Clergy argues rise of white Christian nationalism poses threat to democracy

OLATHE, Kansas — The Rev. Bobby Love of Second Baptist Church endorsed a campaign Thursday to awaken Americans to the threat of white Christian nationalism and press for wider appreciation of how democracy could be damaged by a movement intent on undermining inclusive communities.

“Together we must reject the notion of placing one race above the other,” Love said. “We must reject the notion of intolerance. We must reject the notion of violence under the banner of Christianity.”

He said Second Baptist Church — which in 1882 put up a building two blocks from where the crowd gathered outside the courthouse in Johnson County, Kansas — was founded by Black Exodusters who migrated to the Great Plains from the South. He said nearly 150 years of trials and tribulations hadn’t destroyed the congregation’s sense of community.

He pointed to the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a “beloved community” in which a critical mass of people committed to the philosophy and methods of nonviolence. King recognized the human experience included personal, group and national conflict, but he also said those differences should be resolved through reconciliation among adversaries.

In the end, King preached, cooperation and goodwill could win out.

It was King, Love said, who put forth the idea that Americans had to find ways to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.

“If you feel like that today, let us reject the notion of divisive rhetoric. Let us reject the notion of violence,” Love said. “Let us together build up the beloved community.”

‘Growing partisan movement’

The noon event was coordinated by the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, or MORE2. It’s a Kansas City-based, nonpartisan social justice organization committed to transforming communities. The organization included members of different faith traditions, cultural backgrounds, races and economic means.

The rally was the fourth of seven scheduled from April through October in counties of the metropolitan area in Kansas or Missouri. The next is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 15 in downtown Parkville.

The coordinator of the two-state campaign, the Rev. Stephen Jones of First Baptist Church of Kansas City, said the issue of Christian nationalism was relevant as voters marked ballots during the 2024 election cycle.

“White Christian Nationalism is a growing partisan movement of grave concern to many in our society,” said Jones, co-paster of First Baptist Church. “In these monthly rallies leading up to the November elections, we want to lift up the dangers of white Christian nationalism to our American democracy.”

Rev. Laura Phillips, who serves the Overland Park Christian Church, said King’s vision of the beloved community granted equal status to women, men and all persons in terms of leadership and opportunity for expression.

“I’m in favor of unity,” said the Rev. Barry Dundas of Grace United Methodist Church of Olathe. “I think we’re all in favor of unity.”

Dundas said it was proper to address the issue of unity following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

He said the alarming attack on Trump added urgency to the quest for bridging gaps among Republicans and Democrats and to engage in dialogue on fostering a more collaborative approach to politics.

‘Not a religion’

Rev. Chris Wilson, who serves the congregation at Saint Andrew Christian Church of Olathe, Kansas, said it was important for Kansans to gain a broad understanding of harmful ideologies that sought to distort religion for political gain.

Christian nationalists were in the business of eroding the separation of church and state by arguing government and Christianity should be one and the same, he said.

“Christian nationalism is not a religion,” he said. “Christian nationalism is a political ideology that is distorted. White Christian nationalism is a distorted ideology that seeks to pressure and misuse the term Christian to forward a system that enlarges power and privilege to those that already have it.”

Wilson said a core ideal of Christian nationalism was to marginalize and suppress views of people who deserved a seat at the table of government. It was elemental, he said, for Kansans to “vote their own values” in the August and November elections.

This story was originally published by Kansas Reflector, a States Newsroom affiliate.