Christian Nationalism

From the world's leading New Testament scholar, a compelling, clear-eyed look at Christian nationalism in light of the teachings of Jesus and the early church--and a framework for how to think about both love for God and love for country.

Political and cultural debates increasingly invoke the term "Christian nationalism" in ways that are both confusing and concerning. Love for God and for one's country are often merged, raising the question: How do followers of Jesus remain faithful to the tenets of God's global, multiethnic kingdom while advocating for the well-being of their own nation and its citizens?

Christian Nationalism answers this urgent and pressing question through the lens of the gospel. N. T. Wright, the preeminent Bible scholar of our time, examines what the teachings of Jesus and the early church reveal about our identity as citizens of both an earthly nation and the kingdom of God--and how that identity informs our responsibilities to each. As he takes a fresh look at the Gospels and at the New Testament epistles, Wright weaves biblical insights with historical perspectives to help readers:

• See how Jesus's teachings invalidate the fusion of Christian faith with national and ethnic identity
• Learn how to love one's country--and to identify its idols
• Gain a global and historical perspective on various forms of Christian nationalism
• Develop a healthy "critical patriotism" for one's country

Christian Nationalism breaks through the conflicting clamor of voices claiming to speak for the Christian faith and equips Jesus-followers to see how to hold the country you love accountable to God's standards of justice and peace.