… Because this view is one of the founding ideologies of the American Militia Movement, it makes sense that interest and membership in the movement would sharply increase following these standoffs between government and nonconformists."ĭistrust of the government blended with strains of Christian fundamentalism have brought together two groups with formerly disparate goals.Ĭhristian fundamentalists and white supremacist militia groups both figured themselves as targeted by the government in the aftermath of the standoffs at Ruby Ridge and Waco. As sociologist Erin Kania argues: "Ruby Ridge and Waco confrontations drove some citizens to strengthen their belief that the government was overstepping the parameters of its authority. The two events spurred a nationwide militia buildup. A fire took hold at the compound in disputed circumstances, leading to the deaths of 76 people, including Koresh. After a 51-day standoff, federal law enforcement laid siege to the compound. In the Waco siege a year later, cult leader David Koresh and his followers entered a standoff with federal law enforcement at the group's Texas compound, once again concerning weapons charges. Christian Identity members believe in the application of the death penalty for adultery and LBGTQ relationships in accordance with their reading of some biblical passages.ĭuring the standoff, Weaver's wife and teenage son were shot and killed before he surrendered to federal authorities. Weaver ascribed to the Christian Identity movement, which emphasizes adherence to Old Testament laws and white supremacy. The catalyst for the growth of militia activity among contemporary Christian nationalists stems from two events: the 1992 Ruby Ridge standoff and the 1993 siege at Waco.Īt Ruby Ridge, former Army Green Beret Randy Weaver engaged federal law enforcement in an 11-day standoff at his rural Idaho cabin over charges relating to the sale of sawed-off shotguns to an ATF informant investigating Aryan Nation white supremacist militia meetings. The first is through their involvement in militia groups the second is seen in attacks on abortion providers. Violence perpetrated by Christian nationalists has manifested in two primary ways in recent decades. Nonetheless, Christian nationalist thinking suggests that unless Christians control the state, the state will suppress Christianity. The vast majority of Christian nationalists never engage in violence. Parts of the movement fit into a broader right-wing extremist history of violence, which has been on the rise over the past few decades and was particularly on display during the Capitol attack on Jan. In this mindset, only Christians are true Americans. American Christian nationalism is a worldview based on the belief that America is superior to other countries, and that that superiority is divinely established. Christian nationalism combines belief in a particular form of Christianity with nativist and populist political platforms.
Perry and Whitehead describe the Christian nationalist movement as being "as ethnic and political as it is religious," noting that it relies on the assumption of white supremacy. Perry argue in their book " Taking Back America for God." Christian nationalism is prevalent among Trump supporters, as religion scholars Andrew Whitehead and Samuel L. Many Christian nationalists repeat conservative activist David Barton's argument that the Founding Fathers did not intend to keep religion out of government.Īs a scholar of racism and communication who has written about white nationalism during the Trump presidency, I find the amplification of Christian nationalism unsurprising. The government is not supposed to direct the church." Boebert called the separation of church and state "junk." Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado, recently said, "The church is supposed to direct the government. And I'm a Christian, and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists." Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right Donald Trump loyalist from Georgia, told an interviewer on July 23, 2022, that the Republican Party "need to be the party of nationalism.
midterm elections, some politicians continue to ride the wave of what's known as "Christian nationalism" in ways that are increasingly vocal and direct. This article was originally published on The Conversation.
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