Christian Nations but Not Christian Nationalism?

“Against Christian nationalism, FOR Christian nations.

Nationalism makes the nation-state the ultimate organizing principle, whereas Christianity makes the Kingdom of God the ultimate organizing principle—nations being subsumed under that principle.

Nationalism is the wrong priority. It takes something good (nation) and puts an overemphasis on it such that it supplants the true priority for the Christian (the Kingdom of God).”

Christopher Perone

Of course the key here in learning that Christopher is wrong is the adjective “Christian” that defines the noun “Nationalism.” A Nationalism that was indeed Christian would not be idolatrous and would not do what Mr. Perone describes.

I’m sure that some versions of Nationalism do indeed become a species of Statolatry. However, all because there are some forms of Nationalism that are unbiblical doesn’t mean there are not forms of Nationalism that are Biblical.

Yes, some forms of Nationalism can become idolatrous as they lift the Nation State above God so that in the Nation state we live and move and have our being. In these expressions of idolatrous Nationalism it is often the State as it embodies a particular race of people, that becomes God walking on the earth. However, by definition such an arrangement would not be Christian Nationalism.

What Mr. Perone describes was the Italian and German Nationalism that the fascists were doing during the 1930s. Perhaps even Spain with the rise of Franco would be included here, though that’s more debatable.

This explains why Biblical forms of Nationalism insist that authority be not located in any one Institution (the State) but rather be diffuse being embedded in multiple jurisdictions such as family (Fathers), church (Elders), state (Magistrates), and possibly others. In such Christian Nationalism, God alone is the sovereign authority with each jurisdiction operating under and with His delegated and specific authority. In such Christian Nationalism, there are thus inter-dependent authority centers that serve to delimit the sovereignty of any one authority center thus reducing the capacity for any one authority center to seek to divinize itself as God walking on the earth.

In the end there can be no Christian nations without Christian Nationalism. It’s like arguing for alcohol but without fermenting. If you have a Christian Nation you will have Christian Nationalism just as if you have alcohol you will have fermentation.

Author: jetbrane

I am a Pastor of a small Church in Mid-Michigan who delights in my family, my congregation and my calling. I am postmillennial in my eschatology. Paedo-Calvinist Covenantal in my Christianity Reformed in my Soteriology Presuppositional in my apologetics Familialist in my family theology Agrarian in my regional community social order belief Christianity creates culture and so Christendom in my national social order belief Mythic-Poetic / Grammatical Historical in my Hermeneutic Pre-modern, Medieval, & Feudal before Enlightenment, modernity, & postmodern Reconstructionist / Theonomic in my Worldview One part paleo-conservative / one part micro Libertarian in my politics Systematic and Biblical theology need one another but Systematics has pride of place Some of my favorite authors, Augustine, Turretin, Calvin, Tolkien, Chesterton, Nock, Tozer, Dabney, Bavinck, Wodehouse, Rushdoony, Bahnsen, Schaeffer, C. Van Til, H. Van Til, G. H. Clark, C. Dawson, H. Berman, R. Nash, C. G. Singer, R. Kipling, G. North, J. Edwards, S. Foote, F. Hayek, O. Guiness, J. Witte, M. Rothbard, Clyde Wilson, Mencken, Lasch, Postman, Gatto, T. Boston, Thomas Brooks, Terry Brooks, C. Hodge, J. Calhoun, Llyod-Jones, T. Sowell, A. McClaren, M. Muggeridge, C. F. H. Henry, F. Swarz, M. Henry, G. Marten, P. Schaff, T. S. Elliott, K. Van Hoozer, K. Gentry, etc. My passion is to write in such a way that the Lord Christ might be pleased. It is my hope that people will be challenged to reconsider what are considered the givens of the current culture. Your biggest help to me dear reader will be to often remind me that God is Sovereign and that all that is, is because it pleases him. View all posts by jetbrane