Christian Nationalism Is Not Biblical Faithfulness—It’s a Choice

1 Samuel 2:1-10, Luke 1:39-57

One of the more common insults that more conservative Christians lob at more progressive Christians is that we “pick and choose” what we choose to follow in the Bible. Implying of course, that more conservative Christians are more faithful to the Biblical text than progressive Christians are. However, in order to create this false narrative that they are more faithful to the Biblical texts, this ironically involves ignoring sections of the Bible.

The Bible is a multi-vocal text, meaning it does not speak in a singular voice. It is filled with various viewpoints. It often seems as if the Biblical writers are arguing with each other. Is it ok to marry foreigners or not? Do we treat foreigners with kindness or compassion or do we punish them for not worshiping the “true” God? Does God abhor violence or embrace it?

The Bible is a complicated text. As it should be-it was written, edited, and compiled over thousands of years. To claim to be “faithful” to the Biblical text or to “take it literally,” those on the more conservative end of Christianity have to ignore the multi-vocality of Scripture. They have to force it to speak in one singular voice. This often means ignoring the historical-socio-political context, except, well, when it is convenient. It means glossing over contradictory Bible verses or stories (who in fact killed Goliath, David or Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite? Why are there two completely different creation stories?)

Here is the reality: All Christians “pick and choose” which voices in the Biblical text to elevate and which stories/passages are less vital to their faith. All Christians make choices on how they are going to interpret key passages. That’s one reason why there are so many Protestant denominations. And even within the Roman Catholic Church, which prides itself on being a “singular” Church, there are in fact interpretative differences amongst various factions of the Church. Picking and choosing isn’t in and of itself a “bad” thing; it’s necessary with a book as complex and diverse as the Bible. But the criteria we use to “pick and choose” matters.

Those who adhere to a white Christian Nationalist interpretation of Scripture are not in fact being more faithful to the Biblical text than “liberals.” They are making decisions on interpretation that bolster their theology. They are choosing to disregard, for the most part, the historical and literal context of the Biblical text, and are seeking to impose within it their understanding of the nation-state, power, violence, gender roles, masculinity, and racial hierarchy. They pick specific passages of the Biblical text that support their worldview. And to be sure, the Bible does have passages that support violence, disdain for foreigners, and an authoritarian mindset. But make no mistake, they are making a conscious decision to elevate both Biblical and contemporary voices that elevate violence and oppression.

Do other Christians also “pick and choose” which Biblical texts and stories to elevate and which to set aside or at least not take as centerpieces of their faith? Yes. Of course. But again, their criteria differ. Instead of focusing on the Scripture passages that endorse violence or that contribute (or have been interpreted in ways that contribute) to violence and oppression, they focus on the many passages that advocate for a more just and equitable society. The Bible is a text that has gone through hundreds of human hands. As a result, it often shows the best and worst of humanity and its impulses. It’s not surprising that there would be verses that both contribute to injustice and condemn it. But we get to decide what texts to base our lives around and what images of God to worship.

I for one, am choosing to worship a God that advocates for the marginalzied, that cares for the poor and immigrants. I worship a God that honors life above profit. A God who loves all-and who advocates for a better way of being based on equality, justice, and compassion. And there are verses that do present God in that way.

The point is that Christians are intentionally choosing which images of God in the Bible to follow. While some will argue and say they are just taking the Bible “literally” and they are being “faithful” to the whole text, the reality is that they are picking and choosing. They are intentionally choosing to advocate for a God and a world based on violence and oppression. Christian nationalism isn’t the “only true” form of Christianity. It is the result of individuals and institutions actively choosing to conflate Christianity with nationalism and white supremacy. It is a conscious decision to uplift voices within the Biblical text and outside that claim that domination and violence are at the heart of Christianity.

But we can and must decide to choose differently. The Bible is a complex book. And that complexity, as confusing and annoying as it can be, is also liberating. It means we get to choose. We can choose to worship a God that advocates for the marginalized. We can choose to advocate for a “kingdom” not built on subjugation and domination but on justice and equality. We can choose to create institutions where queer people are welcomed just as they are, women are given the opportunity to serve God whatever way they are called too, where immigrants are treated humanely, and where war and violence are condemned.

We don’t get to say, “well we are just following what God said in the Bible” and act as if our prejudices and biases are God ordained. We need to hold ourselves responsible and admit that we are actively making decisions about the type of God we worship. We are actively choosing to build our faith around compassion, justice, and equality or around domination, violence, and hatred.

Image: Dark green background, with a cartoon of the Bible. Text: We don’t get to say, “well we are just following what God said in the Bible” and act as if our prejudices and biases are God ordained.