Many believed they were standing up for a sacred institution, as Christian nationalism “is built on the basic premise that America, its Constitution and its form of government are by God’s design,” said Jeremie Beller, congregational minister for the Wilshire Church of Christ in Oklahoma City.Īs such, those believers viewed keeping Trump in office as the only way to “continue pushing the divine cause.” Most of the pro-Trump demonstrators who showed up in Washington that morning were peaceful. “We need to get out of that and be the hands and feet of Jesus.” Divine cause? “The good that I can be to my neighbor, the good that I can be in terms of unity to the church, is lifting my thinking out of this mire of liberal/conservative, left/right, Republican/Democrat,” he said. In Philippians 3:20, the apostle Paul writes that Christians are “citizens of heaven.”īut most Christians don’t seem to understand that or even want to hear it, said Otey, who insists on preaching that message anyway. Justice Department trial lawyer, who preached for the Georgia Avenue Church of Christ in Washington, D.C., for eight years. It absolutely is not,” added the former U.S. “People believe that being an American or being a patriot or being a part of a political party is part of their faith. People are compromised in their faith,” said Melvin Otey, a minister and law professor at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Ala. Their alliances and their allegiances are not first and foremost to Christ. “We have too many people in the church who aspire to be Christian Republicans, Christian Democrats, Christian something else. That’s not to mention the Confederate flags, the anti-Semitic T-shirts and the nods to QAnon conspiracy theories.īut to many faith leaders, the Christian nationalism on display amid the mob violence that resulted in five deaths was most alarming - and appalling. democracy to rioters chanting “Hang Pence” after Vice President Mike Pence refused to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s Electoral College win. 6 chaos, from gunfire and gas masks in the citadel of U.S. Plenty of disturbing scenes characterized the Jan. “Also,” his wife added, “my Lord wants me here to fight for the unborn.” … I pray that through this, the light will shine through the darkness.” “Our roots were there, and we’ve turned our backs on it. “We are certainly founded on ‘one nation under God,’” said her husband, Bob. “I wanted to be here because I feel like the Democrats are slapping our Creator in the face: God Almighty,” said Diane McMichael, an evangelical Christian from California. Some of the mostly White demonstrators - both in the nation’s capital and at other pro-Trump events across the U.S. “Trump 2020” and “Make America Great Again” flags flew alongside banners with Christian symbols. Capitol - many waved signs linking the Republican political leader to their Christian faith. As thousands rallied to support President Donald Trump’s unproven claim of a stolen election - a protest that turned deadly as an insurrectionist mob stormed the U.S.
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