Americans are growing more accepting of Christian nationalism (Washington Post, September 1, 2022, the lede)

In an interview with the conservative Next News Network in June, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said, “I’m a Christian, and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists.” While the sentiment may seem uncontroversial, academics and extremists use the term Christian nationalism to refer to an ethnocultural nationalist ideology — in this case, defining American identity as exclusively White and Christian, and aiming for a government that favors that group’s beliefs. Such a government would be at odds with liberal democracy.

Is Christian nationalism gaining popularity?

Before Greene’s comments, no nationally known public official had overtly claimed the Christian nationalist label. Yet since the Capitol insurrection, Christian nationalist ideologies have become more visible. Far-right leaders have ramped up their calls to take back Christian America through violence. Some observers suggest that recent Supreme Court decisions have supported the far-right’s goal of treating Christianity as more important than liberal democratic norms.

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