Image from “After Trump, Christian nationalist ideas are going mainstream – despite a history of violence.”

This page is part of a resource collection on far right extremism.

Books

Books About Right Wing Christianity & Christian Nationalism.

Articles: 2024

Hannah Allam:

• Pro-Trump Christian extremists use scripture to justify violent goals: As Donald Trump is deemed a “spiritual warrior,” extremism researchers warn of the menace embedded in Christian nationalist rhetoric.
• In a race they cast as good vs. evil, Christian hard-liners are fired up for Trump:Christian nationalist tours timed to the election showcase the power and ambition of a movement aimed at erasing the separation between church and state.

Michelle Boorstein & Hannah Knowles: Here’s what the Christian right wants from a second Trump term: Religious conservatives see opportunities for fresh gains after a series of victories during Trump’s first term. Rights advocates see a dangerous blurring of church and state.

Michelle Boorstein & Danielle Paquette: La.’s Ten Commandments law will test religion-friendly courts.

Philip Bump: The overlap of Trumpism and Christian nationalism.

Kate Burns: Gen Z for Straight Jesus: The Christian Nationalist Recruiters of ‘CA Will be Saved.’

Kiera Butler: Christian Nationalists Dream of Taking Over America. This Movement Is Actually Doing It. The New Apostolic Reformation is “the greatest threat to US democracy you’ve never heard of.”

Sara Cline: New law requires all Louisiana public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.

McKay Coppins: The Most Revealing Moment of a Trump Rally: A close reading of the prayers delivered before the former president speaks.

Ivey DeJesus: Church with ties to Christian nationalism is hosting Elon Musk’s town hall in Harrisburg.

Paul A. Djupe: How Christian nationalism is going under the radar in this election: As the nonreligious population grows, many Americans are socially insulated from crucial political realities.

Adam Gabbatt: Christian nationalists embrace Trump as their savior – will they be his?

Jordan Green: ‘Chosen by God’: A new kind of convert is making the pilgrimage to see Trump.

Alexandria Jacobson: ‘I’m advocating Christian nationalism’: Josh Hawley’s ties to Project 2025 exposed.

Kim Kelly: How the Christian Right Is Hijacking America:Author Talia Lavin explains the dire threat posed by the Christian nationalist movement, and how we can “reclaim faith in the public square.”

Ava Kofman: A Pair of Billionaire Preachers Built the Most Powerful Political Machine in Texas. That’s Just the Start.

Josh Kovensky: Inside A Secret Society Of Prominent Right-Wing Christian Men Prepping For A ‘National Divorce’: A trove of documents obtained by TPM reveal the society’s inner workings.

Chris Lehmann: The Terrifying Christian Nationalist Crusade to Conquer America: An extremist evangelical movement has set itself up to formulate the governing priorities of a second Trump administration.

Ben Lorber: Heritage Foundation’s Christian Nationalist ‘Project Esther’ Won’t Combat Antisemitism — But it Will Weaponize Jews.

Christopher Mathias:

• At Columbia, Pro-Israel Crowd Yells ‘Go Back To Gaza!’ At Pro-Palestinian Students: The incident occurred after a group of Christian nationalists marched outside the campus, which is the site of a pro-Palestinian student encampment.
• Alarming Report Warns Of ‘Greatest Threat To American Democracy You’ve Never Heard Of’: An annual report from the Southern Poverty Law Center describes a burgeoning new form of Christian supremacy sweeping the country.
• JD Vance Speaks At Event Hosted By ‘Apostle’ Who Accused Kamala Harris of ‘Witchcraft’.
• Christian Nationalists Feel Their Dark Prophecies Are Now Coming True: A fascist has been elected president. For a large swath of Republican Party, Trump was chosen by God for “such a time as this.”
• Trump Tapped Mike Huckabee To Be U.S. Ambassador To Israel. Christian Nationalists Are Thrilled.

Stephanie McCrummen:

• The Alabama Embryo Opinion Is About More Than Christian Nationalism: An insurgent religious movement is beginning to feel its strength.
• The Christian Radicals Are Coming:The movement that fueled January 6 is revving up again.

Steven Monacelli: A new social network built on a vision of Christian supremacy in America gains traction with GOP politicians.

Amanda Moore: A Christian Gun Cult Holds a Trump Festival:The annual Rod of Iron Freedom Festival was as absurd as it was terrifying.

NPR:

• Oklahoma state superintendent says schools must assimilate the Bible into curriculum.
• NPR: Tracing the rise of Christian nationalism, from Trump to the Ala. Supreme Court.

Molly Olmstead: The Christian “Prophets” Who Said God Would Put Trump Back in Office Are Beyond Excited.

Tess Owen:

• ‘Flynn’ portrays the Christian nationalist evangelist’s fight with the ‘Deep State’: A new film hagiography portrays the former Trump adviser as a victim of the ‘Deep State,’ omitting his current mission to spread the gospel of Christian nationalism.
• MyChurchFinder is an online directory to Christian nationalist congregations: To receive an A rating, pastors must demonstrate that they lead a ‘biblically sound, culturally aware & non-socialistic legislatively active church.’Failing to meet any of those criteria earns a church a ‘WNR’ — ‘Would Not Recommend.’

ProPublica: JD Vance Campaign Event With Christian Right Leaders May Have Violated Tax and Election Laws:Ziklag and the Courage Tour, the far-right groups that hosted the Republican vice-presidential nominee, are charities that can’t legally intervene in political campaigns.

