He's not known for his nuanced language. And there is no consensus definition for this term Christian nationalism. So, spoiler alert: the question Is Donald Trump a Christian Nationalist? will not be answered definitely in this article.
But let's try to think clearly together about religious freedom and so-called Christian nationalism during times where emotional outrage and polarized groupthink too often drown out reasonable conversation.
A Quick Story to Start
After Trump stated this past weekend, "we have to bring back our religion; we have to bring back Christianity in this country," I took the opportunity to engage in an experiment on social media. (The experiment was not to endorse or oppose candidates; I avoid partisan politics like the plague; when well-known figures speak about faith, we can seize the opportunity to teach our very important religious liberty doctrine, revealing God's character.)
Here was the experiment. What I did was express my concern for the aforementioned statement by Donald Trump. But then the next day I posted a clip of Trump in 2016 at Liberty University saying, "We're going to protect Christianity," this time showing support for that particular statement.
I'm not sure Mr. Trump is aware of the distinction in the verbiage of these two statements; but these are two very different statements.
Trump's 2016 "protect Christianity" statement that I supported describes an important part of the government's God-appointed task. That grand old document, the Declaration of Independence, states that governments are instituted to secure our unalienable rights. And the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment codifies this duty - to protect, not infringe upon, the freedom to practice one's religion, including Christianity.
However, in his statement this past weekend, he didn't merely speak of protecting religious freedom, but referred to one particular religion as our religion. "We have to bring back our religion; we have to bring back Christianity in this country." Is he saying here that pluralistic America has a national religion, and that policies should be pursued to bring that religion back?
While his statement isn't sufficient cause to light one's hair on fire or break out the smelling salts, I did take the opportunity to voice concern on behalf of those who value the separation of church and state, and requested some elaboration on that statement. Perhaps this campaign speech wasn't meant as a campaign speech (speaking to and about all of America), but perhaps his words "our religion" were meant to apply only to he and the Christian broadcaster's audience whom he was addressing. Clarification needed from Mr. Trump.
I really wanted to see the difference in the reactions I'd get from the commenters.
FIRST CLIP: After posting my concern about the statement from this past weekend that a president seems to be referring to one religion as America's religion, the MAGA folks were predictably up in arms, defending their guy.
Christianity IS this nation's religion! The majority of Americans are Christian! We were founded on Christian values and morals!
True about the Christian values... but what does that mean?
It seems that most of them are not aware of the Establishment Clause; some of them know that the phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in the Constitution and they assume the concept is absent.
SECOND CLIP: Next, after posting appreciation that a presidential candidate would say he wants to protect my religion (which presently is the most persecuted religion in the world), the anti-Trump folks somehow saw in Trump's pledge to protect Christianity an outright denial of separation of church and state!
It seems that these guys don't really appreciate the Free Exercise Clause as much as we do. (Learned that during COVID - mandated church closures; no body temple liberty of conscience.)
"Christian Nationalism"... Was America Founded on Christian Values?
Revelation 12:15-16 and 13:11 prophesied the rise of a nation that was to become a haven for the persecuted ("the earth helped the woman"), one that would possess lamb-like (or Christian) qualities. This nation would not initially be a persecuting power. It would behave in a more Christian manner, especially remembering that Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 20:25-26 to not lord it over others like the Gentile rulers do.
Thus, by the strict prophetic definitions of the words "Christian" and "nation," America was indeed founded as a Christian nation. The government in America is supposed to refrain from enforcing Christianity or prohibiting free exercise of religion. That is a very Christian thing to do.
Likewise, it is correct to say that America was founded on Christian morals, as long as you make clear which morals are included and excluded from the purview of the government.
God's moral law contains ten commandments, divided into two tables - the first four, and the last six. Consider the latter table of the Ten Commandments as they relate to the government:
Protection of family rights; parents, not the state, have the right and duty to raise their children (5th Commandment)
Murder of innocent life is punishable by law (6th Commandment)
Marriage contracts are enforceable through the state (7th Commandment)
Governments should punish looting and stealing of all kinds (8th Commandment)
Lying under oath is a crime; any form of contract fraud is civilly adjudicated (9th Commandment)
Additionally, the Declaration of Independence states that we are endowed by our Creator with our rights. The state may neither dispense nor rescind human rights; we were born with them; they're unalienable.
