Some Christian denominations in North Dakota are expressing public and private concerns about a growing influence of "Christian nationalism," an ideology that seeks to impose conservative Christian values on all aspects of American society and politics.
The Western North Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recently passed a resolution encouraging congregations to study and discuss this ideology. The ELCA endorses statements from Christians Against Christian Nationalism, arguing that the ideology distorts Christian faith and democracy, demanding privileged status for Christians by the state, and implying that one must be Christian to be considered a good American.
Bishop Craig Schweitzer, of the Western Synod, explained the rationale for the resolution, stating, "It's important to learn more about and talk about this because it is an issue we're facing in our communities. As people of faith, we need to say something about it, be educated about it, and understand what it is."
The Rev. Deborah Blood, a conference minister for the United Church of Christ in Fargo, echoed these concerns. The church's governing board is discussing Christian nationalism and plans to bring it up for discussion at their annual conference in September. "I would like to have a conversation with our congregations about what we mean by Christian, and for those of us who define it differently than the Christian nationalists, let's get our voices heard," Blood said.
When contacted by the North Dakota News Cooperative, the Catholic dioceses in North Dakota offered contrasting responses. Bishop John Folda of the Fargo Diocese declined to comment, while Bishop David Kagan of the Bismarck Diocese, according to his secretary, was unfamiliar with the term "Christian nationalism" and saw it as an attempt to portray Christianity in a negative light.
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What is Christian Nationalism?
While there's no definitive definition, Christian nationalism is often described as a blend of ideas ranging from the belief in strict theocratic rule to simply embracing Christian values. The core concern centres around the idea that Christianity should be the primary identity for American citizens, and that the state should actively promote this identity. This often leads to the notion that Christians should hold a dominant position within the country to advance their agenda.
Other aspects of Christian nationalism, such as the belief that Christian ideals form the foundation of American law, are less controversial and more widely accepted. However, the idea of a Christian-dominated society raises concerns about the erosion of democratic principles and the marginalisation of religious minorities.
Matthew Taylor, a scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies, who grew up evangelical and studies Christian nationalism, highlighted the challenges of defining and quantifying this ideology. "When we talk about the phenomenon of Christian nationalism, it's a spectrum in terms of the extremism that's included, and it's also a spectrum of the forms and styles of Christian nationalism," Taylor said. "Not all of them are created equal in terms of their threat to American democracy."
Taylor drew parallels with other religious nationalisms, such as Hindu nationalism in India, Buddhist nationalism in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and Russian Orthodox Christian nationalism in Russia. He argued that these movements utilise a dominant religion as a tool for political power and propaganda, ultimately harming religious minorities and democratic systems.
A 2023 study by the Public Religion Research Institute, surveying over 22,000 adults across the US, found that around 30% of Americans either adhere to or sympathise with Christian nationalist ideas, ranging from the more extreme to the less extreme. Notably, North Dakota and Mississippi emerged as the states with the highest proportion of adherents or sympathisers, with 50% of respondents falling into these categories.
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A Threat to Democratic Values?
Paul Djupe, a political scientist at Denison University in Ohio, who studies Christian nationalism, noted a historical shift in the association of this ideology. While historically not associated with mainstream Protestantism or Catholicism, it has gained traction as Christian religious adherence has declined.
"When you see that big slide of these religious groups, they start to feel threatened and start to think, 'hey, we need to draw our boundaries here and reinforce our power base or we're going to lose the United States in a number of different respects, both in terms of power and in terms of our values being represented'," Djupe said.
Djupe stressed the need to distinguish between patriotism, widely considered positive, and this specific form of religious nationalism. "It's the idea of wanting control, which I think is what Christian nationalism is really about," he said. "The spur to it is not just a love of country, but the threat of losing that and losing the power base."
Mark Jorritsma, executive director of the conservative North Dakota Family Alliance, representing diverse faiths, distanced his organisation from Christian nationalism. "The concept of Christian nationalism that says you're going to follow your country right or wrong, and that this is embedded in your faith as a Christian, from our perspective, we have to reject that," Jorritsma said. "Ultimately, our allegiance is to our Lord, and it's based on biblical values, right? Not a particular nation. There's nothing wrong with loving your country, but it has to be properly ordered love that doesn't result in blind obedience."
A North Dakota News Cooperative poll conducted in May revealed that 73% of likely Republican voters in the state fear the country will be in peril if the US moves away from Christian foundations. The poll also found that 71% believe US laws should be based on Christian values, 61% believe being Christian is an important part of being "truly American", and 42% feel Christians should have dominion over all aspects of American society.
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Outlier Views or a Growing Trend?
Jorritsma argued that the more extreme views soften when examined more closely. He pointed out that only 26% of respondents supported the idea of Christians exercising supreme dominion in the state. "We're a deep red state, so the fact that we have conservative opinions on this doesn't surprise me," he said. "Would I characterise most of the Christians in North Dakota as Christian nationalist? Not a chance. They are most definitely outliers."
However, Bob Wefald, a longtime Republican, former North Dakota attorney general, and former district judge, expressed concern about the infiltration of Christian nationalism into state politics. "These extreme right-wing people are not in the mainstream," Wefald said. "I think people here are basically pretty conservative, but the idea of us becoming a Christian state, and having that enshrined in the government?"
Wefald emphasised the importance of his faith, but rejected the notion that one must be Christian to be "truly American," believing it to be a fringe view amongst most North Dakotans.
Trygve Hammer, a Democratic candidate for North Dakota's open US House seat, expressed concern about the view that a citizen needs to be Christian to be considered a true American. "We're seeing that a lot on the conservative side, where they're also saying you're a RINO (Republican in Name Only), you're not a real Republican, you're not a real conservative, unless you believe the same kinds of conservatism that I believe," Hammer said. "So they're applying that to other religions, and I think for a lot of those folks, they may need to get out of North Dakota a little bit and go meet some more people."
The rising concerns about Christian nationalism highlight a complex and evolving social and political landscape in North Dakota, raising questions about the future of religious diversity and democratic principles in the state.