From “American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays The Gospel and Threatens The Church” by Andrew L. Whitehead
Christian nationalism is fundamentally concerned with wielding power for the benefit of one’s own group. It is focused on defending “our” rights, practices, history, or privileges. Americans who embrace Christian nationalism to varying degrees consistently emphasize how others, those on the outside, are trying to take away their cultural and political power. Whether the threat is real is inconsequential. It is the perception of loss that matters most. Feeling aggrieved is a powerful motivator and for decades motivated many Americans to “defend the faith” and “defend the country.”
In one sense, white Christian America is declining demographically and will never again enjoy being the unquestioned center of the culture. Unchallenged access to privilege and power is disappearing. However, this does not mean that white Christians will be given no access to avenues through which they might influence civil society. As many of my colleagues in the social sciences might say, when a group is used to privilege, equality feels like discrimination.