In the midst of the ongoing debate about Christian nationalism (see here and here), there are two fundamental questions that need to be asked. First, what does it mean to be a Christian nation? And second, is (or was) America a Christian nation? How we answer these questions goes a long way in determining our attitude towards “Christian nationalism.” …
“‘Much of the world refers to America as a Christian nation, but most of our Christian leaders don’t think so,’ said Leith Anderson, the association’s president. ‘The Bible only uses the word “Christian” to describe people and not countries. Even those who say America is a Christian nation admit that there are lots of non-Christians and even anti-Christian beliefs and behaviors.'”
In 2009, after highlighting both the unchristian and Christian elements in America’s past and present, the left-leaning evangelical Sojourner said this: “This dichotomy is reminiscent of St. Augustine’s teachings in The City of God. Essentially, in the book he teaches that no human institution, even the institution which calls itself the church, can fully embody the teachings of Christ, but within these institutions are committed Christians who do God’s will. This applies to America too. America is not a Christian nation, but there are followers of Christ within the country pushing the government and the nation to do the will of God. The only state, nation, principality, or country that can call itself a Christian ‘nation’ is the kingdom of God fully ushered in by the second coming of Christ.”
What are Americans thinking today in 2022? What do they understand when we speak of our country being a “Christian nation”?
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