2026 isn’t the first time Christians have tried to claim the United States as their own
(The Conversation) — From the Civil War to the Cold War, existential fears have fueled claims that America is a Christian nation, a historian of US Christianity explains.
(The Conversation) — From the Civil War to the Cold War, existential fears have fueled claims that America is a Christian nation, a historian of US Ch
Read Full Story at Religion News Service →Why This Matters
The recurring assertion that America is a "Christian nation" isn’t just theological posturing—it’s a powerful political narrative that has repeatedly reshaped national identity, policy, and even the boundaries of civic belonging. These claims often arise in moments of upheaval, when cultural anxieties about secularization, immigration, or global conflict threaten established hierarchies, making them a litmus test for both religious and political power.
Background Context
This tradition of Christian exceptionalism predates the Civil War, rooted in Puritan visions of a "city upon a hill" and later amplified by 19th-century revivalists who framed America as a divinely ordained experiment in Protestant virtue. The Cold War intensified these narratives, as Christian nationalism became a bulwark against communism, with figures like Billy Graham framing American democracy as a Christian bulwark—even as secular institutions like the Supreme Court began chipping away at overtly religious governance.
What Happens Next
The 2026 midterms and the 2028 election could further entrench or challenge these claims, depending on how candidates weaponize religious identity against issues like reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, or immigration. Watch for legal battles over religious exemptions in public institutions and whether courts continue to reject the idea of America as a de facto Christian state—or instead carve out new exceptions that blur the line between church and state.
Bigger Picture
Across centuries, Christian nationalism has been most potent when paired with existential threats—whether slavery, atheistic communism, or now, the perceived erosion of traditional values in a pluralistic society. But its staying power also reveals a paradox: the more it struggles for dominance, the more it exposes the fragility of its claims, fueling backlash from secularists, non-Christian minorities, and even moderate believers who reject its exclusivist vision.
