There is an objective standard which defines Christian faith, and even the broader term "Christianity" in general. That seems to be something many people don't really grasp, especially those who don't hold specific religious beliefs. But it is important to understand the objective standard which identifies individual Christians and defines Christianity in order to call out aberrations, pseudo-Christian imposters and even anti-Christian infiltrators. Otherwise, a broad-brush indictment will do unnecessary damage and promote a measure of bigotry against people and groups that don't deserve it.
Being a Christian isn't just a matter of saying so and then using that to make it into whatever you please. It's a faith with a 2,000 year old historical context, multiple confessions of faith that are similar in content and in the beliefs that they express and a written record of revelation set in context by its founder. It's a systematic faith with a consistent theology. It has a clear set of objective principles and beliefs that are documented in writing with accurate transmission that is historically verified, vetted by those who held its beliefs. And when those works of antiquity are correctly interpreted, by early confessions of believers, there is no support for any sort of "Christian Nationalism," either what's been practiced in the past, such as the "divine right" of monarchs, nor of the current, American, "Anglo-Israelism" known as dominion theology.
There is No Biblical Basis for White, Christian Nationalism
Most of the Evangelical and Charismatic/Pentecostal branches of American Christianity claim to believe that the sixty-six books of the Protestant Bible are "without any mixture of error," and are "totally true and trustworthy."1 Add that to a belief that the text should be interpreted "literally" unless there is a specific context clue that points to something different, and you have a formula for gross misinterpretation and distortion of the text. To understand how far white, Christian nationalism is away from the Christian gospel of Christ requires some understanding of this aspect of Christian hermeneutics, so bear with me and I'll make it as simple as I can.
The same confession of faith from which I cited the quotes about the Bible's trustworthiness also declares that "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ." A more conservative group of Christians changed that to "All scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is himself the focus of divine revelation." The change was to deflect critics who basically claimed that the omission of any record of Jesus speaking on certain issues was not a legitimate argument from the absence of evidence, such as the claim that since Jesus doesn't directly mention homosexuality, he didn't think it was sinful. But it still makes the point that the interpretive filter for all of the Bible are the gospel accounts recording the words of Christ.
Jesus himself confirms this fact when he said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfill." 2
If we're going to call this movement out, because it is a threat to democracy, and specifically, to this democracy and its constitution, then it must be called out and responded to in a way that demonstrates its inconsistency with the teachings of Christ and the Apostles, and how it is at odds with Biblical revelation. White, Christian Nationalism--and I will continue to use the adjective "white" to describe it because it is racist in exactly that way--has no basis for support from the correctly interpreted Biblical text. Jesus would have rejected it outright as the exact opposite of what he called and described as the Kingdom of God.
White, Christian Nationalists distort the interpretation of the Biblical text, selectively choosing parts of it that support their position without filtering it through the revelation of Christ, and without considering the historical context of the passage they cite. That's a common error across the spectrum of Christianity, and specifically conservative, Evangelical Christianity where many church members tend to consider theological education that doesn't emphasize their personal biases as liberal and intentionally misleading. The Charismatic and Pentecostal branches of the church are extremely subjective in their interpretation of the Bible, depending heavily on emotion and feelings, and believing in miraculous "sign gifts" by which they claim interpretations and revelations that change or supersede the Biblical text.
Christian Faith and Practice is Visible and Identifiable by Observation
If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:26-27, NRSV
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. James 3:13-18
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God for God is love. I John 4:7-9, NRSV
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9, NRSV
As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 NRSV
This is a very small sample of the characteristics and actions which, by observation, are visible indicators of Christian faith. There are multiple descriptive terms, adjectives which describe the demeanor and actions produced by the spiritual transformation we call "conversion to Christ," or "salvation by grace through faith in Christ." That's the focal point of what defines being "Christian" and the experience that makes one "Christian" and it is a state of being that is visible in the way a Christian lives out their faith. It's defined by Jesus himself, and by his disciples, the early church Apostles.
So the obvious question is whether any of these identifiable, descriptive characteristics are visible anywhere in white, Christian nationalism, dominion theology, or any of the various sects that make up the whole of Christian nationalist philosophy and ideology.
I don't see any of them, anywhere in the whole movement. And that's not a judgement, it's an observation.
The Apostle James says, "So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead."3
Only the language of white, Christian nationalism is similar to Christianity. The ideology and its objectives are pseudo-Christian, but by definition, are not Christian.
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1 The Baptist Faith and Message, 1963 and 2000 versions
2 Matthew 5:17, NRSV
3 James 2:17, NRSV
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