Amanda Tyler deserves more attention than she gets.
As the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, she has led legal efforts and policy initiatives designed to protect the separation of church and state. She also helped galvanize and organize prominent faith leaders into a critical campaign called “Christians Against Christian Nationalism.” Her efforts and ideas — through organizational and movement leadership — have reshaped the intersection of religion, politics, and law in recent years. Yet, her name is far less known than many other Christian leaders who talk more and do less.
Hopefully her new book, How to End Christian Nationalism, changes that. This volume does an impressive job of conveying three things.
First, Tyler weaves her own story into the narrative. These anecdotes allow the reader to understand how she came to this work and how it’s personal for her. Not only does it make the book a more enjoyable read, but it helps convince skeptics of her motivations and co-conspirators that she is equally invested.
“My journey to end Christian Nationalism began 40 years ago, when I made my profession of faith in the baptismal waters at Riverbend Baptist Church in Austin, Texas,” she explains as she roots her current convictions in her baptismal confession.
And she makes clear the vocational nature of this work: “Back in 2016, around the time of my son’s first birthday, I sensed a new call, this time to an office on just the other side of Capitol Hill. It was physically close [to the congressional office where she worked] but represented a move out of government and into nonprofit advocacy: leading BJC. … Our advocacy is often for those whose beliefs differ from our own because Christians hold and have always held power in the United States.”
Second, the book is a great primer on the scourge of Christian Nationalism. From understanding what the ideology is to the dangerous ways it manifests, Tyler paints an accessible picture of the problem. Frankly, this is the kind of resource that was needed a couple years ago. Tyler’s book will be the place many begin in their exploration of this issue.
“[Christian Nationalism] suggests that ‘real’ Americans are Christians and that ‘true’ Christians hold a particular set of political beliefs. It seeks to create a society in which only this narrow subset of Americans is privileged by law and in societal practice,” she writes in unpacking the ideology she opposes. “Christian Nationalism merely uses the veneer of Christianity to advance its own aims. It points not to Jesus of Nazareth but to the nation … as the object of allegiance.”
Third, it provides practical steps Christians can take to address the problem. Like Brian and I sought to do in Baptizing America, this volume includes guidance and encouragement on actions Christians can take that will contribute to a healthier democracy and a more faithful witness.
One of the most common misperceptions is that the proposed or only solution to Christian Nationalism is a secular public sphere. Yet, that is neither realistic nor preferable given the religious pluralism of our society and the important role that theological beliefs play in forming our identity and our politics.
Tyler speaks to this concern directly: “Working to end Christian Nationalism does not mean working to end Christian expression in the public square. It would be wrong to assume that the antidote to this scourge is for Christians to simply shut up about our faith. But authentic, effective work to end Christian Nationalism means discerning carefully and thoughtfully how we represent our faith and its claims in ways that don’t require that our faith receive special or preferential treatment.”
A “Proud American Christian” flag waves during the “Take Our Border Back” convoy rally on Feb. 1, 2024, in Dripping Springs, Texas. (Michael Nigro/Sipa USA/Alamy Live News)
As we anticipate the next four years of Donald Trump’s administration, this book will be a lamentably valuable resource. Those shaping policy for the next president have made clear that Christian Nationalism will be front and center. Support for the ideology within the Republican party is growing. GOP leaders are increasingly embracing the label and what it represents. This is a menace that is growing, not shrinking. Tyler’s writing and work will prove vital to pushing back against this increasing extremism.
We know many of you are closely following developments around Christian Nationalism in the United States. You’ve tracked the rhetoric of politicians, noted the way it creeps into public policy, and continued to read the latest from those seeking to expose its pernicious influence. You’ll find How to End Christian Nationalism to be an important contribution to this conversation and we’re thrilled that Amanda Tyler has agreed to give a signed copy away to one paid subscriber of A Public Witness. So make sure you’ve upgraded your subscription to be eligible for that drawing.
As a public witness,
Beau Underwood
By the way, you can learn more by listening to the recent interview with Amanda Tyler on our podcast Dangerous Dogma.
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