White Christian nationalism, the “belief in the idea that America was founded by Christians who modeled its laws and institutions after Protestant ideals with a mission to spread the religion and those ideals in the face of threats from non-whites, non-Christians, and immigrants” is a dangerous ideology and a threat to religious liberty. It aims to erode, if not erase, the vital distinction between religion and state by infusing the government with punitive and perilous principles that creates a two-tiered society we have not seen since colonial times. Further, white Christian nationalism seeks to grant its unique, unforgiving interpretation of Christianity a privileged role when enforcing policy for running schools, for making sexual and reproductive decisions, for administering border programs, for structuring our criminal justice system, and for (mis)using the military in foreign affairs.  

This all may sound bizarre and fantastical, but some of these plans and pronouncements have deep roots in the social — specifically racist — history of the United States. White Christian nationalism threatens every effort to correct the systemic racial inequality in this country. And by interweaving racial and religious prejudice it looks alarmingly familiar — one need only recall those photographs of 40,000 Ku Klux Klan members marching down the streets of the nation’s capital 99 years ago, on August 8, 1925.   

A UCC-wide effort to present the gospel message as one of inclusion, forgiveness, and divinely inspired love called “THIS is Christianity,” houses testimonials, stories, announcements, and worship resources for anyone and everyone who considers inclusion and loving care rather than division and renunciation to be the gospel’s message for our time and place. If you wish to submit a story from your congregation on actions focused on love, compassion, and inclusion, click here.  

In such moments of crisis, the people of God are called to testify by word and deed not only to the harm that tyranny visits on a people but also to the curative potential of listening, responding with healing words, and speaking up on behalf of those who are oppressed, disheartened, or excluded. Please join us: every congregation — every soul — every voice — is needed.