Anyone who has followed American politics even somewhat closely in recent years has seen the slow and insidious rise of Christian nationalism as a movement. Between draconian Supreme Court rulings turning back decades of precedent and a general attitude of extremism, America is facing a moral and political crisis whose importance should not be understated.
Two Examples of Christian Nationalism
This week brought two clear examples of how Christian nationalism is thriving in America, under the guidance and in the aftermath of the Donald Trump presidency. One comes from the Alabama Supreme Court, and one comes from the world of politics.
Politically speaking, Trump has made a name for himself among extremist preachers and apocalyptic prophets, who have all preached that Trump was anointed by God to rule America. A growing number of evangelical voters have even stated that they see Trump as the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Divine Right as a Concept
This harkens back to the concept of divine right. Divine right is a concept that many monarchies have used over the centuries to justify their rulers behavior and ability to sit on various thrones of history. They were anointed by God, and God wanted them to be the ruler. Therefore, nothing that they can do is wrong. Right?
Given the genesis of America, and the staunch advocacy of the Founding Fathers for America to remain a secular nation, the rise of evangelicals who believe in divine right by principle if not name is deeply concerning. America fought a war against being ruled by a king, and it seems that that is exactly what many of these far-right Christian extremists see in Donald Trump.
Justifications For Anti-Democratic Behavior
This certainty that many voters seem to have in Trump’s divinity can, to some, justify a lot of extreme antidemocratic behavior. According to this fringe movement, a “good” Christian would be willing to do anything to ensure that God’s anointed leader returns to the White House to do God’s will.
This ideology has led to violence in movements across the country, from the neo-Nazi demonstrations in Massachusetts and Charlottesville, to the January 6 attack on the United States capitol that was meant to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s influence – and Christian nationalism by proxy – is deep and insidious.
Out of Alabama
The influence of evangelical Christianity goes beyond just Trump, though. The second event this week that has made clear the influence of white nationalism in America is a case decision that was released out of the Alabama Supreme Court.
The case surrounded in vitro fertilization, and the status of embryos in clinics that perform IVF. The case was brought by parents who lost embryos when an individual stumbled into the cryogenic freezing area, picking up the embryos and then dropping them when their hands were burned by the freezing storage container.
Explaining the Alabama Case
The parents of the embryos sued under a wrongful death lawsuit, which had traditionally been applicable to a woman who was pregnant, but not embryos before they were implanted. The case argued that the embryos were, in fact, “children,” and that the parents should be compensated for the accidental destruction of the embryos.
The lower court ruled that the embryos were not entitled to any rights granted to babies or people, but a stunning decision from the Alabama Supreme Court sided with the parents. The ruling stated that frozen embryos are legally considered children, and that a person could, in fact, be held liable for accidentally destroying them.
A Preference for Biblical Moralism
What’s most stunning about the decision is not in the outcome of the decision itself, though the disregard for legal precedent is incredible on its own. But the judges didn’t hide their preference for biblical moralism, over the actual text and intent of the Constitution that they’re meant to uphold.
Chief Justice Tom Parker, in the majority opinion, wrote, “The theologically based view of the sanctity of life adopted by the people of Alabama encompasses the follow. (1) God made every person in His image; (2) each person therefore has value that far exceeds the ability of human beings to calculate; and (3) human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God.”
Following the Dobbs Precedent
The Alabama ruling follows a chilling precedent that was set by the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the summer of 2022. That ruling, too, overlooked decades of legal precedent in favor of Christian extremist values, and the uproar over the decision is still being loudly heard.
The Alabama Supreme Court decision creates significant challenges for fertility medicine in the state of Alabama, as well. IVF, by its nature, destroys embryos that are not viable for implantation during the process of fertilization. The Alabama ruling throws the legality of this practice into question, and multiple clinics and hospitals have already stopped offering the procedure until the law is more clear regarding this.
Project 2025
These patterns of Christian nationalism across the country are terrifying enough on their own, but it’s only just the beginning. Donald Trump and the Heritage Foundation have released a plan that is not only insidious in its nature, but absolutely terrifying were it to be implemented.
Project 2025 is a layout for government reconstruction that has been conceived and outlined by the Heritage Foundation. Were Trump to gain a second term in the White House, the provisions of Project 2025 would call on Trump to declare America a Christian Nationalist country on day one, as well as take steps to drastically change the government in his personal worldview.
The Game is Nowhere Near Over
While the outcome of Project 2025 is only speculation and based on the theory that Trump wins a second term in the office of the President, the effects of Christian Nationalism and white supremacy in America are very real, and very present.
More and more extreme demonstrations by white nationalist and Christian extremist organizations have Americans concerned for the future of the country. All is not lost, but many people are terrified of what the future might look like if these Christian Nationalists get even more power in America than they already currently have.
