Worthy Christian News > Christian > Over 500 US evangelical pastors condemn ‘Radical Christian Nationalism’ in open letter

Over 500 US evangelical pastors condemn ‘Radical Christian Nationalism’ in open letter

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – More than 500 US evangelical pastors and leaders have condemned ‘Radical Christian Nationalism’ in an open letter responding to the January 6 assault on the US Capitol, Religious News reports. Entitled “Evangelical Leaders Statement Condemning Christian Nationalism’s role in the January 6th Insurrection,” the letter explains the signatories come from diverse backgrounds and political persuasions, but stand together against ‘the perversion of the Christian faith” displayed at the insurrection, and against “the theology and the conditions” that led to the attack itself.

The letter was organized by the liberal-leaning evangelical group Vote for Common Good but signatories included leaders of theologically conservative traditions such as the Evangelical Covenant Church and the Christian Reformed Church. Other signatories include Jerushah Duford, a granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, Rev. Eugene Cho, CEO of the Christian advocacy group Bread for the World, Lisa Sharon Harper, author and founder of FreedomRoad.us, and the Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Christian advocacy group Sojourners, Religion News said.

“We recognize that evangelicalism, and white evangelicalism, in particular, has been susceptible to the heresy of Christian nationalism because of a long history of faith leaders accommodating white supremacy,” the letter reads. “On January 6 we saw the flags claiming Trump’s name, calling for violence, and raising the name of Jesus. We saw images of a police officer being beaten with an American flag and another being crushed in a doorway. We know an officer was murdered in the act of insurrection. We witnessed the cross and the gallow being erected.”

“We saw and heard the prayer the insurrectionists prayed from the Senate desk in Jesus’ name. Many of us recognized the content, the structure, and the style of that prayer as matching our own churches and faith,” the letter continues. “But we reject this prayer being used to justify the violent act and attempted overthrow of the Government.”

Explaining that their faith will not allow them to “remain silent at such a time as this,” the signatories said the world needs to see action being taken. Therefore, the letter says: “Every one of the signers of this declaration is committed to taking concrete steps to put flesh on our words.” In particular, the signatories attest: “We will seek to repair and heal the wounds of the past. We will seek racial justice on a personal, ecclesial, and systemic level. We will do our best to be faithful to Jesus, and to those Christ called ‘the least of these.’”