Bad Interpretations: Nationalism

The single-verse ideology that has swept the Church

(Edited 5/22/25 to add a paragraph about the great commission.)

Nationalism is not, of course, an actual interpretation. Nor is it an idea generally held by traditionalists. Rather, it is a fringe concept long denounced by the Church at large that has gained a foothold among the hyper-ignorant far-right. The idea stems from a single verse at the beginning of Genesis;

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” - Gen 1:26

This idea was that humankind was not just another animal, but set to rule or have “dominion” over the animal kingdom. It is a responsibility to properly steward God’s creation. Dominonists then conflate that idea with their own ideology of superiority and decide it means that Christians should rule over all other people. This is clearly wrong, both as an interpretation of this verse and according to the teachings of Christ and the apostles. Dominionists also like to take historical narrative about Israel and its battles with ancient adversaries to be about them and whatever adversary they have propped up as a scapegoat. Such is so obviously self-serving and objectively wrong that I don’t feel the need to address them individually.

Nationalism and Dominionism have been denounced both in times past and more recently, when the ideology gained political power. In an open letter signed by hundreds of faith leaders and in personal interviews with ex-members, the Nationalism ideology has been denounced as a dangerous false teaching that embraces white supremacy—most notably replacement theory.

So what is Dominionism and why is it so bad? It’s the idea that Christians should take over government and force their idea of Christian law onto the rest of society. If that sounds familiar, that’s because several Muslim countries have done the same thing with Sharia law, which is likewise rejected by many of their Muslim citizens. Christians don’t actually all agree on what would pass for “Christian law,” the diversity of belief in the Church is why Jesus taught that if they are not against us, then they are with us.

The very idea of establishing Christian Law through a theocracy contradicts what Jesus and his apostles taught. Jesus proclaimed that his people would not fight because his Kingdom is not of this world, but of another realm (John 18:36). Paul took that to heart, telling the Church that we fight with spiritual weapons, not weapons of the flesh (2 Cor 10). In Luke 17, Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a nation, but a spiritual life lived by the righteous.

Both Peter and Paul told Christians to accept the authority over them and to continue the practice of loving their enemies and praying for those who persecuted them.¹ And they were actually persecuted—imprisoned and killed for their beliefs. To establish a Christian theocracy would subvert God’s authority as sovereign King over all the world. His theocracy is his Church, not that we should lord over the world, but that we would serve the world as an example of his humility and self-sacrifice.

The great commission from Jesus was to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19, Acts 1:8). The gospel is universal, for the restoration and reconciliation of all things (Acts 3:21). If one nation—or one political and ideological group—declares itself to be singularly righteous among all others, it undermines this idea of wholeness and equality (Gal 3:26-29). It becomes, in fact, antichristian. Of course, we well know that the “Christian” Nationalists fear equality more than anything else.

Make no mistake, Nationalists have openly expressed their plans to dismantle our democracy and replace it with their own theocratic vision. From state legislators and governors, to members of Congress, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, to VP Vance and his billionaire backer Peter Thiel, Christian Nationalists have established themselves throughout our government. They were instrumental in creating the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 that details this plan.

Their self-proclaimed “Prophets” have been telling their congregations to take over by any means necessary, calling for violence in the name of God. They have stated that the rest of the Church, especially Democrat Christians, are ruled by Satan and the only “real” Christian is a Nationalist.

Right before January 6, Hank Kunnenman “prophesied” of a “year of blood and death.” Hank, among many other Nationalist “Prophets” also said that Trump would become President in 2020. If you’re familiar with the instruction from God in Deuteronomy 18, then you’ll know that this failure disqualifies them from the office of Prophet, even if such an office still existed today. Which it doesn’t—the office of Prophet is very different than the spiritual gift of prophecy.

We as Christians must continue to denounce this false teaching and this hateful ideology. Christians are not meant to rule, we are meant to serve. Jesus got down on his knees and washed his disciples feet just to show us that. We need to remember and be examples of Dr. King’s words that, “violence cannot defeat violence, only peace can do that. Hate cannot defeat hate, only love can do that.” We, the Church, need to address Nationalism in unity or watch silently as it tears apart our nation and our Church.

1See 1 Peter 2:13, 1 Peter 3:9, Romans 13:1, Matt 5:44

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