Unraveling the Strands of Christian Nationalism - Part 7

Opening Prayer

The peace of morning’s stillness, the peace of new beginnings, the peace of heaven’s kiss, to welcome us to this day, to root us in this day, to free us for this day, that we may grow with the greening earth, that we may grow from the ground of glory, that we may grow in grateful wonder of You, Gracious Giver of this day, Great Giver of this new day.

• John Philip Newell, Praying with the Earth – A Prayerbook for Peace, p. 50.

Unraveling the Strands of Christian Nationalism:

What is Christian Nationalism? When did it emerge? What interpretation of scripture regarding the End Times drives Christian Nationalism? How does systemic racism undergird it? Can you be a patriot without being a Christian Nationalist?

Excursus: What is the Gospel? What is Vertical and Horizontal Morality?

What is the Gospel?

Perhaps you have recently been wrestling with some big and important questions such as:

If our nation was built on “Christian” principles, why did our forebears treat Native Americans so viciously? Why are some committed to ignoring this history today?

If “Christian” theology so profoundly shaped our national values of liberty, human rights, and full equality, why did even the most devout Christian citizens enslave Africans, ripping them from their land and destroying their lives and families? Why did our political leaders and the people who supported those leaders bar Black Americans from the full rights of citizenship for so long? Why do black Americans continue to face hurdles today?

If the United States is a “Christian” nation, a beacon of hope and democracy to the world, why do we often treat immigrants and refugees with such disdain and sometimes outright violence? Why don’t we do more to help them?

How should our faith tradition and our place in this world interact?

An author observes: “In recent years, some of us have seen the fruit of Christian nationalism in our churches and among our friends. We are rightly troubled and wonder, Has it always been this way? We no longer recognize our faith tradition. Some of us leave. Others of us stay but grieve the current state of affairs. We try to imagine a different future in which our collective example to those outside the faith is one that attracts rather than repels.” (Whitehead, p. 9.)

What is the Gospel?

There are two aspects of the gospel. The first aspect focuses mainly on my relationship with God and what I believe about God including such things as the death and resurrection of Jesus, the nature of the atonement, and the work of the Church. This includes theological claims that I either believe or do not believe. This is the personal aspect of the Gospel.

“When we apply the Gospel only to our personal lives and cherry pick Bible verses in support, we miss the clear theme of justice throughout the Bible and ignore the broader work of God in the world. We must embrace the second aspect of the Gospel, what we can label the practical Gospel – practices that flow from the personal aspect of the Gospel, such as loving one’s neighbor, seeking justice for the oppressed, and caring for orphans and widows. Throughout the Bible, the personal aspect of the Gospel is impossible to separate from the practical aspect of the Gospel.” (Whitehead, p. 10.)

[Note: see The Baptismal Covenant (BCP pp. 304-305) which emphasizes both the personal and practical aspects of the Gospel.]

What is Vertical and Horizontal Morality? (HuffPost Life)

“How can people profess faith in Jesus – who preached love, mercy, and care for the oppressed while supporting policies that punish immigrants, demonize LGBTQ people and glorify cruelty? The key to understanding this apparent contradiction might be in something called ‘vertical morality.’”

“Vertical morality teaches that authority, power and a moral code of right and wrong, or acceptable and unacceptable, comes from ‘above’ – an external superior who designates rules, systems, and tenets that must be obeyed by those beneath. In the context of religion, the superior is God. Vertical morality in Christianity is the idea that our ethics and behaviors have a duty to please God alone. We get our morals from God, and we must obey him, furthering the will of God no matter the cost.”

“Vertical morality stands in contrast to the concept of horizontal morality. Horizontal morality prioritizes the well- eing of our neighbors, communities and personal relationships. We act in ways that cause the least amount of harm to those around us, regardless of beliefs. Someone with vertical morality may help someone in need because they believe that’s what God wants them to do, versus someone with horizontal morality may help that same person for the benefit of the person that needs help. Rather than unquestioning obedience, this approach focuses on genuine empathy, compassion, and love toward others, recognizing the actual effects our actions have on people.”

“Both are important in the Christian faith, but a lot of people get hung up on the vertical as a priority and forget about the horizontal altogether.”

“In Matthew 25, Jesus describes people who fed and clothed those in need, who welcomed the stranger, who took care of the sick and visited those in prison. Jesus then says, ‘What you did for the least of these, you did for me.’ Jesus equates loving our neighbors (horizontal morality) with loving Christ (vertical morality).”

“Evangelicals [broadly speaking] are taught that all morality comes from God and therefore true goodness can only be spread by obeying God, even if it harms people around us. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if pleasing God manifests by following the teachings of Jesus – loving our neighbors, loving our enemies, promoting peace and taking care of the poor, the widow, the immigrant and standing up for the marginalized. It becomes dangerous when Christians weaponize this vertical morality for power, which is exactly what we’re seeing with Christian Nationalism. In the current era, Christian Nationalists see anyone on their political team as good and on God’s side, while those who oppose them as evil and satanic.”

“Vertical morality can bring genuine spiritual depth and discipline, but it has to work in tandem with horizontal ethics. We always say faith without works is dead. Faith without action is incomplete. Personal piety can become performative if it isn’t rooted in love for others.”

- Sources:

Whitehead, Andrew L., American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church, 2023.

“The Reason Behind MAGA Christians’ Un-Christian Actions,” HuffPost Life, October 2025.

For this week: For reflection: How does religious supremacy erode democratic values and principles?

An invitation to our virtual participants: Discussion and comments are very much encouraged and welcomed. Online discussions can be held in the comments section in the upcoming post on Social Media for this week’s Deacon’s Reflection which is part of adult formation at St. Francis Episcopal Church.

Closing Prayer – Prayer of Blessing

May the love of life fill our hearts. May the love of earth bring joy to heaven. May the love of self deepen our souls. May the love of neighbor heal our world. As nations, as peoples, as families this day, may the love of life heal our world.
May the light of God illumine the heart of my soul. May the flame of Christ kindle me to love.
May the fire of the Spirit free me to live this day, tonight, and forever. Amen.

• John Philip Newell, Praying with the Earth - A Prayerbook for Peace, p. 52.

“Unraveling the Strands of Christian Nationalism,” Deacon Joe Dzugan, St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2025.