How to End Christian Nationalism

Christian nationalism is a shoddy guise for “racism, anti-immigrant views, antisemitic views, anti-Muslim views, and patriarchal understandings of gender roles,” according to this energetic if unremarkable debut treatise. Tyler, a lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism, contextualizes the ideology as the key driver of the January 6 Capitol attack and more recent incidents of religious violence, before rewinding to trace how notions of America as a “chosen”—and white—nation developed during the country’s founding and have fueled racism, colonialism, and abuses against minorities ever since. Later chapters advise readers to fight the threat through “multiracial, multiethnic, and multifaith coalitions,” in which white Christians should “listen well” to people of color and follow their lead on initiatives to avoid adopting a “white savior complex.” She also shares familiar wisdom on broaching the topic with friends and family—approach conversations with humility, “genuine curiosity,” and the patience to engage in multiple discussions over time. Tyler effectively sounds the alarm on the rising threat of Christian nationalism and its harms to both the church and the country, though her case is weakened by underbaked historical references (including brief mentions of the “Christian complicity with violent power” that fueled Nazism). Amid a rising tide of books on the pressing threat to American churches, this fails to stand out. (Oct.)