Confronting Christian Nationalism

When I was in seminary at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary working on my Master of Divinity degree, I studied with William R. Estep. Dr. Estep was a world renowned scholar in Reformation history, particularly the Anabaptist Reformation. As the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe shattered in the Sixteenth Century due to the reforms of people like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli, the church fractured into denominations. Most of the reformation aligned with the old Catholic structure of the Union of Church and State (The Magisterial Reformation or Christian Imperialism/Nationalism)—like Calvin in France, Luther in Germany, Zwingli in Switzerland, and Cranmer and Cromwell in England.

This led to the Christian wars of the Reformation. Catholics killed Protestants. Protestants killed Catholics. Protestants killed Protestants. There was no religious freedom. There was no separation of church and state. If you disbelieved the doctrines of the church, then you were committing treason against the state. You could be punished by execution for disagreeing with Catholic, Lutheran, or Calvinistic doctrines depending on which religious doctrines were established by law in a particular nation-state. Christians killing Christians in the name of Jesus for disagreeing on doctrinal beliefs. The opposite of Jesus’ teaching: Love God. Love your Neighbor. And love your enemy.

The Anabaptist Reformation was the only part of the reformation which advocated for religious freedom and separation of church and state. Students studying under Zwingli in Switzerland concluded that believer’s baptism was the New Testament mode for baptism instead of infant baptism. Among them were Felix Manz, Conrad Grebel, and George Blaurock. On January 21, 1525, these students baptized each other. Manz and Blaurock were executed by drowning and burning within a few years after practicing believer’s baptism. They were executed by Christian Imperialist/Nationalists (Union of Church and State/Magisterial Reformers) in the name of Jesus for practicing what they believed to be a New Testament practice.

It’s hard for Americans to understand the dangers of Christian Imperialism/Nationalism because we have lived in a democracy with a 1st Amendment protecting religious freedom and separation of church and state for over 200 years. I dare say, most people in American identifying as Christians don’t understand this aspect of church history.

I have always identified with the values of the Anabaptist Reformation, which are articulated in the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution. Many people in Europe fled to America to escape religious persecution in Europe. Christians were killing Christians in Europe. I love religious freedom and the separation of church and state because of my commitment to follow the teachings of Jesus and my understanding of church history. I believe all Americans should continue to have religious freedom, whether they be Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopalian, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheist, or any other religious doctrine or spiritual practice.

Today in America, there is a resurgence of a form of Christian Nationalism. Why should Christians be concerned about Christian Nationalism? Please join me Thursday, September 26 for an excellent training on Christian Nationalism organized by my friend Doug Pagitt of Vote Common Good. Click on the links below for more info and to RSVP. Hope to see you soon!