This isn’t new. These divergent views of America, rooted in fundamental disagreement about the role of government, our responsibilities toward others, our sense of who is and who isn’t in our tribe — the divisions consuming us now have bedeviled the nation from the beginning. They exploded the country in the 1860s, but had been threatening it since the founding.
I think so, at least as I'm using the terms. The Christianist (shorthand for Christian Nationalist) believes in using the levers of government to enforce their view of morality. It's bound up with the belief that the US is a Christian nation and the laws should be based in a particular set of Christian beliefs. It is certainly possible to identify as a Christian, be deeply opposed to abortion and homosexuality, committed to traditional gender roles in marriage, etc., etc., etc., and still believe that it's not the government's role to promote or enforce those beliefs. The challenge for evangelicals is that when you believe so deeply in the truth of your own beliefs and that all others are false, it's just a short step from simply proclaiming the "good news" of your salvation through Jesus Christ and feeling compelled to impose those beliefs and behaviors on others. I think honest evangelicals will always struggle some with how to be true to their faith while also being a good citizen in a secular society. Nonetheless, millions of evangelicals do manage to quietly do just that.
Is there to be a difference between a "Christianist" and an actual (and indeed very right-wing and traditionalist) Christian?
I think so, at least as I'm using the terms. The Christianist (shorthand for Christian Nationalist) believes in using the levers of government to enforce their view of morality. It's bound up with the belief that the US is a Christian nation and the laws should be based in a particular set of Christian beliefs. It is certainly possible to identify as a Christian, be deeply opposed to abortion and homosexuality, committed to traditional gender roles in marriage, etc., etc., etc., and still believe that it's not the government's role to promote or enforce those beliefs. The challenge for evangelicals is that when you believe so deeply in the truth of your own beliefs and that all others are false, it's just a short step from simply proclaiming the "good news" of your salvation through Jesus Christ and feeling compelled to impose those beliefs and behaviors on others. I think honest evangelicals will always struggle some with how to be true to their faith while also being a good citizen in a secular society. Nonetheless, millions of evangelicals do manage to quietly do just that.