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

by Philip S. Gorski

In deciding which way to turn, conservative white Christians might start by confronting their own history. Like any history, it is morally complex. There is plenty to be ashamed of. White Protestant theology has provided theological justifications for racism, imperialism, and exploitation. In some cases, it still does. This is not just a matter of “racial prejudice” or “personal morality.” Instead, it has to do with the deep story that shapes many Christians’ perceptions of the present in ways that they may not even be consciously aware of. Reckoning with white Christian nationalism means more than “looking into one’s heart”; it also means reckoning with your tribe’s history. It means confronting, not just your own sins, but also “the sins of the fathers.”