When I started writing about Christian Nationalism and the common denominators contributing to it, it overwhelmingly pointed to Ecumenicism and Authoritarianism (there are other themes in CN, but these are my focus here). Ecumenicism, which can be described as Christians uniting with people under the banner of “Christianity” who do not hold orthodox views of it. And authoritarianism, which I’ve broken into two groups (although there are other forms), the patriarchy (I’ll get to that soon), and white supremacy, which goes hand in hand with patriarchal views of lesser people and is expressed in the following disturbing quote from Doug Wilson:

Slavery as it existed in the South was not an adversarial relationship with pervasive racial animosity. Because of its dominantly patriarchal character, it was a relationship based upon mutual affection and confidence. There has never been a multi-racial society which has existed with such mutual intimacy and harmony in the history of the world. The credit for this must go to the predominance of Christianity. The gospel enabled men who were distinct in nearly every way, to live and work together, to be friends and often intimates. This happened to such an extent that moderns indoctrinated on “civil rights” propaganda would be thunderstruck to know the half of it. -Doug Wilson, 1996, Southern Slavery As It Was

Obviously, I had heard about white supremacy and systemic racism, but it never profoundly impacted me. Not because I didn’t care or believe that racism and segregation had happened and were still happening, but because I didn’t see it. And as far as I knew, I didn’t contribute to it. I’ve always tried not to have partiality regarding any other people, and I’ve never felt better than anyone based on ethnicity or gender.

But I didn’t realize, like with so many other things, that racism and segregation are often in the very systems we belong to, even without our knowledge. Since it hadn’t affected me (being a white woman), it wasn’t on my radar, and I’m sure there were many things I missed. I think many people fall into the category of being oblivious to subtle (or not so subtle, as I’ll show below) things that are happening around us. That’s not an excuse, but it is an explanation. I pray that now that I am aware of some of these things, I will be more aware and supportive of the real and serious issues that face our friends, neighbors, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ll pray the same for you.

I recently heard about segregation in the Assemblies of God and, having grown up in this denomination, I was horrified. But upon further consideration, it makes sense. Although there were black members and congregants at our church, and our local church would regularly gather with the two other local black churches in the area for potlucks and picnics, I do not recall a single black pastor in the Assemblies of God. This was in the 80s and 90s, so things may have changed (although in the local AOG church, I’ve never seen any black pastors either). It seems that from 1939 to 1962, the Assemblies of God forbade the ordination of black ministers, referring them to the Church of God in Christ (COGIC).

Below are more examples of racism (both subtle and blatant), showing partiality, and treating whole ethnicities as lesser in value. I’m saddened to see this and the dehumanization that’s taking place by people in these various religions, groups, and isms, but especially from those who claim to be Christians. Additionally, just because your denomination, group, ism, etc., isn’t listed below, it’s not because they don’t have their own issues with racism and segregation (the SBC is a great example); I’m just trying to be as concise as I can be, so I can’t include everything.

NAR Roots

William Branham led healing revivals that became the modern Charismatic movement, spawning many emulators, along with promoting the Serpent Seed Doctrine, rebranding the Christian Identity Doctrine, which was popular among white supremacists in the 1950s and 60s.

Dominionism, ties to Doug Wilson, and the CREC

Doug Wilson has a long history of defending slavery and considers himself a “paleo-confederate.” Doug Wilson says, “The Christians who owned slaves in the South were on firm scriptural ground.”(Douglas Wilson, Black & Tan: A Collection of Essays and Excursions on Slavery, Culture War, and Scripture in America, Canon Press, 2005, loc. 853, Kindle Edition.)
More info on Doug Wilson’s racism here (starting at the 1:27 mark): Doug Wilson | The Final Boss of Christian Nationalism

A few of Doug Wilson’s associates, including Brian Suave, Joel Webbon, Joshua Haymes, and Virgil Walker, are listed below, although some of them are no longer in lockstep with him. His position and voice gave them a platform that they continue to use as grifters.

