this is the big ol' faq

Good question. Baptists are a remarkably diverse group. There is no one “Baptist church,” but instead it is best described as the Baptist movement or the Baptist family. Our coalition currently includes 15 Baptist bodies in the U.S., as well as thousands of churches and individuals, Baptists and non-Baptists. Our faith-based identity is important to us: we’re the only faith-based group working exclusively on protecting religious freedom for all and the separation of church and state working on the national level.

“Patriotism” is love of country that is expressed in many ways, such as waving an American flag, volunteering at a food bank, teaching in the public schools, serving in the military, running for public office, or protesting policies with which you disagree. “Nationalism” is an extreme form of patriotism that demands a position of superiority and has little or no room for dissent or disagreement.

As the statement affirms, “People of all faiths and none have the right and responsibility to engage constructively in the public square.” Separating the institutions of religion and government does not — and should not — silence religious voices in the public square. People approach voting and public policy from a variety of perspectives, including their religious beliefs and ethics. Often, there are religious viewpoints on multiple sides of a policy debate.

The statement says that Christian nationalism “overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation.” The deep, abiding problem of racism in this country is much larger than this project, and yet it is undoubtedly connected to this conversation. We recognize the overlap between Christian nationalism and white supremacy and the fact that not all Christians or signers of this statement will view the connection in the same way.

For more on this topic, here are additional resources:

• Webinar: White Christian Nationalism: How Racism Undergirds Christian Nationalism featuring Dr. Jemar Tisby and Dr. Robert P. Jones (2021).

• Webinar: Flag and the Cross: White Christian nationalism and the threat to American democracy, featuring Dr. Philip Gorski and Dr. Samuel Perry (2022)

• Video: A national conversation on white supremacy and American Christianity featuring Dr. Robert P. Jones and Adelle Banks (2020)

• Podcast: White supremacy and Christian nationalism: A conversation with the Rev. Dr. Jay Augustine (Respecting Religion podcast, 2023)

• Podcast: Christian nationalism, racism and white supremacy with Dr. Jemar Tisby (Dangers of Christian nationalism podcast series, 2019)

A few books and articles:

• The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Dr. Jemar Tisby (2020)
• Dr. Jemar Tisby also shared his definition in a Substack post, including the use of “white” before the term: A Virtual Roundtable on the Threat of Christian Nationalism, Part 2 of 4
• White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America by Dr. Anthea Butler (2021)
• Dr. Anthea Butler also defined white Christian nationalism in her contribution to Christian Nationalism and the January 6, 2021, Insurrection. Her section is on pages 4-6.
• The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy by Dr. Philip Gorski and Dr. Samuel Perry (2022)
• The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future by Dr. Robert P. Jones (2023)
• The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy by Rev. Jim Wallis (2024)

We first approached this project as an interfaith partnership. After talking with and listening to our partners of different religious backgrounds and those of no religious background, we realized that this was work that we, as Christians, need to do first. Over the years the campaign has evolved and expanded — from a statement of principles to the emergence of local groups working in their own communities.

Religious nationalism is not unique to the United States or to Christianity; it has been a recurrent problem throughout history and it continues to be one around the world today in various countries. Any type of religious nationalism provides a source of authority by giving a leader or government moral support for its policies. Pew Research Center released a report comparing levels around the world in 2025. The expression of religious nationalism we see most in the United States is Christian nationalism, and this campaign focuses on that phenomenon and issue.

This question could be referring to many things. The Constitution is clear that the country wasn’t founded for Christians or to prefer Christians. The U.S. Constitution created a system of government open to people of any faith – Article VI prohibits any religious test for public office. Sometimes when people say the United States is a Christian nation, they are referring to demographics. Most surveys find around 70% of the American population identify with Christianity, so it can be accurate to say that we are a majority-Christian nation. The numbers decrease when surveys go deeper to ask questions about frequency of engaging in Christian practices, such as prayer, Bible study or attending corporate worship services.

