many of the policies Democrats now stand for? Absolutely and there's nothing wrong with having moral objections to bad public policy. We are called to be Christian, not shrink away from our own morality to convenience others.

 

[RileyG]

I agree with that conclusion made by those panelists.

I concur

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Truth. In the 1980s, I became involved in Christ-centered politics after reading material by The Rutherford Institute / John Whitehead and Francis Schaeffer.
A Christian Manifesto
Whatever Happened to the Human Race?
The Second American Revolution