Christian Nationalism's Threat to Global Democracy

Abstract

Christian nationalism is a political ideology and cultural framework advocating for the fusion of a particular form of Christianity with a county's civic life and political institutions and for the privileging of Christianity in the public realm. Accordingly, in its pursuit of political power at the expense of democratic rules and norms and in its repudiation of religious diversity and different ways of thinking, Christian nationalism constitutes a serious threat to democracy. Much of the research on the political and social implications of Christian nationalism focuses on the United States. Yet Christian nationalism is not solely an American phenomenon. This brief essay argues that Christian nationalism, in various forms, is a global phenomenon and an important but underappreciated ingredient in the recent decline of democracy occurring around the world.

Keywords:

• nationalism
• populism
• democracy
• Christianity
• ideology
• religious diversity
• authoritarianism
• Christian nationalism

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nilay Saiya

Nilay Saiya is Associate Professor of Public Policy and Global Affairs at Nanyang Technological University. He is author most recently of The Global Politics of Jesus: A Christian Case for Church-State Separation (Oxford University Press, 2022).