When discussing whether a black person could join his church, Brian Sauve says, “…Would they be eligible for membership in our church? Yes…But would they be permitted to participate and embody and practice what I would call black culture…? The answer is absolutely not. Why? Because the…characteristics that mark black culture…in the same way Paul is talking about Cretans…they are evil, murderous, violent, bestial people. They steal, they kill, they destroy, they are sinful to the core. They have besetting sins…” See clip and commentary here: Black People Can’t Join This Church Unless This Happens

Joel Webbon bloviates, “…Well, slavery…the richest black people on God’s green earth are African Americans. If slavery never happened, you would be in a grass hut…’We need reparations.’ You’re reparations are that you get to live in America. You’re welcome…The greatest moment in history for any brown or black country is the moment that the white man’s ships arrive on your shore…On the whole, for a thousand years, European people have been worshipping Jesus…And on the whole, non-European people, much of the rest of the world has been worshipping demons…And for those who are of non-European descent, but live in the Western world, you are exceedingly blessed…and he blessed you, in large part, through white people.”
RWW News: Joel Webbon Has A Message For Black People Regarding America’s History Of Oppression

Former pastoral intern at Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s church, Pilgrim Hill Fellowship, and Christian Nationalist content creator and podcaster, Joshua Haymes, comments on the Christian’s “duty” to defend the institution of slavery. And says, “It is not inherently evil to own another human being.” You can check out the short clip here or the longer Stitch here.

For some reason, Virgil Walker has decided to defend both Christian Nationalism and the above racist remarks and commentary in an article he recently published called “Am I a Christian Nationalist?” More information here: Is Virgil Walker Selling His Soul to the Conservative Woke Right? Why is He defending Racist?

Catholicism and Slavery

I had not heard anything about the Catholic church and racism until I came across the book “The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church.” You can find more information in this article from NCR: Georgetown Slaves Raise Questions About How We Salve Our Consciences.

Mormonism and Racism

I’ve long known that the Mormon church did not allow black people to be priesthood holders or participate in temple or sealing ordinances. This discrimination continued through 1978. You can find their historical views here: Passing the Torch of Mormonism’s Historical Racism, and their more recent views here: Race and the Priesthood.

Freemasonry, Racism, and Segregation:

Much like Catholicism, I was unaware of the racism and segregation that went on in Freemasonry. But it seems deeply rooted, with many members having belonged to the Ku Klux Klan. Like many church denominations, black people can be Freemasons, but are often segregated into “their own” lodges. You can find more information here: Freemasonry’s History of Racism.

In this strange and enlightening clip, Allie Beth Stucky, linked with TPUSA, has the nerve to call someone hateful towards white people, right before she makes a broad threat to black people. Here’s some of her commentary: “Most white people don’t think of themselves as some kind of racial collective…But when you put them on the defense…Then you make white people, who are still the majority in this country, feel like a racial collective…When you make the racial majority feel like an oppressed minority, bad things happen.” Sounds like a threat to me. Listen to her short clip here.

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We may wonder what we can do to help. And I think that, unlike a couple of people above who’ve written or published books about “toxic empathy” and the “sin of empathy,” we need to start empathizing with others. We have no problem watching movies or reading books and putting ourselves in the place of fictional characters, imagining what life might be like if we were in their shoes. But for some reason, more recently, when it comes to actual people, like our neighbors, empathy has been demonized by professing Christians. Which is weird, because Jesus empathized with us.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15

I already know that many people will point out that in many translations, the word used instead of empathy (as above) is sympathy. I believe words are important, so I’d like to address this as well.

Sympathy, in our current understanding, is defined as: a feeling or expression of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful.

And empathy, in our current understanding, is defined as the action of understanding, being aware of, and being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another, as well as the act of imagining one’s own ideas, emotions, or attitudes as fully inhabiting something observed.

Merriam-Webster notes, “Sympathy is a feeling of sincere concern for someone who is experiencing something difficult or painful. Empathy involves actively sharing in the person’s emotional experience. Confusion about the pair of words likely stems from the fact that the word sympathy, which dates to the 16th century, at one time carried both of these meanings. When empathy was coined in the early 20th century, it was first applied in the contexts of philosophy, aesthetics, and psychology, where it still has technical use. The common use of empathy known today dates to the mid-20th century.”

Jesus showed both sympathy and empathy for us. He went beyond those words, though, in action, he laid down his power and his life. Philippians 2:1-8 sums this up beautifully. Not only what Christ did for us, but his example of how we are to treat and care for others, no matter their ethnicity, gender, or position.

“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
Rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!…” Philippian 2:1-8

This is part of a series of posts including: My Preface to Christian Nationalism, The Wide Road to Christian Nationalism, White Supremacy in Christian Nationalism, and NAR -Seven Mountain Mandate.