Why This Moment Calls for a Better Vision Than Christian Nationalism

In the days since we began working on this article, the public conversation about Christian nationalism has taken center-stage once again. The recent civil war between Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro over Carlson’s platforming of Nick Fuentes has brought the term back into the spotlight—and in ways that predictably twist the ideas of both Christianity and national patriotism.

Nick Fuentes, who openly identifies as a Christian nationalist while also promoting antisemitic, racist, and governmentally authoritarian views, represents a version of faith and politics we believe is entirely out of step with the heart of Jesus and the teachings of Scripture. The kind of rhetoric he embraces not only misuses the name of Christ but also serves to create additional division and strife between people we are called to serve with humility and love. We believe Christians must be clear about this.

But we also believe that versions of Christian Nationalism which don’t espouse the blatantly unchristian tenets of a Nick Fuentes still present dangers for Christians, even if harder to see. Politicians need a rallying transcendence, and for conservatives, Christianity, with its family values and impressive numbers, can present a shiny option. We want to suggest that, as tantalizing as it might be for politicians to claim facets of Christianity—its ethics, its convictions, or even just its label—Christians do well to remain suspicious of such alliances. We must never let seasons of perceived political peacetime lull us into dullness regarding our disciple making mission.

“We must never let seasons of perceived political peacetime lull us into dullness regarding our disciple making mission.”

It is specifically because of moments like these that we felt compelled to write what follows. Our aim is not to attack individuals (although we will not shy away from confronting dangerous ideologies), or even to prescribe the ideal model of church-state interaction, but rather to point the church back from shiny shortcuts to its true calling: to live as citizens of God’s kingdom first and foremost and to love others without partiality. As such, we encourage you to resist attempts to wrap the gospel and its message in the flag of any nation.

At the same time, we recognize that many on the left too quickly dismiss thoughtful Christian critiques of government policies as mere “Christian nationalism.” Their strong reaction to public defenses of biblical convictions—beliefs that only recently were mainstream in America, such as the sanctity of marriage, Christian sexual ethics, and gender distinctions—has led some to label nearly any Christian moral advocacy as “Christian nationalism.” This is both unfair and inaccurate.

Throughout history, Christian leaders have spoken in the public square to call people, including those in government, to repentance and obedience to God. Consider William Wilberforce, who fought to abolish slavery, or Martin Luther King Jr., who advanced civil rights for African Americans. Were they Christian nationalists? Of course not—they were faithful witnesses advocating for the ways of God.

“We encourage you to resist attempts to wrap the gospel and its message in the flag of any nation.”

In the past, many of RENEW.org’s authors—including those in RENEW.org leadership—have spoken out when necessary against ideas emerging from the political left, such as cultural Marxism, third-wave feminism, and contemporary critical theory, etc. Our convictions on those matters, and on the cultural movements associated with them, are well established and clear. But that is not the focus of this article. Our purpose here is to be equally clear about the dangerous ideologies now arising from parts of the political and cultural right. And because these ideas are often advanced explicitly in the name of Christ, we feel an even greater responsibility to speak with courage, clarity, and conviction.

What follows below is our effort to re-center the conversation where it belongs: on Jesus, the kingdom of God, and the kind of courage and faithfulness He calls His people to embody in moments like these.

What We Need to Reject

In this moment of cultural and political intensity, a lot of believers are wrestling with how to live faithfully in the public square. How do we love our country, engage our culture, and participate in civic life—all while keeping our ultimate allegiance to Jesus and His kingdom? First, we suggest the following as things to leave behind if we are serious about our ultimate allegiance to King Jesus.

1) We reject the idea that the good of one’s nation and the good news of the gospel are interchangeable. Christian nationalism often treats faith in Christ as tied to a particular nation, ethnic identity, or political system. As one article at RENEW.org puts it, “A healthy patriotism becomes American Christian nationalism when it draws an essential connection between the US and Christianity and then uses that connection as a primary means for moving the kingdom of God forward.”
We can’t cross that line. The gospel isn’t bound to any one flag or border—it’s for every tribe, tongue, and nation.

2) As we and other RENEW.org contributors have previously written, we reject the idea that Christians should rely on civil power to advance Christ’s kingdom. When we start hoping for revival through political victories instead of spiritual transformation, or when we place more trust in government than in the gospel, we’ve crossed a line.
As another RENEW.org article points out, “It is a huge turn-off for most younger Christians who hear a NewsMax version of the Gospel.…I knew the Jesus they were promoting was not the King Jesus of the Gospels.” The kingdom doesn’t come through votes or legislation—it comes through hearts surrendered to Jesus.

“The kingdom doesn’t come through votes or legislation—it comes through hearts surrendered to Jesus.”

3) We reject the assumption that faithfulness to Christ means defending a particular culture as sacred. Christian nationalism can suggest that to be “us” (meaning our nation) is to be “Christian,” and to defend “our way of life” is akin to protecting the faith. But national identity and Christian identity are simply not the same thing.
When we start equating the two, we blur the line between cultural loyalty and spiritual allegiance. As one RENEW.org article puts it bluntly, “The political extremes have become our nation’s new religions.”