Here are more resources that address this question:

Video: “Is America a Christian nation?” featuring Holly Hollman (runtime: 2:47)

Video clip: Amanda Tyler’s rebuttal for people who claim we are a ‘Christian nation’ (runtime: 0:59, excerpted from a conversation in 2024)

News article by Peter Smith for the Associated Press: Many believe the founders wanted a Christian America. Some want the government to declare one now.

Read Frequently Asked Questions on this topic from the Associated Press.

Article by the Rev. Jennifer Hawks for Baptist News Global: How the Constitution’s original religious freedom guarantee almost didn’t happen

Podcast: Amanda Tyler spoke with historian Steven Green in 2019 for an episode of our podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism: Were we founded as a Christian nation?

Book by Steven Green: Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding (2015)

Book by Michael Meyerson: Endowed by our Creator: The Birth of Religious Freedom in America (2012)

NPR story/podcast: A History of Christian Nationalism, featuring Dr. Catherine Brekus and Dr. Bradley Onishi (October 2024)

Podcast: Christian nationalism and the presidency (2024)

Podcast: The myth of American ‘chosenness’ with Dr. Catherine Brekus (2023)

We first approached this project as an interfaith partnership. After talking with our partners of different religious backgrounds and those of no religious background, we realized that this was work that we, as Christians, need to do first. This work began with our statement of principles for Christians to sign.

You do not have to be a Christian to join us in this work. We invite you to join our email list to stay connected and get alerts about opportunities for involvement. We are grateful for the support of our non-Christian partners, many of whom have helped us spread the word about the campaign and who work with us on various projects.

Let us know! Contact us, and please include all necessary details.

“Patriotism” is love of country that is expressed in many ways, such as waving an American flag, volunteering at a food bank, teaching in the public schools, serving in the military, running for public office, or protesting policies with which you disagree. “Nationalism” is an extreme form of patriotism that demands a position of superiority and has little or no room for dissent or disagreement.

Sometimes the public perception of Christians is far more limited than the experience and diversity of Christians. This online statement provides a more accurate picture of how American Christians view Christian nationalism. It demonstrates common ground across the broad Christian family and can serve as a helpful resource for those combating the ideology of Christian nationalism and engaging in civil dialogue. Anyone who self-identifies as a Christian is invited to sign the statement online.

But, you do not have to identify as a Christian or be a signer of the statement to be part of efforts combating Christian nationalism. We invite you to join our email list to stay connected with us.

There are various definitions and understandings of Christian nationalism.

The Christians Against Christian Nationalism statement defines it as “a political ideology that seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and America’s constitutional democracy.”

Visit our page on Christian nationalism for some additional resources. You can listen to a conversation about various definitions of the term in this episode of the Respecting Religion podcast (S4, Ep. 18, released in 2023). You can also watch a short video clip of that conversation that talks about the definition.

Examples of Christian nationalism can range from derogatory and exclusionary comments to issues of life and death.

People who espouse Christian nationalism often use the idea of Christianity or Christian language to demand conformity and promote policies and behaviors that solidify their power or status against others.

Christian nationalism suggests that “real” Americans are Christians and that “true” Christians hold a particular set of political beliefs, and so it seeks to privilege a narrow subset of Americans by law and in societal practice.

A policy or proposal might match up with religious beliefs, and that does not mean it’s necessarily an example of Christian nationalism. For example, robbery is both illegal and against the teachings of Christianity (and many other religions). However, if a policy or proposal is based solely on religious belief and seeks to privilege a certain set of beliefs or a certain type of Christianity in law, it’s a hallmark of Christian nationalism. One example is in the way some states propose public school curriculum with lessons from the Bible under the guise of promoting “religious literacy,” but the lessons tend to focus on Christianity and use Christian texts or Christian interpretations of Jewish texts instead of providing a fair, well-rounded view of religion. You can read more about that specific issue on our page dedicated to our North Texas coalition.

