The term “Christian Nationalist” has become part of the everyday vernacular, but it has different meaning for different groups of people. While the vast majority of Americans understand the definition of each word separately, when the words are combined and interpreted through a political lens, confusion arises as interpretations converge, overlap, and oppose.
Definitions
Christian: One who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. The term Christian is apolitical, as people of all political persuasions may profess beliefs in the teachings of Jesus Christ, even if there is disagreement on Biblical interpretation.
Nationalism: a) An ideology that elevates one nation or nationality above all others and that places primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations, nationalities, or supranational groups. b) Support for and promotion of the political independence or self-determination of a nation or people.
Every country’s leaders and citizenry take some pride in their country and seek to elevate it. Justin Trudeau recently said in response to talk of Canada becoming America’s 51st state, “We’re not Americans,” and “Canadians are incredibly proud of being Canadian.” That is nationalist speak; promoting and supporting the independence or self-determination of a nation or people. Ukraine has also shown a sense of nationalism in defending itself against Russia. America as a nation, including those most fearful of so-called “Christian Nationalists,” has sent billions of dollars to Ukraine, and flown Ukrainian flags in the defense of Ukrainian nationalism. Unless you support a borderless, global government, you have some level of nationalist belief or interests.
Therefore, the term Christian Nationalist, a person who claims to be both a Christian and a nationalist by professing a love of Jesus Christ and country, should be uncontroversial. Some people, understanding the meaning of these individual terms accept the moniker on its face, even reflexively adopting it with pride as a reaction to its perceived opposition. However, when the two words are used in conjunction with added innuendo, the term Christian Nationalism takes on a negative connotation with an entirely new meaning. To get a definition of the term “Christian Nationalism,” you have to go to a variety of politically charged websites.
NPR - “Christian Nationalism is a belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and that its laws should reflect certain Christian values”
Center For American Progress – Christian Nationalism is the “anti-democratic notion that America is a nation by and for Christians alone”
Brittanica.com - Christian Nationalism is an “Ideology that seeks to create or maintain a legal fusion of Christian religion with a nation’s character. Advocates of Christian Nationalism consider their view of Christianity to be an integral part of their country’s identity and want the government to promote - or even enforce - the religion’s position within it.”
The divide between the left and right, fluid word definitions, and the application of language completely changing (they/them describing a singular individual for example), creates a Tower of Babel type situation in which we struggle to communicate with one another. Although we are using similar words, they do not mean the same thing.
Christian Nationalism According to the Left
The political left has developed a frightening view of Christian Nationalism. They have tied the term nationalism to Germany under the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party for short). Additionally, they have taken the idea that America was founded on the ideals and morality of Christianity and married it with the idea that a fascist-style nationalist regime is lurking around the corner, seeking to impose Christianity and rigidly enforce it through law.
Pair the above definition with the hyper focus on race we have seen through pseudo-history like the 1619 Project or pseudo-intellectuals like Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DeAngelo. Due to those that promote the idea that America is an inherently racist nation or a nation of white supremacy, the resulting definition of Christian Nationalism becomes a racist group of white people that will enforce their religion with unbending brutality. These antagonists are trying to conjure up the hate-filled national socialist views found a century ago in Nazi Germany.
Obviously, what happened under national socialism in Germany is not what the majority of today’s Christians, proud Americans, or even self-identified “Christian Nationalists” are promoting. If you support “Made in America,” that is a nationalist viewpoint. If you profess Jesus Christ as your savior, you are a Christian. Even Michelle Obama famously professed pride in being an American when Barack Obama was elected president. Since they both professed to being Christians, that would make them “Christian Nationalists” by this easily digestible definition.
Weimar Germany: Inflation and Gender Ideology
Prior to Hitler taking control in Germany’s Weimar Republic, economic collapse exacerbated by runaway inflation was a major contributor to the rise of the Nazi party. Goods had increased in cost by 700%. Mundane items like a cup of coffee would rise in price by 2000 marks in the time it took to drink it. The government printed millions, and then billions of marks, which led to food riots, looting, breakdown of law and order, and a rise in conspiracy theories that ultimately led to increased support for Hitler’s fringe political party.
In what may surprise many people today, gender ideology also gained a foothold during the Weimar time period, and the world’s first transgender clinic was opened.
Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, a Jewish homosexual, met a distraught German soldier in 1895. At this time, homosexuality was a crime under German law, and the soldier was suffering depression due to the societal and legal pressures he felt. The young soldier ultimately committed suicide rather than marry a woman under false pretense, and Hirschfeld dedicated the rest of his professional life to sexual rights activism. In a twist on the modern slogan “love is love”, Hirschfeld said “love is as varied as people are.” Through his work, he essentially advocated for everything we have come to know as gender ideology in modern America. In 1919 he opened a clinic called The Institute for Sexual Research. By 1930, it was performing the world’s first sex change procedures. Within six months of taking power in 1933, the Nazis destroyed the Institute of Sexual Research.
Before the onset of the Great Depression in Germany in 1929–1930, the Nazi party was small. By 1933, the worldwide economic depression had hit Germany very hard, and millions of people were out of work. According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia:
The unemployed were joined by millions of others who linked the Depression to Germany's national humiliation after defeat in World War I. Many Germans perceived the parliamentary government coalition as weak and unable to alleviate the economic crisis. Widespread economic misery, fear, and perception of worse times to come, as well as anger and impatience with the apparent failure of the government to manage the crisis, offered fertile ground for the rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.
Hitler was a powerful and spellbinding orator who, by tapping into the anger and helplessness felt by a large number of voters, attracted a wide following of Germans desperate for change. Nazi electoral propaganda promised to pull Germany out of the Depression. The Nazis pledged to restore German cultural values, reverse the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, turn back the perceived threat of a Communist uprising, put the German people back to work, and restore Germany to its "rightful position" as a world power.
Spurred on by economic chaos and ineffective government, the people saw Hitler as a strong man that would just “make it all stop”.
The Trump/Hitler Parallel that Terrifies the Left
Today we see inflation ravaging bank accounts, decaying infrastructure, a government that seems unaccountable for its poor results, and illegal aliens receiving government benefits. Children are the target of gender ideology from many sources, including all ages drag shows, and these various influences sometimes lead to gender transition surgeries at very young ages. Trump has been reelected under the expectation that he will be a strong leader that will “make it all stop.” Although far off the mark, this Trump/Hitler parallel is causing dreadful fear among leftists as they draw connection to the time period in which the fascist Nazi party originated.
If one fails to see a distinction between Trump, the peacemaker, following the Constitution and rule of law, and Hitler who usurped a country and started a world war, a parallel between MAGA and Nazi nationalism follows. Both, after all, are nationalist movements.
Christian Nationalism: aka Christian Theological Fascism
On the political right, there actually is a very small sliver of conservatives that do have a propensity for Christian Nationalism very similar to what has been defined by the left. What we will term Christian Theological Fascists, or the far right, they tend to see society’s path since the enlightenment as abhorrent and desire a strong Christian government that allows free enterprise so long as it furthers their interpretation of Biblical teachings. To run their theocracy, these revolutionaries want to appoint a “Christian Prince”.
From Mussolini's Doctrine of Fascism, "The fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the state and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with those of the state." In other words, fascism is forced state control over private business, in a sort of “public-private” partnership.
In their quest to form society, they tend to denounce the US Constitution as a failed, unworkable project. They attempt to prove that checks and balances do not work, and focus on the foundational structure of our government as being unsuccessful, instead of focusing on the politicians who have led the country astray. They also blame Jewish people for most or all of society’s ills. Figures like Nick Fuentes and Corey Mahler for example, have displayed anti-Jewish sentiments as opposition to Judaism is part of their Christian faith.
Conclusion
So, in the end, the answer to what is a Christian Nationalist remains, “it depends’. When it comes to Christian Nationalism, its proponents skew history and happily affirm the left’s idea of what it means to be a Christian Nationalist as they push for a strong “Christian” central government. The far left meanwhile terrifies themselves with their misunderstanding between the parallels of history and skewed view of modern times, and does not realize that their definition of a Christian Nationalist only applies to a small number of people. Those who proclaim, “I believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ” and “I love my country” are mislabeled by those seeking to further a narrative and national divide. All the while, the vast majority of Americans are either tuned out or confused by the rhetoric. Rather than continue to create confusion, perhaps we should stick to movements that propagate the principles of our Constitution and elect leaders that take those principles seriously. Stable government that meets the needs of its constituents will prevent extremist factions from rising to power.