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Christian organizations are calling on pastors across the country to stand up against the rise of Christian nationalism during their church services next weekend.
The "Preach and Pray to Confront Christian Nationalism" initiative is the latest event sponsored by Faithful America, an online community of progressive Christians that aim to combat the use of their faith being "hijacked" by the political right. The group recently protested a high-profile conservative speaker event in Miami, Florida, and has taken a public stand against several Republican politicians, including Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who previously defended Christian nationalism, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Faithful America's newest initiative is aimed at taking a stand within the church building next, calling on pastors to "warn against effort to conflate Christian and American identities" while leading service on June 11.
"Faithful America chose the weekend before Flag Day for our 'Preach and Pray to Confront Christian Nationalism' event because all too often the flag is made into an idol, sitting near the altar at the front of sanctuaries across the country," said the Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America, who spoke with Baptist publication Word&Way.
"Certainly, as patriotic Americans, we can and do honor our nation's flag, and as Christians, we venerate Christ before the cross—but while both objects are of great importance to us, only one is godly and only one is part of our faith," Empsall added.
The "Preach and Pray" event is sponsored alongside several other progressive Christian groups, according to Word&Way's report, including the Clergy Emergency League, Red Letter Christians and Vote Common Good, among others.
"It's absolutely heartbreaking to see so many far-right politicians and pastors go a different direction, twisting the Gospel to seize power at any cost, attack equal rights, demonize their opponents, and spread dangerous conspiracy theories," Empsall said in a statement to Newsweek on Saturday. "Toxic Christian nationalism is the single biggest threat to both democracy and the church, and we pastors have a moral obligation to loudly oppose it as a dangerous hijacking of our faith."
Last month, Christian organizations like Faithful America protested with billboards during the ReAwaken America Tour in Miami, a conservative, pro-former President Donald Trump conference that featured speakers such as Michael Flynn, ex-national security adviser, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. The signs included phrases such as the Bible verse Matthew 7:15-20, in which Jesus warned his followers of falling for "false prophets."
The group also started an online petition last month condemning DeSantis' campaign after the Republican governor launched his 2024 presidential bid. Faithful America described the conservative leader as a "proud, far-right Catholic extremist" and warned that he would "bring his unholy Christian nationalism to the entire country as president."
Newsweek has previously reached out to ReWaken America and DeSantis' campaign for comment on the backlash.
Update 06/05/2023, 4:45 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional comment from Faithful America
About the writer
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more