“Christian nation” mythology is often used to marginalize non-Christians in political activity, too. Citizenship is not predicated on our religious belief – you do not have to be a certain religion or any religion at all to belong in the United States. Plus, our country’s separation of the institutions of religion and government does not — and should not — silence religious voices in the public square. People approach voting and public policy from a variety of perspectives, including their religious beliefs and ethics. Often, there are religious viewpoints on multiple sides of a policy debate.

Christian nationalism in the hands of extremists can lead to acts of violence, such as the shootings at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and Chabad of Poway synagogue near San Diego, California. At times, these violent acts are perpetuated by those who mix Christian theology with nationalist ideas of exclusion and superiority. Some of the white nationalists who marched through Charlottesville in 2017 wore cross necklaces while chanting “Jews will not replace us.”

For a conversation evaluating several situations — from flags in church sanctuaries to saying the Constitution is “divinely inspired” — listen to the podcast episode titled “But … is it Christian nationalism?” on the Respecting Religion podcast (episode 21 of season 5).

Yes, you can click here to make a tax-deductible gift to the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiatve. Your gift will go to BJC, the 501(c)(3) organization that runs it, and your gift will be designated for this work.

You can also click here to make a specific gift supporting our organizing work in North Texas. If you have questions about donating to Christians Against Christian Nationalism, contact [email protected].

As the statement affirms, “People of all faiths and none have the right and responsibility to engage constructively in the public square.” Separating the institutions of religion and government does not — and should not — silence religious voices in the public square. People approach voting and public policy from a variety of perspectives, including their religious beliefs and ethics. Often, there are religious viewpoints on multiple sides of a policy debate.

When you give to BJC, your gift makes an immediate impact for faith freedom for all. All gifts, unless otherwise specified, go to the area in which they are needed most. You can also make a gift specifically toward the work of the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, our ongoing Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement, local groups across the country, and our North Texas Coalition.

While BJC is a 501(c)3, we are not obligated to file a 990 with the IRS due to our classification as a religious organization. We do, however, conduct an annual audit. Please contact [email protected] with your specific financial questions.

Our Federal Tax ID number is 53-0214244.

Yes, BJC (Baptist Joint Committee) is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Yes, because we are a 501(c)(3) organization, your gifts to BJC can be counted as charitable contributions in your tax returns. This includes gifts to BJC that are earmarked for our specific work via Christians Against Christian Nationalism; the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation; local organizing groups; and the North Texas Coalition.

Yes. While our work is concentrated in the United States, we welcome your support. If you have any issue with making a gift, contact us at [email protected].

You could say it’s in our DNA. Since the founding of the Baptist movement in the early 17th century, defending religious liberty for all has been a core distinction of the faith. It comes from a theology that leaves it to each person to build a relationship with God — a radical concept called “soul freedom.” Any government interference with that relationship is a threat to faith. Baptists have defended someone’s right to say “no” to God as forcefully as we’ve fought for someone’s right to say “yes.” Interested in learning more? Check out this page about our Baptist distinctives.

BJC traces our roots back to 1936, when a committee tied to the Southern Baptist Convention and a committee tied to the Northern Baptist Convention decided to work together on an issue they agreed upon: Religious freedom. Since then, we’ve had various “member bodies” composed of a variety of Baptist groups. Our board of directors is made up of people who represent those member bodies.

The legal name of BJC is “Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.” In 2019, we re-branded to be just “BJC” — allowing us to get quickly to the work we do.

Rooted in a Baptist commitment to soul liberty, we are building a movement toward a just society that cultivates and expands religious freedom for all.

As a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3), we are supported by the generous donations of individuals, family foundations, denominations, and churches. We also are fortunate to have an endowment, funded in part by friends of BJC who made legacy gifts in their wills and estates, that helps support our ongoing work. We can’t do this important work without the generous support of freedom fighters like you. Invest in freedom today.

Yes! Though we come at our work from the Baptist perspective, our mission is to defend religious liberty for all people — those who claim a specific religious tradition and those who do not. We regularly work in coalition with other religious, civil rights, and civil society groups. We have donors, BJC Fellows, interns, and staff members who are not Baptist or Christian. Everyone has a role to play in protecting faith freedom for all.