Presbyterians are proud of their role in the American Revolution, often telling anyone who will listen that the only clergy to sign the Declaration of Independence was Presbyterian — or that the revolution was dubbed “the Presbyterian revolution” by one English nobleman.
And you’ll often hear how the nation’s form of government was heavily influenced by Presbyterian practice.
Related reading: “PC(USA) to consider policy rejecting White Christian nationalism” by John Bolt, Outlook reporting
But that pride was not enough to overcome the specter of growing support of White Christian nationalism, which critics say is a bastardization of the ideals of democracy.
This July Fourth marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and celebrations are already underway across the nation.
The Committee on Reformed Identity in the United States, meeting virtually this week for three days, considered three overtures relating to this conversation: two dealing with White Christian nationalism (RUS-01, RUS-07) and one asking for a commemoration of the “vital role of the Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Tradition in the American Revolution of 1775-83, including 12 Presbyterians and 13 Congregationalists among the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, representing the largest religious grouping within the 2.5 million inhabitants of the 13 colonies at that time” (RUS-02).
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) defines Christian nationalism as “a political ideology that seeks to merge Christian identity with American civic life and national identity. It asserts that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and should continue to be governed according to what its proponents see as Christian values or biblical principles.”
Markers of White Christian nationalism include assertions that:
- “America is divinely chosen or specially blessed by God.
- “U.S. laws and policies should reflect Christian beliefs, often from a conservative evangelical perspective.
- “Christianity should have a privileged place in public life (e.g., in government, schools, monuments).
- “The Founding Fathers intended for the U.S. to be explicitly Christian in governance.”
Approving “Standing Against White Christian Nationalism” and its recommendations
As directed by GA226 (2024), the denomination’s Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) created “Standing Against White Christian Nationalism,” and now is asking the assembly to make it denominational policy.
In addition to requesting the policy’s adoption, ACSWP listed nine other actions, mostly around actively using and promoting the policy throughout the church.
An additional recommendation addressed a common church practice of placing a United States flag in a sanctuary, urging “all congregations to examine national symbols displayed on church property and in worship spaces, especially the U.S. flag, national and patriotic hymns sung in worship, presentation of colors in worship, and the propriety of national pride in relationship to the primacy of God in Christian worship.”
The assembly committee then added some language from previous denominational statements and another advisory committee.
For example, the first recommendation from ACSWP was originally: “The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) repudiates the ideology and practices of white Christian nationalism in all its forms and affirms the PCUSA’s historical support for disestablishment of religion as enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”
To that, RUS added a lengthy explanation of the issue: “Christian nationalism is a political ideology that seeks to merge Christian identity with U.S. civic life and national identity. It asserts that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and should continue to be governed according to what its proponents see as Christian values or biblical principles. ‘Nationalism’ emphasizes the importance of a ‘homeland’ with a shared ethnic identity among its citizens. Christian Nationalism becomes ‘white’ when it suggests that those of northern European ancestry are inherently more capable, intelligent, moral, and able to lead — and are thus the only ‘true Americans’ and ‘true Christians.’”
RUS also added a 10th recommendation, this one using language from a comment by the denomination’s Advisory Committee for LGBTQIA+ Equity.
It says: “[O]ur Confession of 1967 reminds us that ‘God has created people of the earth to be one universal human family. In his reconciling love, he overcomes the barriers…and breaks down every form of discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin, real or imaginary…’ (9.44). The theological logic of this confession extends beyond race: whenever an ideology designates any community as a threat to national identity, the Church is called to resist. We are called to receive and uphold one another as persons in all relationships of life. Furthermore, in the Theological Declaration of Barmen we proclaim, ‘We reject the false doctrine, as though the State should and could become the single and totalitarian order of human life’ (8.17). We stand on our Reformed conviction to work with others for justice, peace and freedom, ensuring that none is targeted with violence or a violation of their God given human rights.
“The White Christian Nationalism agenda frequently extends beyond legislation into the active dissemination of misinformation and incitement of hostility against LGBTQIA+ persons, religious minorities, immigrants and communities of color. This ideology has made LGBTQIA+ persons specific and repeated targets. By characterizing diverse sexual orientation and gender identities as existential threats to the homeland or national identity, this ideology utilizes dehumanizing language to justify the exclusion of these communities and other marginalized groups from public life.”
The Reformed Identity in the United States Committee approved the expanded version 50-6. It will go to the full assembly for consideration next week.
A potential amendment to the Book of Order
The Committee on Reformed Identity in the United States also approved RUS-01, “On Taking Action to Repudiate Christian Nationalism and Affirm Our Faith Commitments,” 52-4, with amendment. The overture, submitted by The Presbytery of San Jose, seeks to codify the denomination’s stance against White Christian power in the church’s constitution, found in the Book of Order.
The approved request would add a new section titled “My Kingdom is not of this world,” and would read: ”The church shall not align with any ideology that seeks to privilege Christianity in public life or conflate religious identity with national or ethnic supremacy. Such ideology, in all its forms, which seeks to privilege a singular religious-cultural framework in civic life is incompatible with the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, a theological error, a threat to faithful witness, and contrary to the church.”
The recommendation will go to the full assembly next week.
The decision not to officially commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution
Reflecting the worry over the spread of White Christian nationalism, and the misrepresentation of the nation’s claimed beginnings, the committee was reluctant to call for a celebration of the role of Presbyterians in the American Revolution — as requested in RUS-02, “On Commemorating The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution,” submitted by the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey.
Instead, the committee rejected that suggestion, but added an explanation as to why, saying, in part:
“The committee’s concern is not with teaching Presbyterian history; the concern is with how this overture frames that history. [The Advocacy Committee for Women and Gender Justice] reminds commissioners that [the recommendation] ‘risks sanctifying a narrative that binds the Church’s witness to a national origin story rooted in conquest, exclusion, and the erasure of Indigenous peoples, particularly women and gender expansive persons.’ The overture also risks elevating American identity in unhealthy ways.”
The comment was approved 37-17.
