The Heresy of a Christian Nation
I previously wrote about what happens when we confuse freedom with faith — when love of country starts replacing our love for God. The post grew out of conversations at the Great Plains Orders & Fellowship gathering and from my seminary work on democracy and discipleship.
I’m continuing that reflection with a closer look at the theology behind Christian nationalism, what happens when our faith doesn’t just bless the nation, but bows to it.
Dr. Brian Kaylor said in his lecture here in Kearney, “Christian nationalism is not just bad politics; it’s bad theology.” It takes something good — our love of place, our gratitude for freedom — and twists it into an idol of power.
When God Becomes the Mascot
In Baptizing America, Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood describe Christian nationalism as a fusion and confusion of American and Christian identities. It’s an ideology that turns God into a mascot for the state, a spiritual logo stamped on our political agendas.
When we equate being a “good Christian” with being a “good American,” we replace faith in Christ with faith in ourselves. We trade the cross for a flag.
Kaylor names this for what it is: heresy.⁵ Not because God doesn’t care about people who collect into nations, but because Christian nationalism denies the very heart of the Gospel. It values some people more than others. It seeks to coerce faith rather than invite it. It mistakes political dominance for divine favor.
The Idolatry of Power
The problem isn’t patriotism. I identify as quite patriotic. I believe in the values of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Gratitude for one’s home or love for one’s country can be a blessing. The danger arises when we begin to believe that God’s blessing is ours alone - that divine purpose is tied to our borders, our language, or our laws.
When “God and Country” becomes the same thing, God gets smaller.
Kaylor puts it bluntly: “Christian nationalism violates fundamental Christian commitments at the heart of the Gospel. It denies that everyone is made in the image of God.”⁶
In the end, it’s not just unchristian — it’s unfree. Because any faith that demands loyalty to an empire will always require subjugation.
A Better Allegiance
Faith was never meant to serve power. Jesus didn’t seize thrones or legislate belief. Which he very much could have as the embodied presence of God on earth. Instead, he redefined power as service, humility, and love for enemies. Jesus doubled down on grace and hospitality, subverting empire and political dominance with unconditional love.
This is where my class on Democracy in Peril and Kaylor’s work overlap: both insist that love and liberty only survive through humility. Parker Palmer writes that “the heart is the first homeland of democracy.” The same could be said for the gospel.
Our task as Christians isn’t to “make America Christian again,” but to live in such a way that Christ’s love makes us better Americans — more just, more compassionate, more free. Not the other way around.
Faithful Resistance
If confusing freedom with faith erodes democracy, idolizing the nation corrupts discipleship.
The answer, for both, is the same: repentance. What is the purpose of the Gospel if not to allow for evolution through changes in hearts and minds?
To heal democracy, we must practice it.
To heal the church, we must practice love.
We must unlearn the myths that God only blesses one people or one nation.
And we must remember that every time we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are pledging allegiance to something higher than any flag or political construct.
Bibliography
Atencio, Mitchell. “Are You Accidentally a Christian Nationalist?” Sojourners (The Reconstruct). June 17, 2024.
Garrett, Greg. “Politics, Faith, and Mission: A Conversation with Brian Kaylor.” Baptist News Global. September 3, 2024.
Kaylor, Brian, and Beau Underwood. Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism. St. Louis: Word&Way Books, 2024.
Palmer, Parker. Healing the Heart of Democracy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011.
Wright, N.T., and Michael F. Byrd. Jesus and the Powers. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2024.
In keeping with transparency, this post was developed with the help of AI editing tools. These tools support the creative process but do not replace human reflection, discernment, or authorship. All sources are fully cited, and all other content is my original work.
