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The term “Christian nationalism” is everywhere these days, in podcasts (like this one), articles, and books. No one ever heard of the term ten years ago, but with the rise of Donald Trump, the term has become a household term. But is the ubiquity of the term actually helping us understand our political moment, or making things worse?
Princeton Theological Seminary professor Heath Carter joined me on the podcast to make a provocative case: the term has become so broad and loosely applied that it’s lost its usefulness, and may be deepening the very polarization it aims to diagnose.
That doesn’t mean Christian Nationalism doesn’t exist. It most certainly does. Carter argues that genuinely dangerous, illiberal, theocratic movements exist and actively work to undermine liberal democracy. But while the threat exists, the label too often gets applied to any Christian who voted for Trump. Painting with such a broad brush lets mainline Protestants off the hook for their own role in America’s political story, while alienating the very voters the left needs to win back.
During the interview, Carter lifts up the forgotten history of progressive Christianity and the Social Gospel as well as the Democratic Party’s complicated relationship with faith. You can’t talk about faith and politics without talking about James Talarico. Carter reflects on what politicians like the Texas Democrat can teach us about speaking the language of faith without surrendering pluralism.
Shownotes:
Americans Should Stop Using the Term “Christian Nationalism” (Heath’s article in The Atlantic
Related Episodes:
Is Christian Nationalism Really A Problem? with Ted Peters | Episode 181
Did Mainline Protestants Birth Christian Nationalism with Beau Underwood | Episode 186
Christian Nationalism or Christian Conservatism with Mark Tooley | Episode 195
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