The Cross Above Politics

The Controversial Issue of Christian Nationalism: Why the Cross Must Be Our Central Message

During this election year, a phrase frequently discussed, with both pros and cons, is “Christian nationalism.” There are those who warn about its dangers, and others who tell us Christians should be involved in politics and that we need more of it.

What do we make of this controversy? The phrase is variously defined with each definition having many different shades of meaning. In general, Christian nationalism means Christianity is so united with the state or political party that the Gospel is either completely eclipsed or, at the very least, the distinctive nature of the church is lost.

Christian nationalism is often identified with Nazi Germany, where commitment to the Nazi agenda was so closely identified with Christianity that the Gospel was not only lost but redefined in political terms. Even in WWII, German soldiers who died on the battlefield were thought to be martyrs for Christ. The inspiration for my book Hitler’s Cross came to me when I was in Berlin and saw pictures of the swastika with the cross of Christ in the center; these images adorned the German churches both Catholic and Protestant. This was Christian nationalism at its worst.

On the other hand, the term is also used today to refer to patriotic Christians who salute the flag and are involved in politics. If you emphasize voting for the candidate that comes the closest to reflecting Christian values, you are branded by some as a Christian nationalist—a dangerous Christian nationalist. In other words, the phrase is often used today to deride Christian involvement in politics.

It is my conviction that we should hold to the separation of church and state. In other words, we should affirm the rights of others to practice their religion (or no religion at all); the state should not dictate what particular religion should be followed. But—and this is critical—the state cannot be separated from morality. We have every right, and even the duty, to argue for Christian morality and support it in the public sphere. We have every right to encourage others to vote for candidates who best represent our ideals.

So how do we know when we’ve crossed the line, and our political involvement has become a threat to the clarity of the Gospel? It’s when we so unite Christianity to a political party that the Gospel is subservient to the political agenda, or when we find our desire to work toward a political end is more important than working toward the spread of the Gospel. We must not substitute the flag for the cross; the cross must always fly above the flag.

No political party is explicitly Christian. In a fallen world, we have to choose between two or more imperfect political parties with their imperfect candidates. Does the character of a candidate matter? Yes. Does the party platform and the convictions of the candidate matter? Yes. In each case we must evaluate the relative value of the choices before us.

Why the Only Hope for Our Culture Is for Christians to Faithfully Proclaim the Life-Changing Message of the Cross: The Absolute Necessity of Pointing People to the Cross for True Hope

God’s people desperately need to engage our culture with the only message that has any hope of transforming people. Yet, Pastor Lutzer is concerned that many Christians have pushed the cross aside for agendas that fight the world’s system on its own terms. He has thought deeply about today’s culture and offers powerful biblical insights and principles that you can apply.

Q & A with Pastor Lutzer

Q: As a pastor, how do you navigate the delicate balance between speaking to political issues without compromising the Gospel?

A: I’ve never endorsed a political candidate or a political party. As I mentioned in the above article, there is no political party that is explicitly Christian; to endorse a candidate would be to create a stumbling block to the Gospel. But of course, I speak to political issues through the lens of Scripture. Many issues are deemed to be political today: same-sex marriage, transgender controversies, critical race theory, abortion, etc. I believe pastors should speak to these issues in order to help Christians navigate our changing cultural landscape.

Q: What about Christians who say they can’t vote for any party or candidate, so they won’t vote at all?

A: I disagree. We, unlike many countries of the world, have the privilege of voting, and we had better use these opportunities. I’m grieved when I read that about half of the evangelicals in America are not registered to vote. I ask myself: “What are these people thinking?”

Q: Several months ago, a display by the Satanic Temple of Iowa was brought to the state Capitol under state rules. It was subsequently toppled beyond repair by a Christian man from Mississippi who found it offensive. Would this be an example of Christian nationalism—the view that Christianity should not allow an evil religion to advance its agenda?

1. Much as I hate Satan, I cannot condone what this Christian did. Freedom of religion has its risks. In a world of pluralism, we sometimes have to put up with false and evil religions; we have to be willing to stand as witnesses in a world becoming increasingly pagan. Historically, Christians were often expected to live under satanic rulers who deprived them of freedom; faithfulness often cost them their lives.

We might think it laudable to tear down a satanic display at this point in our history, but how will we react when crosses are torn down or outlawed? What do we do when Christian displays are forbidden? These are matters we have to think through.

Q: You have written a great deal about Nazi Germany and pointed out that some churches did remain faithful in the Nazi era. How did they stand against the crushing power of an intimidating form of Christian nationalism?

A: I’ve mentioned that I disagree with those pastors who publicly endorse a political candidate or party, but I also agree that those pastors in Germany who criticized Nazism from the pulpits did the right thing. To endorse a candidate is one matter, to call out an evil ruler is another. I admire Martin Niemöller who went to prison and eventually a concentration camp for “abuse of pulpit,” which today is called “hate speech.” He dared to stand against Hitler, and he did so publicly. Calling out evil leaders and even evil policies is not contrary to the Gospel. In fact, it becomes the backdrop for urging biblical repentance.

Q: How should Christians react if their preferred candidate loses?

A: We must remember that God, through His providential governing of the world, casts the deciding vote in every election. God doesn’t wait for the news. God, through His providential hand, makes the news! Nebuchadnezzar was an evil king and yet God said three times, “he is my servant” (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:6; 43:10).

We must faithfully serve our government to the extent that our conscience allows; but we must also be willing to stand against any political authorities and those laws impinging upon our commitment to Christ. And we must gladly live with the consequences.

At all times we must remember: Heaven Rules.