What We Need to Affirm

We are pointing out the dangers of Christian nationalism because of our deep convictions about what Jesus’ kingdom actually is. In what follows, we list core convictions we must affirm in order to keep our allegiance to King Jesus front and center:

1) We affirm that Jesus is King of all kings—our ultimate political loyalty belongs to Him above every earthly power. Jesus did not come to elevate one nation’s dominance but to call people from every tribe and language into His kingdom (Revelation 7:9). Our true citizenship isn’t American—or any nationality—it’s heavenly (Philippians 3:20). The church is global, multiethnic, and united under one Lord. That truth keeps us from reducing the gospel to something meant for the benefit of a single nation. As a Canadian, I (Bobby) must ask: why would God be more concerned with America than with Canada? Isn’t He concerned about both?

2) We affirm that disciple making in the local church is more important than political strategy. Our mission is clear: make disciples. Politics matters, but it isn’t the core of God’s calling. If we truly want to see a nation transformed, we must become increasingly effective at making disciples—who in turn will, by their lives, transform communities, cities, and nations. We must not fix our focus on government, but on revival. As one RENEW.org piece reminds us, “While elections matter, they are a route and a reflection—but most fundamentally a reminder to pray and seek revival.” When disciple making remains our focus, we avoid confusing politics with the gospel itself. We see politics for what it is—a tool that can serve good purposes, but never the source of our hope.

“We see politics for what it is—a tool that can serve good purposes, but never the source of our hope.”

3) We affirm the upside-down nature of the kingdom. Jesus came as a servant-king. The early church changed the world not through dominance, but through grace, service, and sacrifice. The way of the kingdom has always been marked by humility, not hostility.
If Jesus truly is King, then His followers should be the most humble, patient, and grace-filled people in the room—even when we appropriately hold strong convictions.



4) We affirm the unity of the church across nations, races, and cultures. The gospel unites what the world divides. When Christian nationalism forges a bond between faith and a single national identity, it weakens our witness to the world.
As one RENEW.org article warns, “When you’re grasping at the wrong kind of power…you’ll find that you’ve lost your kinship with marginalization, your courage for denunciation, your resistance to infiltration, and your uniqueness in duration.”
We want no part of a power-based faith—speaking of the political power structures of this world. We want a kingdom that reflects the heart of Jesus.

What This Means for Our Churches and Our Posture

For us—whether at our respective local congregations or within our influence in disciple making networks across the country—our leadership and teaching are formed by core commitments, such as:

• We encourage believers to love their country, honor their leaders (Romans 13), and seek the common good. But we must never confuse godly patriotism—wanting the best for our nation—with any attempt to make the government bring about God’s kingdom.
• We’ll keep disciple making at the center of everything, helping people live under the reign of Jesus.
• We’ll celebrate diversity and build bridges across lines of ethnicity, nationality, and culture—because that’s what the kingdom looks like.
• When we sense among us more eagerness and anxiety regarding political outcomes than disciple making progress, we’ll pause and ask: Are we still centered on the gospel or is something else at work?
• And we’ll keep reminding people that our ultimate hope isn’t in any earthly government—it’s in the new heavens and the new earth to come (Revelation 21).

Ultimately, our engagement in politics will be humble and hopeful, not driven by fear or desire to coerce others to think just as we do.

A Word of Encouragement

If you’ve felt uneasy watching the church mix national symbols with the cross—or when political rallies start sounding like revival services—you’re not alone. Many faithful believers share that concern. And you’re right to feel it.

The gospel is much too big, far too beautiful, and far too global to be reduced to one nation’s brand of politics. Let’s follow Jesus together. Let’s live as citizens of His kingdom first and foremost. Let’s love our country but love Christ more. Let’s serve our neighbors, not just our nation. And above all, let’s make disciples—because that’s the mission Jesus actually gave us.

One more thing. We realize that some might read this and assume we’ve gone soft, that we’re somehow compromising truth by refusing to fit the gospel with its likeliest political allies. But make no mistake—this isn’t the easy path. It takes more courage for us to speak out about political matters than it would to simply go along and watch things play out in our churches in least-resistant ease. Our goal isn’t to please the culture or to keep things comfortable in the church; it’s to stay true to Jesus. Silence in times of ambiguity is not strength, but cowardice. Our desire is to call churches back from polished political assurances to its true allegiance—to King Jesus and His everlasting kingdom.

“Our desire is to call churches back from polished political assurances to its true allegiance—to King Jesus and His everlasting kingdom.”

RENEW.org articles referenced:

• “Is Christian Nationalism Faithfulness? 4 Lessons from the Constantine Years,” by Daniel McCoy
• “Carrying a Cross Through Political Crossfire,” by Jonathan Storment
• “Politics is the New Religion,” by Bobby Harrington & Paul Huyghebaert
• “The Lion is Better Than the Elephant and the Donkey. But in What Way?” by Daniel McCoy and Bobby Harrington
• “Are White Evangelicals Responsible for Corrupting the Faith and Fracturing a Nation? A Review of Jesus and John Wayne,” by Guy Layfield
• “What Matters More than the Election,” by Bobby Harrington
• “Christians and Politics: 5 Principles for Christian Interaction with the Political World,” by Paul Huyghebaert