We featured Christian Nationalism as our topic of interest in 2024. No doubt, our focus will very likely be relevant in 2025 and far beyond.
While Christian Nationalism as a movement is by no means new, our awareness is certainly new in the last couple of years. The more we learn, the more we understand Christian Nationalism not only as an ideology but also how it’s powered and some of its tools.
The following bibliography isn’t intended to persuade, form opinions, or guide thought, but to encourage your own study and expansion of perspective.
This is a work in progress for the next few months. If you find resources that you feel are a good addition to this work, leave a note in the comments. We’ll consider adding it.
We may alter the structure of this page at some point, but for now:
- Christian Nationalism as a Movement
- What Powers Christian Nationalism
- Christian Nationalism Tools
The Christian Nationalism Movement
Books
Denker, Angela. Red State Christians. Broadleaf Books, 16 Aug. 2022.
The work of a seasoned journalist, Denker’s book is an excellent perspective on what “makes a Christian Nationalist tick”. It’s an easy read and compelling.
Hendricks, Obery M. Christians against Christianity : How Right-Wing Evangelicals Are Destroying Our Nation and Our Faith. Boston, Beacon Press, 2021.
Here’s where to start. In order to understand Christian Nationalism, you need to understand something about Christian doctrine. Hendricks is masterful and to be sure emotional.
Onishi, Bradley. Preparing for War. Broadleaf Books, 3 Jan. 2023.
Preparing for War is a “horse’s mouth” sort of work. Onishi speaks from his own experience as a deconstructed zealous evangelical Christian bent on transforming the world. This work is at the same time readable as well as nerve-wracking. You will never be the same.
Posner, Sarah. UNHOLY : How White Christian Nationalists Powered the Trump Presidency, and the Devastating… Legacy They Left Behind. S.L., Random House, 2021.
Posner is a prolific writer and religion-politics journalist and takes you in her “Way Back” machine to the founding fathers of Christian Nationalism. You will understand how this all happened. I recommend the audio version, but suit yourself!
Biography of evangelist and early Christian Nationalist, Gerald L. K. Smith (1898-1976), Glen Jeansonne traces the tempestuous career of this notorious bigot. A spellbinding speaker and brilliant organizer, Smith founded the reactionary hate sheet The Cross and the Flag as well as the anti-Semitic Christian Nationalist Crusade and ran for president three times.
Articles
Gross, Terry. “Tracing the Rise of Christian Nationalism, from Trump to the Ala. Supreme Court.” NPR, 29 Feb. 2024, www.npr.org/2024/02/29/1234843874/tracing-the-rise-of-christian-nationalism-from-trump-to-the-ala-supreme-court. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Miller, Paul D. “What Is Christian Nationalism?” Christianity Today, 3 Feb. 2021, www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/february-web-only/what-is-christian-nationalism.html. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Posner, Sarah. “The Key Ingredients of Christian Nationalism.” Talking Points Memo, 12 Dec. 2022, talkingpointsmemo.com/news/the-key-ingredients-of-christian-nationalism. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Video & Podcasts
Onishi, Bradley, and Daniel Miller. “Episodes – Straight White American Jesus.” Straight White American Jesus, www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Bad Faith — 2024 | R | CC
Directed by: Stephen Ujlaki and Christopher Jacob Jones
Starring: Peter Coyote
The current-day assault on democracy did not begin with Trumpism the Tea Party or the Moral Majority. The current-day assault on democracy began with the White Supremacy Movement in the 1960s as part of a shrewd, calculated, and well-executed plan that became cloaked as a religious movement.
New Apostolic Reformation — Powering Christian Nationalism
The New Apostolic Reformation has actually been around for a lot of years. The interesting thing is that it’s not even a legal organization, yet its members number in the thousands. C. Peter Wagner is attributed the concept and name as you’ll see in Terry Gross’ Fresh Air. I’ve included sources here to provide multiple perspectives.
Articles
Gagné, André. “Christian Supremacy and U.S. Politics: An Interview with Theologian André Gagné.” Southern Poverty Law Center, 31 May 2024, www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2024/05/31/christian-supremacy-and-us-politics-interview-theologian-andre-gagne. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Mantyla, Kyle. “Che Ahn’s Churches Are Funding Candidates.” Right Wing Watch, 22 Mar. 2024, www.rightwingwatch.org/post/che-ahns-churches-are-funding-candidates-wholl-serve-as-the-legislative-body-of-the-kingdom-of-god/#google_vignette. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Pietsch, Evan, and R Vivian Pietsch. “The Framing of a Movement: Defining the New Apostolic Reformation | Modern Reformation.” Www.modernreformation.org, 21 May 2024, www.modernreformation.org/resources/essays/the-framing-of-a-movement-defining-the-new-apostolic-reformation. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Video & Podcasts
Gross, Terry. “A Leading Figure in the New Apostolic Reformation.” NPR, Fresh Air, 3 Oct. 2011, www.npr.org/2011/10/03/140946482/apostolic-leader-weighs-religions-role-in-politics. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Taylor, Matthew. “Charismatic Revival Fury: Christian Extremism Podcast – ICJS.” ICJS – Institute for Islamic, Christian, Jewish Studies, 9 Dec. 2022, icjs.org/charismatic-revival-fury/. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Tools of Christian Nationalism — Project 2025 and maybe more
More and more we’ll hear about Project 2025 depending on the outcome of the 2024 election. Regardless, the initiative exists and will continue to exist in one form or another and one name or another. Tools are tools of a movement.
Video & Podcasts
González-Ramírez, Andrea. “What to Know about Project 2025, Trump’s Second-Term Blueprint.” The Cut, 10 July 2024, www.thecut.com/article/project-2025-trump-second-term-plans.html. Accessed 15 July 2024.
Lake Superior Freethinkers 
Curious to find that Gerald LK Smith’s works are not included here, since he was the founder of the Christian Nationalist Crusade and the Christian Nationalist Party. His “Sacred Projects” in Arkansas has quite a repository of his antisemitic and nazi-sympathetic writings, as does the University of Michigan. His periodical “The Cross and The Flag” is a revealing look at his entire philosophy. A book about him, entitled Gerald L. K. Smith: Minister of Hate (1997) is available on Amazon.
Good call, Brian. Thanks! We’ll add these resources.