Violence, Fascism, and Christian Nationalism / Miroslav Volf, Andrew Whitehead, and Samuel Perry

The current presidential administration has linked federal violence against largely peaceful protests in the name of law, order, and defending God. E.g., deploying tear gas for a Bible-holding photo opp. Does the melding of Christianity with the Nation produce violence and war? What's the relation between Christian Nationalism and fascism? Miroslav Volf asks sociologists Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry.

Click here to listen to the full episode on Christian Nationalism in the United States.

Books mentioned in this interview:

• Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry, Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States
• David Martin, Does Christianity Cause War?
• Jason Stanley, How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them

Show Notes

• US polarization in the face of racial justice protests
• “If we need law and order, we need a law of love and an order of peace.”
• David Martin’s idea that religion becomes violent under certain circumstances.
• Christian nationalism has an exclusivist political vision.
• Christ is the lion in the sphere of politics.
• Fascist political fears of losing dominant culture to minorities
• “Fascism takes this distinction between the rural real countrymen and the urban parasites.”
• Christian nationalism appears associated with fascist fears.
• Christian nationalism’s concern with power assumes others are concerned with power.
• Countering bad violence with righteous violence.
• Christian history of just deployments of violence.
• Peaceful protest in Lafayette Square dispersed with tear gas.
• The use of violence only benefits those already in power.