Developments in the Politics of Christian Nationalism

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

Despite the heady advance of research on Christian nationalism (CN) in the US, we are just beginning to explore foundational concerns about its scope, its connection to established political interests, its foundations in congregations, and even its place in causal processes linked to political attitudes and behaviors. Addressing these dimensions is important in part because CN has entered the vernacular and is often used in tandem with poor assumptions and sloppy definitions. It is assumed that Christian nationalism is a white, heterosexual worldview granting them dominion, but the data suggest otherwise. Djupe and Walker find substantial portions of LGB Americans have strong CN views linked to attitudes inline with other, more stereotypical CNs. Likewise, Vegter challenges the work on CN opposition to gun control to consider how gun owners conditionally adopt CN views. The interest group does not connect neatly to the worldview that supports their interests. The linkage between groups and worldviews is cemented with communication and we know precious little about how CN is communicated let alone what effects it may have. Alena Smith’s paper pushes this agenda forward in a big way using decades of candidate statements. And, finally, Bracic, Israel-Trummel, and Shortle pursue a parallel project that underlies the rest – how societies develop nationalist myths that draw exclusive group boundaries, even in inclusive pluralist democracies.

Sub Unit

• Division 33: Religion and Politics

Individual Presentations

• Christian Nationalism Is Unbounded by LGB Status - Paul A. Djupe, Denison University; Brooklyn Evann Walker

• Analyzing Christian Nationalist Rhetoric in U.S. Political Campaigns - Alena Smith, Stanford University

• Disentangling the Link between Gun Ownership and Christian Nationalism in the US - Abigail Vegter, William Jewell College

• The Exclusionary Nationalist Roots of Ability Myths in a Global Context - Ana Bracic, Michigan State University; Mackenzie Israel-Trummel, William & Mary; Allyson Shortle, University of Oklahoma

Chair

• Paul A. Djupe Denison University

Discussants

• Andrew R. Lewis University of Cincinnati

• Allyson Shortle University of Oklahoma