The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy

by Philip S. Gorski

Patriotism is animated by love, nationalism by hatred.

This is why we must be specific that the phenomenon we’re describing in this book is white Christian nationalism. At issue is not just religious nostalgia or even religious conservatism, as if such things transcended ethnic and racial identities. Rather, it is an acute strain of ethno-traditionalism in which “white” and “Christian” are conflated into a single identity—“white-Christian.”

once we account for Christian nationalism in our statistical models, white Americans who attend church more often, pray more often, and consider religion more important are less likely to prioritize the economy or liberty over the vulnerable. Why is this the case? Because white Christian nationalism is about ethno-traditionalism and protecting the freedoms of a very narrowly defined “us.” Religious commitment, in contrast, can expand what philosopher Peter Singer calls the “circle of empathy,” our ability to put ourselves in others’ shoes.