A few months ago, guest contributor A. Adar Ayira wrote about keeping the faith in an age of white (supremacist) Christianity. She described the organized actions of Christian-led white supremacists and the threat to people of color and racial equality. She concluded by observing the absence of a visible opposition from white Christians who disagree with how the teachings and values of Jesus are being distorted. She pointed out that white people tend to rely on Black and non-Black people of color to lead the pushback. 

The recent nomination of Kamala Harris as presidential candidate followed that script. The first to organize were Win with Black Women who brought 44,000 women to support Kamala Harris together on Zoom hours after President Biden announced he wouldn’t run. Black and other leaders endorsed Kamala Harris and vowed their support and protection for her against the racist, sexist attacks from the Trump campaign and his White Christian Nationalist supporters.

For a month or so, those involved in our monthly Racial Justice Conversations – a group of white people of faith committed to learning about racism and working for racial justice and equity – have explored possible individual and collective actions to be part of the white opposition to White Christian Nationalism. 

This week brought expanded opportunities and more evidence that there is a growing organized opposition by people of faith to White Christian Nationalism. White men and white women from diverse beliefs and backgrounds have come together to also support and defend Kamala Harris. A friend who is a retired Lutheran pastor sent me materials on actions by his church to confront Christian Nationalism.  

I listened with amazement to a YouTube talk made in June of this year by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), in which she reinforced a written statement opposing Christian Nationalism that she and her Church had issued earlier on the ELCA Advocacy Network entitled WE ARE CHRISTIANS AGAINST CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM. (The name “evangelical “has been a part of the Lutheran identity for 500 years. Unfortunately, in the last 50 years, “evangelical” (meaning good news) has been stolen by a group of Christians who are actually more legalistic than evangelical.) 

In the video, Bishop Eaton describes in very personal terms the broad diversity of the community she lives in and her total opposition to what Christian Nationalism stands for. The earlier statement of the ECLA Advocacy Network endorsed by Bishop Eaton begins by defining Christian nationalism in clear and irrefutable terms: it’s a distortion of Christianity with beliefs that Christianity should be “a privileged religion in the U.S., …and that good Americans must hold Christian beliefs. Proponents range from those who believe the United States should be declared a Christian nation (approximately 21% of the U.S. population believe this) to those involved in more virulent strains that are openly racist, antidemocratic or gang-like.”

Wow, as a lifelong Catholic, I am in awe and jealous of a Church that clearly states this distortion of Christian values for what it is. The statement goes on to state unequivocal opposition to this deadly misrepresentation of Christianity: “We reject this damaging political ideology and invite our Christian brothers and sisters to join us in opposing this threat to our faith and to our nation.” 

The statement continues by explaining to members why this is important to them, and their expression of faith. It concludes with specific suggestions on How Can Lutherans Respond, including suggestions on “Depolarizing Dialogue” with people who support Christian Nationalism. 

I was further encouraged when I learned that in 2019 over three dozen denominations signed a statement as Christians Against Christian Nationalism. The statement and list of endorsers includes a variety of Christian faiths – Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopal, Catholic, United Church of Christ, among others  – and advocacy groups like Faithful America, Vote Common Good, Latino Christian National Network, and Faith in Public Life.

Finding this information and the organizations involved gave me hope. I am curious to explore further actions by these organizations since 2019 as we look for ways white people of faith and Christians can join organized groups working against White Christian Nationalism.  

Christian teachings make clear that faith and action go together. Signing statements of support is an action. Finding ways to dialogue with people who believe in Christian Nationalism is an action. Working for candidates who are opposed to white supremacism and Christian nationalism is an action.  Continuing to pay attention to our whiteness and how we unknowingly collude with racism is an action. 

The election, as we are reminded daily, is less than 100 days away. What can we do as citizens, as people of faith, to advance values that unite? How can we advocate for racial equity and justice? Join us at Racial Justice Conversations tomorrow, August 7 at 5 p.m. Eastern time on Zoom to explore possible individual and collective actions against Christian (Supremacist) Nationalism. Email me at [email protected] if you’d like the Zoom link to join our discussion tomorrow, or have information on faith-based groups working against Christian nationalism.