5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.
Jesus, as THE Light of the World, told His disciples that we are the light of the world - so wherever we are, we are directed and empowered to shine His light. I believe that means that we are not only to interact with people one-on-one and share our faith, but also to impact the society in which we live. He gives us the capacity to be people of influence, to bring Christian principles and presence into public settings, in matters of practice and policy.
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The apostle Paul gave some insight regarding where we live and how we live in Acts chapter 17, when he proclaimed:
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
While Christians are instructed by Scripture to be separate, and some are taking that principle to another level - actually moving to an area that seems to be more sympathetic to their faith and values.
The place is Northern Idaho, and recently, Religion News did what could be considered a work of opinion journalism on what is occurring in the city of Moscow. The story related:
North Idaho has long been known for its hyperlibertarians, apocalyptic “preppers” and white supremacist groups who have retreated to the region’s sweeping frozen lakes and wild forests to await the collapse of American society, when they’ll assert control over what remains.
But in recent years, the state’s existing separatists have been joined by conservatives fleeing bluer Western states, opportunistic faith leaders, real-estate developers and, most recently, those opposed to COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines. Though few arrived carrying Christian nationalist banners, many have quickly adopted aspects of the ideology to advance conservative causes and seek strength in unity.
The article goes on to highlight Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty, who said...
...that the latest, and by his estimate the largest, concentrated wave of newcomers came during the pandemic.
“The COVID thing really drove a lot of people to get out of Portland, Seattle, San Francisco — anyplace where the government was acting very tyrantlike in terms of lockdowns,” he said. “Up here, we locked down for about three and a half weeks.”
The article notes that:
Many churches in northern Idaho refused to close even as the pandemic peaked here. In September 2020, at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, founded by Reformed pastor Douglas Wilson, members staged a protest outside City Hall, singing Psalms maskless in defiance of local ordinances, resulting in three arrests.
And, the Religion News piece says: "Far from shutting down, Wilson’s congregation has doubled over the past four years. 'A lot of the fomented discontent of the last two years, I would say, is 80% of the reason people come here,' said Wilson in a recent interview in his office." I certainly understand the sentiment of Christians desire to settle and raise a family in safe spaces, spaces that reflect our deeply held values. You have to go where God has called.
But, the force of "Christian nationalism" is strong there, according to the article, which noted: "Congregations such as Pastor Tim Remington’s The Altar Church, in Coeur D’Alene, regularly host forums for right-wing candidates, and since the pandemic they increasingly, and dramatically, espouse Christian nationalist ideas." What did Pastor Tim do, for heaven's sake? Well, he "welcomed into the sanctuary a slate of 15 candidates for state and local office...most made a point to connect their campaigns to their Christian faith, and four noted they were members of Altar Church. When they finished, Remington asked for a show of hands of those who intended to vote for 'biblical values' while in office. All 15 lifted their hands."And the problem with that is...? So, Christians who want to live out their faith, love their country, and desire to experience the freedom that was envisioned by our founders are "Christian nationalists?" But, of course, and the Public Religion Research Institute indicates you could be one, if you love God and your country.
Last month, Religion News ran a story about a recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute; it said that the survey...
...finds that 10% of Americans are avowed Christian nationalists, what the survey calls “adherents,” while an additional 19% are sympathetic to Christian nationalist ideals.
That's a pretty broad statement - so one must ask, well, what are the "qualifications" for being a Christian nationalist, as defined by PRRI. It seems that the initial premise is off and the survey results are manipulated in order to derive a conclusion.
What? What sort of "extreme" ideas are being held by this group? Well, you could be a Christian nationalist if, according to the PRRI survey summary, you score 50% or more across a total of five questions. You could be an "adherent" or "sympathizer." The summary says:
Respondents were asked whether they completely agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or completely disagree with each of the following statements:- The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation.
- U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.
- If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore.
- Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.
- God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.
It could be an interesting study to discuss all five of these principles that comprise the "Christian nationalist" score, but I would submit that PRRI's tactic here is to identify people's viewpoints toward God and country and define them in a negative manner.
Suffice it to say, the evidence is overwhelming that our founders established this nation on Christian principles, consistent with the Bible. Even the U.S. Supreme Court used the phrase "Christian nation." And, I would submit, to use the that term is not to say that people of other faith perspectives are unwelcome. It's the principles, not the population. These are foundational, and the Bible is clearly the influence for our laws and the fabric of our country. Now "Christian" and "American" are not necessarily synonymous, but it has been contended that what makes one a good Christian makes him or her a good citizen.
I do submit that God has called us to have influence in whatever sphere he has called us - if we are a Christian, and live in America, then we should work - and vote - according to those deeply held Biblical beliefs. And, why should a Christian who loves God and wants to impact culture not run for office and seek to have influence? Unfortunately, Christian ideas have been suppressed in our public discourse and there are legitimate threats to Christians expressing our faith - how's that working out? I would submit we need more Christian influence, not less; call it what you will, but we need to be impacting our society for good, for God's glory.
I do appreciate the sentiment of those who want to move to areas where there is a better atmosphere to practice their Christian faith. That may be the right choice for some; for others, it may seem like it's separating from the world too greatly. Regardless, we should submit the decision about where we will live and other decisions we will make, according to the will of God for us.
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