Heidi Przybyla & Alexander Ward: Trump allies prepare to infuse ‘Christian nationalism’ in second administration: Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, president of The Center for Renewing America, part of a conservative consortium preparing for Trump’s return to power.

Paul Rosenberg: Cracking the Christian nationalist code: A glossary for the confused. The Christian right has a clearly anti-democratic agenda — but it’s concealed with deliberately confusing terms.

Bob Smietana: How a beloved worship song became the theme song of Christian nationalism.

JP Sottile: Right-Wing Christians Are Making Climate Apocalypse a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.

Matthew D. Taylor:

• Christian Nationalism Gone Global: Paula White-Cain, international networks of Independent Charismatic Christians, and political violence.
• Once a beneficent King Cyrus, Trump has lately been cast as a biblical avenger.Charismatic ‘prophets’ have long compared Trump to Bible characters to justify their support for the former president. But the latest iteration, as King Jehu, may signal tacit acceptance of political violence.

The Washington Post: ‘Ordained by God’: Trump’s legal problems galvanize Iowa evangelicals.

Jason Wilson:

• Revealed: far-right figures try to create Christian nationalist ‘haven’ in Kentucky. Venture fund and real estate startup linked to far-right groups promote residential development as community for rightwingers.
• Revealed: US conservative thinktank’s links to extremist fraternal order. Claremont Institute officials closely involved with Society for American Civic Renewal, which experts say is rooted in Christian nationalism.
• Ex-US air force specialist with Christian nationalist ties leads combat trainings: Michael Caughran’s history raises questions about extent to which his far-right and survivalist activities overlapped with his enlistment.

Odette Yousef:

• Alabama justice’s ties with far-right Christian movement raise concern.
• Nationalist Christians rally to repent for what they consider to be the nation’s sins.
• How COVID-19 conspiracy theories fueled support for Trump among Christian Nationalists.

Odette Yousef & Scott Simon: Extremism experts are keeping an eye on an event targeted at women in Washington, D.C.

2023

ADL: Fuentes Delivers Antisemitic, “Christian Nationalist” Rant to Fellow White Supremacists.

Devin Burghart: On Saturday, at the Fuentes Rally, the white nationalist leader rolled out his latest attempt to re-brand his genocidal bigotry as “Christian Futurism.” It’s not something Fuentes created, but has a long troubling history.

Chauncey DeVega: “Apocalypticism”: Polling expert reveals the root of “panic among conservative White Christians”. “That core belief explains so much of the extremism and the proclivity toward violence on the political right”.

Jack Jenkins: With Turning Point Faith, pastors use politics as a church-growth strategy: For a growing number of evangelical pastors, embracing right-wing rhetoric is seen as a way to put more people in the pews — and it may be working.

Sarah Posner: How Pat Robertson Helped Create The Christian Nationalist Lawyer Brigade Reshaping American Life: The legal movement that is today eroding church-state separation, abortion rights, and the rights of LGBTQ people may be Robertson’s most lasting legacy.

Public Religion Research Institute: A Christian Nation? Understanding the Threat of Christian Nationalism to American Democracy and Culture.

Jennifer Rubin: Why white Christian nationalists are in such a panic.

Greg Sargent: How Pat Robertson created today’s Christian nationalist GOP.

R.L. Stollar: Communicators for Christ: How Homeschool Debate Leagues Shaped the Rising Stars of the Christian Right.

Odette Yousef: Speaker Mike Johnson draws scrutiny for ties to far right Christian movements.

2022

Vera Bergengruen: Why a Group of Christians Is Fighting the Growing Threat of Christian Nationalism.

Annika Brockschmidt: As Midterms Approach, White Christian Nationalism is Mainstream for the GOP — And it’s Only Getting Worse.

David Gilbert: Meet the ‘Black Robe Regiment’ of Extremist Pastors Spreading Christian Nationalism.

Jack Jenkins: How the Capitol attacks helped spread Christian nationalism in the extreme right: Extremism experts say, post-insurrection, they have tracked the emergence of a ‘revolutionary Christian framework’ among ‘communities that have lost faith in the government’.

Cameron Joseph: GOP May Nominate a Pro-Secession Christian Nationalist for Maryland Attorney General:Michael Peroutka believes public education is a communist plot, abortion and gay marriage violate God’s law, and the concept of separation of church and state is a “great lie.”

Christopher Mathias: Doug Mastriano’s Prophets In Pennsylvania: A shocking weekend with the supporters of the nominee for governor — full of swords, demons, and wild prophecies — shows the theocratic future of the GOP.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss: Christian nationalism is a racist, ahistorical ideology of violence.

Tess Owen:

• They Love Jesus, Bon Iver, and Incels. Inside America’s New Ultranationalist Youth Movement. They paint Pepe the Frog crosses at church camp while decrying modern American society.
• Arrested Patriot Front Brothers Have Ties to Apocalyptic Christian Nationalist Church.
• Christian Fascist Propaganda Is All Over TikTok.
• Gab Founder Andrew Torba Wants to Build a Christian Nationalist Internet: Facing increased competition from the likes of Truth Social, Torba has pivoted from free-speech zealot to hardcore Christian nationalist.

Pew Research Center: In their own words: How Americans describe ‘Christian nationalism’.

Odette Yousef:

• Orthodox Christian churches are drawing in far-right American converts.
• Some fear Christian nationalism is getting legal legitimacy through the Supreme Court.