American Idolatry
There are dozens of books out now on Christian nationalism. I know at least several of our congregations have done studies on the topic in the last few years. What I like about American Idolotry is that it truly is about the ideology and less about people. This also means the book made me a little uncomfortable at times, as I could see Christian nationalism sneaking into part of my childhood and adult life. I don’t agree with absolutely everything Whitehead writes, but I do commend this book for discussion. Baker Publishing created a STUDY GUIDE to use with the book.
From the publisher:
Power. Fear. Violence. These three idols of Christian nationalism are corrupting American Christianity.
Andrew Whitehead is a leading scholar on Christian nationalism in America and speaks widely on its effects within Christian communities. In this book, he shares his journey and reveals how Christian nationalism threatens the spiritual lives of American Christians and the church.
Whitehead shows how Christians harm their neighbors when they embrace the idols of power, fear, and violence. He uses two key examples--racism and xenophobia--to demonstrate that these idols violate core Christian beliefs. Through stories, he illuminates expressions of Christianity that confront Christian nationalism and offer a faithful path forward.
American Idolatry encourages further conversation about what Christian nationalism threatens, how to face it, and why it is vitally important to do so. It will help identify Christian nationalism and build a framework that makes sense of the relationship between faith and the current political and cultural context.