“God and Country”
Near the end of the documentary God and Country, Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, professor of history at Calvin College, says the following (which I am paraphrasing): It’s time for Christians to engage in careful reassessment, to go back to scripture, to see what God’s teaching really is, to look at the life of Christ, to look at what Jesus calls us to do and who Jesus calls us to be. And then take a look at our political views.
She says this in response to the threat of Christian Nationalism, which is a political movement not a religion. Though Christian Nationalism uses the Bible to defend its positions, it is not biblical. Though it seeks to impose a set of values, they are not the values of the Gospel of Jesus. Christian Nationalism desires power above all else.
At the heart of this political movement is the Seven Mountain Mandate. According to a recent column by New York Times columnist and evangelical Christian David French, this Mandate “states that Christians will be able to save the nation only if they or their allies gain control of each of the seven ‘mountains’ of cultural influence: the family, religion, education, the media, the arts, business and the government.”
In the gospels, Jesus shows us another way. When the devil took Jesus to a high mountain and offered him the power to rule the world, Jesus said no. (Matthew 4:8-10) When he was transfigured by God’s glory on the mountain, he chose to walk down the mountain to live and work with God’s people (Matthew 17:1-9). As French writes, “Jesus left the mountaintop and died on a cross. Believers in the Seven Mountain Mandate covet the mountaintop.”
One of the most visceral examples of the consequences of Christian Nationalism is the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Churches sent busloads of people to Washington that day. They carried the Christian flag and the cross as they attacked the most hallowed halls of our democracy. “The Christians who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 traumatized a nation,” French writes, “and when you understand the prophecies believed and the theology held by some of them, you understand exactly why it might happen again.”
A political movement is using our faith and our Savior for its own power. What can we do?
Stay informed even if doing so makes you uncomfortable. Pay attention to what candidates for public office say and which groups endorse them. Watch the documentary God and Country to learn more about Christian Nationalism.
Vote. As Episcopalians we vow to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” (Prayer Book, p. 305) This means we celebrate multiculturalism and a pluralistic society. Vote for candidates you believe are most likely to reflect this promise in their policies and their leadership.
Bear witness to Christ in your life so others see a different way of being Christian. Follow St. Paul’s teaching to live by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
