🇺🇸 The Complexity Of Defining and Measuring Christian Nationalism: 5 Takeaways 🔌
Weekend Plug-in 🔌
Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Good morning, Weekend Plug-in readers!
I spent the past few days enjoying Texas Rangers games (did I mention my team won the World Series last year?) and am headed on a reporting trip first thing this morning.
Given my predawn flight, I filed this edition of Weekend Plug-in a little early. Please forgive me if I missed any breaking news.
Four months after supporting blessings for same-sex couples, the Vatican this week declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as violations of human dignity, as Religion Unplugged’s Clemente Lisi notes.
See additional coverage by The Associated Press’ Nicole Winfield, CNN’s Christopher Lamb, the National Catholic Reporter’s Christopher White and the Washington Times’ Mark A. Kellner.
Muslims worldwide celebrated Eid al-Fitr in the shadow of Gaza’s misery, as AP’s Andrew Wilks and Niniek Karmini and Kellner report. Eid prayers were held in a historic former mosque in northern Greece for the first time in 100 years, according to AP’s Costas Kantouris.
This is our weekly roundup of the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith. We start with five takeaways from a comprehensive review of Christian nationalism.
What To Know: The Big Story
Religion Unplugged published my in-depth story this morning on the backlash against what one scholar calls the “overplayed, overhyped” Christian nationalism label.
Here are five takeaways from my reporting:
Debate over Christian nationalism has raged throughout the Trump era. (Shutterstock photo illustration)
1. Christian nationalism is complicated.
Yes, it involves the melding of faith and country. But the specific nature of Christian nationalism depends largely on who’s defining it.
Even as countless books, news articles and cable TV segments devote intense attention to the subject, the term has become so pervasive that it risks losing any real meaning.
At least that’s the warning of a growing band of prominent academics and political observers — on the right and the left.
2. The stats are all over the map.
How many Christian nationalists are there?
Just 5% of American adults self-identify as Christian nationalists, according to one survey.
A different study labels 32.1% of Americans as accommodators and 19.8% as ambassadors of Christian nationalism.
“In short, in trying to estimate the prevalence of support for ‘Christian nationalist’ ideas, it’s very important to be precise about how, exactly, the concept is being measured and what it involves,” the Pew Research Center’s Gregory A. Smith told me. “The estimates you get can be heavily dependent on what you ask and how you define your terms.”
3. Terms such as “woke” and “critical race theory” ignited the right. “Christian nationalism” seems to be doing the same on the left.
Christian nationalism “has gotten a lot of cachet with people on the left who want to use it as a cudgel to beat on religiously conservative voters and portray them as frightening and authoritarian,” said Matthew Wilson, director of the Center for Faith and Learning at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
“Critical race theory kind of became a boogeyman for a while for people on the right — about this insidious philosophy that was a threat to America,” Wilson said. “And I think people on the left think about, quote/unquote, ‘Christian nationalism’ in the same way.”
4. Some scholars remain adamant that Christian nationalism poses a big problem — for America and the church.
“I think it is pervasive enough, and the underlying belief that we are a Christian America is pervasive enough … that it is incumbent on all people of goodwill to counteract that narrative,” said Christina Littlefield, author of the forthcoming book “Christian America and the Kingdom of God: White Christian Nationalism from the Puritans through Jan. 6, 2021.”
Much of the concern relates to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee: former President Donald Trump, who promises to defend Christian values if re-elected and is selling Bibles for $60 as he seeks a second term.
5. For all of Trump’s God-and-country rhetoric, some experts voice skepticism that he’s a true Christian nationalist.
“I would say that he’s trying to appeal to and play on Christian nationalism,” SMU’s Wilson said. “I would not describe Donald Trump as a Christian nationalist because I do not think that Donald Trump is deeply committed to Christian theology. Right?
“But I think he understands that this is one tool in his toolbox for assembling an electoral coalition. The Christian nationalist base, if we want to use that term — even if it is only 5% or single digits of the American population, that’s still enough people to be an important part of his coalition and to make some money from.”
With his endorsement of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA Bible,” which combines the King James Version with the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, Trump may be appealing to “comfort food Christian nationalism,” according to Religion News Service’s Bob Smietana.
For much more detail and insight, read my full story.
Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. Trump and abortion: Conservative Christians praise former President Donald Trump’s anti-abortion record but say he’s stopped short of the goal, The Associated Press’ Holly Meyer and Tiffany Stanley report.
That assessment came this week after “Trump made clear Monday that he would not be leading the push for a federal abortion ban as he vies for his second term in the Oval Office.”
2. Methodist splintering: The not-so-united United Methodist Church faces upheaval after more than 7,500 churches left over disagreements including LGBTQ+ rights.
The Tennessean’s Liam Adams examines “how (the) denomination’s administrative arm is preparing for United Methodism's future following higher-than-expected church disaffiliations and pending budget cuts.”
3. Sports and SCOTUS: As Godbeat reporting niches go, the Deseret News’ Kelsey Dallas has one — make that two — that I really enjoy.
As I’ve mentioned before, her in-depth coverage of religious liberty cases at the U.S. Supreme Court is stellar. And she pairs that speciality with … a focus on faith in sports.
Just this week, her bylines include “Why a rabbi is among those thanking John Calipari for his time at Kentucky,” “Scottie Scheffler is the top golfer in the world. He says faith is his defining trait” and “We serve an unbelievable God,’ says Dawn Staley after South Carolina claims championship.”
More Top Reads
As college athletes face new pressures from bettors upset with their performance, chaplains in the NCAA are trying to help students remember their imago Dei, Christianity Today’s Emily Belz reports. … A Baptist whose handling of child sex abuse accusations had drawn sharp criticism preached his farewell sermon Sunday, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Frank Lockwood. … Name and trademark litigation has embroiled two universities associated with Churches of Christ, The Christian Chronicle’s Cheryl Mann Bacon explains. … For Christians raised in “high-control” settings, elections may trigger religious trauma, Religion News Service’s Kathryn Post writes. … Evangelicals want immigration reform, but they’re unlikely to get it, Ken Chitwood explains at Sojourners. … Baptist leaders urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to support Ukrainian Christians, RNS’ Adelle M. Banks notes. … And as he starts the 36th year of writing his nationally syndicated column, Terry Mattingly explores “Why journalism continues to struggle with religion news.”
Inside The Godbeat
This time next week I plan to be in Pittsburgh for the Religion News Association’s 75th anniversary conference.
Speaking of RNA, here’s some exciting news: The premier professional organization for people who report on religion in the news media is launching a new program for emerging journalists.
Charging Station: ICYMI
Here is where you can catch up on recent news and opinions from ReligionUnplugged.com.
Cherry blossoms hold a profound significance to many, often intertwined with religious symbolism. Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged’s executive editor, looks at how different cultures around the world feel about at these dazzling flowers that bloom each April.
The Final Plug
The Religion News Association named the finalists Thursday for its annual awards. Winners will be announced at the RNA’s annual conference in Pittsburgh next week.
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.
Bobby Ross Jr. writes the Weekend Plug-in column for ReligionUnplugged.com and serves as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 18 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.