Christian nationalism and the church : restoring the primacy of Christian identity

Gabrysch, Kay

Etd

Christian nationalism and the church : restoring the primacy of Christian identity

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Gabrysch, Kay. Christian Nationalism and the Church : Restoring the Primacy of Christian Identity. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d71b495f-e38a-46e3-89f3-c5326757cdeb.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

G. Kay. Christian nationalism and the church : restoring the primacy of Christian identity. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d71b495f-e38a-46e3-89f3-c5326757cdeb

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Gabrysch, Kay. Christian Nationalism and the Church : Restoring the Primacy of Christian Identity. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d71b495f-e38a-46e3-89f3-c5326757cdeb.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Gabrysch, Kay

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In Copyright

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Christian nationalism on the American church and examine how pastors can strengthen a Christian identity in congregants that supersedes that of Christian nationalism. Pastors face a number of unaddressed challenges created by the infiltration of the polarizing political issues that cause threats to both corporate church unity and individual spiritual growth in congregants. This study utilized a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with six senior pastors, one theological director of an international Christian publication, and one former religious liberties attorney who is currently a religion and politics commentator who interviews pastors weekly for a news organization. The interviews focused on gaining data with four research questions: 1. What are some of the characteristics of Christian nationalism that pastors are observing within their congregations? 2. What are some of the ways pastors are addressing what they are observing? 3. What are the some of the ways troubled congregants are responding to pastors? 4. What encourages pastors who are dealing with this? The literature review focused on three key areas to allow the reader to better understand the phenomenon of Christian nationalism and the varying degrees of threat it poses to the church in America. In addition to a review of the biblical framework of identity, those areas were: political identity markers of Christian nationalism, correlation of information illiteracy with Christian nationalism, and the lack of principled pluralism in Christian nationalism thought. This study concluded that there are several necessary components to addressing the issues and strengthening Christian identity. They are reflection on the past, relationship in the present, and responsible action in the future. Related to these components, this study found that pastors face major challenges in shepherding their people: the lack of congregants’ biblical and historical knowledge, the proliferation of information sources that create congregants’ antipathy toward those who disagree with them, and congregants’ lack of desire to commit to a healthy way of living within a pluralistic nation. To address these challenges, this study identified practices which will contribute to better knowledge, civil friendship and respect, and a commitment to upholding healthy pluralism in America.

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