Christian nationalism is a term increasingly heard in the media and in political discourse. But what it means and why it should be a cause for concern is not always clear.
American Christian nationalism is not a coherent ideology but a nostalgic harkening back to a less religiously diverse and less complex America. This sentiment has grown in the context of a significant shift in the demographics of the U.S. over the past 60 years. This change is partly due to the landmark 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act that eliminated a quota system favoring European immigrants—instead focusing on family unification and skilled labor—that increased U.S. racial, religious, and ethnic diversity.
There are many who feel very ambivalent about that change. However, people who hold such sentiments are not necessarily militant in their beliefs and may be open to hear other viewpoints. For example, recent polling data from the Pew Research Center shows that while nearly half of Americans say the U.S. should be a Christian nation, two-thirds also believe that religious institutions should refrain from expressing their views on political or social issues. The survey also found the majority of those surveyed supported the idea of separation of church and state and opposed declaring any religion to be the official creed of the U.S.
Christian supremacy describes more radical and hardened forms of Christian nationalism that advocate theological frameworks and programmatic agendas for privileging Christian citizens and anti-democratically imposing a Christian vision on societies. While such views are explicitly held by a relatively small segment of the American people, this tendency represents a set of ideologies and a political movement that is a grave threat to the American values of democracy and pluralism. Christian supremacy, like antisemitism and Islamophobia, should be recognized as a form of religious bigotry and challenged publicly where it is espoused.
This page compiles a sampling of courses, events, articles, and other resources on Christian nationalism and Christian supremacy.
In this five-episode podcast, Matthew D. Taylor uses his own deep reporting and dozens of audio clips to examine the history of the independent charismatic Christian leaders associated with Christian nationalism and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Matthew D. Taylor is frequently cited in the media for his expertise on Christian Nationalism and the involvement of independent charismatic movements and leaders.
Since the release of “Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation,” ICJS Protestant scholar Matthew D. Taylor has been interviewed about the NAR and the January 6 Insurrection on a number of podcasts, which are compiled on this page.
In this 3-part ICJS course, “The Roots and Realities of U.S. Christian Nationalism,” Protestant Scholar Matthew D. Taylor explored the theological and historical ideas that underpin the American Christian nationalist narrative, examining both the deep roots and the present-day realities of this Christian nationalist identity in the U.S. and considering the threat that it poses to American religious pluralism.
During this online event on the 2nd anniversary of the Jan. 6th insurrection, religion scholar Bradley Onishi spoke with ICJS’ Matthew D. Taylor about his book that provides historical and religious context for what happened that day, “Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—and What Comes Next.”
Research by Matthew D. Taylor revealed a previously unreported pre-Jan. 6th meeting between Trump Administration officials and Christian nationalist leaders that underscores their collaboration.
A panel discussion on Christian nationalism, its impact on the midterm elections as well as how it stands to influence the presidential elections in 2024. The event was sponsored by ICJS and two Catholic University of America co-sponsors: the Department of Sociology and the Institute for Interreligious Study and Dialogue.
The religious forces that impelled some Christians to storm the Capitol haven’t gone away, and we ignore the gathering clouds of Christian nationalism at the peril of liberal democracy.
ICJS Protestant Scholar
When journalists are looking for a source to explain the background and context of Christian nationalism, they are increasingly turning to ICJS’ Protestant scholar Matthew D. Taylor. This page collects a sampling of the news articles that quote him.