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In his newest book, Jim Wallis addresses what far too many white pastors ignore: nationalism in the church and autocracy in politics, Adam Russell Taylor writes for this week’s SojoMail: Through my travels preaching at churches and speaking at conferences, I often get to talk with pastors and church leaders across the U.S. about the issues close to their hearts. Lately, those conversation have almost always included pastors’ concern about the increasing polarization in our politics and culture. Many of these pastors see first-hand the influence of a surging Christian nationalism in their own communities, including members of their congregation who believe the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation or who, thanks to the fear-based messages of conservative Christian radio, are convinced that Christianity in the U.S. is “under attack.” Yet, most pastors feel ill-equipped and under-supported to address this growing threat, fearing they will only further divide their congregations if they attempt to address Christian nationalism head-on. Jim Wallis is one of the faith leaders who keenly understands the threat of growing nationalism in the church and autocracy in our politics — and the role that Christians must play in stopping it. For Jim — founder and former president of Sojourners who now directs Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice — “white Christian nationalism” is “idolatry because it’s a worship of nation [rather than God] … and it’s a heresy because it draws Christians away from Christ,” he told me when we talked recently about his newest book, The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy. The threat of a nationalistic faith that is blind to racial and social justice and puts politics ahead of the teachings of Jesus isn’t new here in the U.S. But what Jim sees — and what I think far too many other faith leaders are failing to take seriously enough — is the degree to which white Christian nationalism is undergirding and supercharging the growing danger of authoritarianism within our politics.
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Our Latest The Church Isn’t Anti-Fascist ... Yet (by Adam Joyce) In Nazi Germany, my family saw how Christians supported fascism. Today in the U.S., I am seeing the same. A British Prison Drama Shows the Pressure Society Puts on Mothers (by Jim McDermott) Time, now streaming, offers a compassionate look at the women in a minimum-security prison. A Black Christian Approach to Veganism (by Mitchell Atencio) People of faith can pursue animal liberation alongside work for racial and climate justice, Rev. Christopher Carter says. Ahead of Election, Evangelicals Want Sermons on Immigration (by Ken Chitwood) Four in 5 evangelicals say they would value hearing a sermon that teaches how biblical principles and examples can be applied to immigration in the U.S. |
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From the Magazine What Stories Define the Church? (by Raj Nadella) April reflections on scripture from the Common Revised Lectionary (Cycle B). |
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Join Faith and Money Network for a free 90-minute webinar with Miguel Escobar Join Faith and Money Network for a free 90-minute webinar with Miguel Escobar, author of The Unjust Steward: Wealth, Poverty and the Church Today. On Wednesday, April 24, from 7:00-8:30 pm Eastern, Escobar will discuss what early Church thinkers have to say about money and generosity. “In Colombia, and around the world, MCC partners are helping communities adapt to climate change. But they can only do so much on their own. They need more support for their adaptation work, and most of all they need to halt the progression of climate change, and for countries with higher emissions to take actions.” Read more of our latest sponsored article on sojo.net. |
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