So, as you can see, there are many elements of our nation's founding that were very much informed by Christianity. And these principles are, indeed, under attack in our nation today.
And, yes, we DO need to bring these elements back!
Does that make you a Christian nationalist?
This term "Christian nationalist" is largely being used as a political weapon to throw at people for simply being political conservatives. Speak against drag queen story time? Advocate for protection of the unborn? You're slandered as a Christian nationalist. S o the term loses all meaning.
The Misguided So-called Christian Nationalists
There is a portion of the electorate that does indeed believe in a church-state of sorts, asserting state regulation into the first four Commandments, not merely the last six. These people must be taught about the Constitution.
How big of a group are they? Some will exaggerate the size of the group, become alarmist (probably being political), and will endanger our credibility as a movement. Let's try our best to be accurate.
Let's start with the 45% of Americans who believe "America should be a Christian nation." (In 2007 it was 55%.)
How many of those 45% actually believe in having laws based on Christian beliefs or that separation of church and state shouldn’t exist? Just 6% of the 45%, so less than 3% of Americans believe in that.
To put that number of 3% in perspective, consider other recent threats to liberty:
30% of millennials and Gen Z presently have a favorable view of communism!
During COVID mania they got 45% of Democrats to the point where they wanted to lock up the unvaccinated in designated facilities!
After 9/11 they got four in ten Americans to agree that all Muslim American citizens should be required to carry a unique religious identification!
American Apostate Protestantism will soon play an important role in prophecy. But something major will have to change first regarding their beliefs. Let's be accurate. Protestants are currently the most, not the least, religiously tolerant. When you break America down into the four largest religious affiliations, Protestants in America are tied for first place in believing that freedom of religion applies to all groups.
Why it's so important to say "so-called..." Christian nationalists
Back to this <3% of Americans that want laws based on Christian beliefs / no separation of church and state.
Recall that in Bible prophecy, the power that enforces religious dogmas is appropriately called antichrist.
Thus, those who advocate the imposition of Christianity by force, are in harmony with antichrist. They should not be referred to as "Christian" anything! That's the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we are using! This is why it is important to add the modifier, "so-called." Don't take that precious name in vain by letting an antichrist spirit be referred to as ‘Christian’.
And in our soul-winning, it's not very persuasive or rhetorically shrewd to say to our evangelical friends, come fellow Bible believing Christians, join us and stand with us against something called Christian!
If the term Christian nationalism is to be used prophetically, and if it has any life left in it, the term should be reserved for those who actually verifiably believe in uniting church and state or enforcing Christian doctrine or worship, and should always be preceded by the modifier, "so-called," since this ideology is anti-Christian, not Christian.
Given that definition of so-called Christian nationalism, the two biggest politicians in America at the moment might be closet so-called Christian nationalists... they might end up being so-called Christian nationalists later on... but based upon the evidence available we cannot say with a high degree of certainty that either Biden or Trump is a so-called Christian nationalist.
Conclusion
More important than teaching constitutional literacy by explaining both religious freedom clauses in the First Amendment, in teaching about liberty, we show to the world a glimpse of God's character in that He does not force the conscience but invites us to choose whom we will worship. The kingdoms of this world are coming to nothing. His kingdom is not of this world. Thy kingdom come.
A brief open letter to close...
Dear President Trump,
Thank you for vowing to protect my religion in 2016 in your Liberty University speech; I hope you'll also pledge to do the same for all faiths in America.
If I understand you correctly, can you please elaborate on what policies or methods you intend to employ to "bring back" Christianity, and what do you mean by calling Christianity "our religion?"
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Scott Ritsema is the founder and director of Belt of Truth Ministries and Media on the Brain. He lives in Lakeview Michigan with his wife Cami and three amazing children!
www.BeltofTruth.tv
www.11thHourDispatch.com
www.BeltofTruthMinistries.org
