Christian Nationalism

Lately, I have been trying to work out what people actually mean when they talk about Christian nationalism. Some Christians have become deeply concerned that elements of the far right are weaponising the Christian faith through Christian nationalism, using it as a vehicle to advance a nationalist agenda.

Part of the difficulty in having a good discussion on this topic is that people often mean different things by the term Christian nationalism. Some use it to describe anyone who believes Christianity has positively shaped Britain's laws, institutions, and culture. Others use it as a scare label to stigmatise Christians and discourage them from advocating for Christian values in the public square. Still others use it to describe the belief that a nation has a special covenant with God and that political power should be used to preserve or restore a Christian identity.

Unless we define the term, people end up arguing past one another.

I think we need to hold two truths together: Christianity has genuinely shaped many of the values that have benefited Western society, but God's Kingdom cannot be reduced to the success of any nation, political movement, or government.

It is important to distinguish between cultural Christianity and Christian nationalism. Many people who are now being characterised as Christian nationalists are not necessarily saying, "England is chosen by God." Rather, they are saying, "Christianity has shaped many of the moral assumptions our country depends on."

I think someone can believe that:

• Christianity has shaped Britain for the better.

• Britain would benefit from Christian ethics.

• Christians should influence politics and public life.

...without believing that England has a unique covenant with God or that establishing God's Kingdom is the task of the state.

At the same time, we are seeing a growing number of gatherings of predominantly white, working-class men standing alongside Christian ministers, surrounded by St George's Cross flags and the Christian symbol of the crucifix, claiming that England is a ‘Christian country’. We are also seeing many other Christian ministers publicly condemning this movement, characterising it as a far-right, racist movement that has no place in the Kingdom of God.

So how did we get here?

Not many years ago, some of the people now claiming that England is a Christian nation would have had little or no interest in the Christian faith or the country being Christian. So why now?

I think it is partly because many people believe the secular experiment, which sought to remove God from public life, has not delivered the flourishing society it promised. For many, this is seen in the decline of shared moral frameworks, weakening community bonds, increasing loneliness, and a growing loss of confidence in traditional institutions.

Increasing numbers of people are recognising that any functioning, flourishing society needs shared values on which to build.

I also think it is because some people see the culture of cities, towns, and communities in England becoming increasingly influenced by Islam. Tower Hamlets in East London, for example, now has between 50 and 60 mosques. Those who have grown up in places like this and seen the transformation are concerned about aspects of political and religious systems found in some Muslim-majority countries, particularly around issues such as women's rights and freedom of religion. They worry that some of these values are incompatible with British values, many of which have been shaped by Christian principles and teaching. Others are witnessing the cultural changes in places like this concerned that their own communities are moving in the same direction and wonder about the cultural inheritance they are leaving for the next generation.

We regularly hear stories from some Muslim-majority countries where women are compelled to wear the hijab, apostates face persecution and, in some cases, execution, and where forms of Sharia law are enforced. However, it is important to distinguish between people and ideas. Many Muslims I know are among the kindest people I have ever met, and legitimate concerns about particular beliefs, ideologies, or political systems should never become hostility towards individual Muslims.

More broadly, many people in England are feeling a growing sense of loss - loss of identity, loss of community, and the effects of rapid cultural change. There is also a perception of rising crime, increasing social fragmentation, declining trust in institutions, and growing uncertainty about the future. When we lose confidence in the institutions around us, we naturally begin looking for identities and beliefs that offer stability. I think that is partly why Christianity is becoming attractive again.

However, the fact that people are rediscovering Christianity does not mean every expression of Christian identity is healthy or biblical.

I do not see the Christian nationalist movement as predominantly a white supremacist or racist movement, although I am sure those elements exist within it. Rather, I see it primarily as an ideological reaction to other ideologies that people believe are reshaping British culture.

Personally, I do have sympathy with people who are concerned about cultural change in their communities. While many Muslims I know are among the kindest people I have ever met, I do have significant disagreements with aspects of Islamic ideology. As a Christian, if I had to choose whether Christian, secular, or Islamic ideas would most influence our government and culture, I would choose Christianity every time.

In the same way that I would encourage an atheist couple to follow Christian teaching on marriage if they wanted their marriage to flourish, I would encourage a secular government to build its policies upon biblical principles if its aim was to create a flourishing society.

At the same time, I think some critics are too quick to label every expression of patriotism or concern about immigration as racism.

Equally, I think some who speak about defending Christian civilisation appear far more passionate about protecting national identity than proclaiming Christ.

And ultimately, this is where I think the conversation has to end. We cannot bring about the Kingdom of God through government or legislation.

The Kingdom of God is spiritual before it is political. God works from the inside out. He transforms hearts, and transformed hearts lead to transformed lives, which in turn transform societies. It is the Holy Spirit working through the Church, not worldly power or political authority, that establishes God's Kingdom on the earth.

The early Church never expected the Roman Empire to become Christian before it preached the gospel. The apostles wrote most of the New Testament while living under a pagan government, yet their emphasis was never on seizing political power. Their focus was on making disciples, planting churches, living holy lives, and bearing faithful witness to Christ. Politics had its place, but it was never the primary means by which God advanced His Kingdom.

Rome was not transformed simply because Christians gained political influence. It was transformed because ordinary believers preached the gospel, cared for the poor, loved their enemies, and remained faithful under persecution. Political influence came later, but it was the fruit of a transformed people, not the means by which the Kingdom was established.

The Church has always been at its strongest when it has relied on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than the power of any state.

That does not mean Christians should withdraw from politics or stop seeking the good of their nation. We should seek justice, influence society for good, and advocate for policies that reflect God's wisdom. Christians should seek to be salt and light in every area of society, including politics.

But we should never confuse building a Christian culture with building the Kingdom of God. One can be pursued through politics; the other comes only through the gospel.

If Britain became legally a Christian nation tomorrow, but very few people actually loved Christ, that would not be the Kingdom of God.

I love my nation and care about its welfare, as Christians are called to do (Jeremiah 29:7). By cultivating a strong education system, effective healthcare, secure borders, and other institutions that promote the common good, our nation is better placed to serve both its own people and to bless other nations. However, it is important to remember that God's kingdom is not tied to any one ethnicity or nation. As Christians, we are "foreigners and exiles" in this world (1 Peter 2:11), and our primary citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our ultimate hope has never rested in the success of any earthly nation, but in the reign of King Jesus.

I also want someone who identifies as a Christian nationalist to come to church and hear the gospel. In the same way that I would want someone from another religion, or someone whose views on marriage or other moral issues I believe are unbiblical, to feel genuinely welcome at church, I would also want someone who holds Christian nationalist views to feel welcome. Many people appear to be drawn towards Christianity because they first recognise its practical, cultural, or moral value before coming to understand its spiritual truth. My hope is that, whatever first brings someone into church, they would ultimately encounter Christ himself.

Our culture can be quick to stereotype and dismiss people because of their politics, background, or identity. The church should be different. Whatever someone's beliefs, ideology, or past, I want them to encounter the same heart-transforming love of God that every one of us needs and to become part of the community through which God is building His kingdom on earth: The Church.

Leon

P.S. These are just some of my current thoughts on the topic. I reserve the right to keep changing my mind as I continue to learn and as others enlighten me. :)