At a pivotal moment in world history, the president of the United States asked citizens to join him in an urgent prayer.
"Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion and our civilization," he said. "Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. ... Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom."
That was Franklin D. Roosevelt on D-Day, as Allied troops entered northern France.
"FDR said things about God and America that, if anyone spoke those words today, people would have heart attacks," said Daniel Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
"Presidents have always talked about God and faith, because they're speaking to ordinary Americans," he added. Biblical language has also been common, and not just among presidents backed by evangelical Protestants. President Barack Obama, Darling noted, "quoted scripture more often than George W. Bush, who may have avoided that since his critics screamed 'THEOCRACY!' whenever he did."
In recent years, academics and journalists have been especially critical of "Christian nationalism," a concept that has become hard to clearly define and monitor in political life.
Researchers with Neighborly Faith -- a group that helps evangelicals build stronger relationships with other religious groups -- studied academic publications addressing this issue and created a detailed, 14-point compromise definition stating, in part: "Christian Nationalism is a movement advancing a vision of America's past, present, and future that excludes people of non-Christian religions and non-Western cultures. Christian Nationalists romanticize Christianity's influence on America's development, attributing the nation's historical provenance to God's special favor."
Some researchers add "white" before "Christian nationalism" and stress that adherents believe America is increasingly threatened by immigration, Critical Race Theory, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and other factors.
Neighborly Faith concluded that 5 percent of Americans self-identify as Christian nationalists, and 11 percent can be considered "adherents."
Debates about these topics led to a new Lifeway Research survey, working with the Land Center, of self-identified Southern Baptist churchgoers and many congregational leaders. Darling stressed that -- while conflicts exist -- most Southern Baptists are politically conservative, but strongly support the First Amendment rights of all. Survey takeaways included:
-- It's crucial that 92 percent of laity and 95 percent of key leaders affirmed that "religious liberty should apply to all persons and religions." Also, 80 percent of members and 86 percent of leaders said government officials must allow citizens to freely practice their religious faiths, including what Southern Baptists consider "false religions."
-- While 58 percent of members and 62 percent of church leaders think the government should not support a specific religion or religious belief, 36 percent of members and 33 percent of church leaders disagreed.
-- In defense of religious liberty, 94 percent of the laypeople and 97 percent of church leaders affirmed the right of Americans to choose their own religious beliefs. Also, 88 percent of the laity and 97 percent of church leaders said citizens must retain the right to "practice principles" of their faith "in everyday life."
-- Also, 67 percent of members and 77 percent of church leaders said politically active Christians can "fight secularism" by supporting legislation that encourages Christian principles and practices in the public square.
-- While 56 percent of church members believe politics is "a way for Christians to love their neighbor," 31 percent disagreed and 13 percent were not sure. Also, 70 percent said Christians are "obligated" to vote in elections to select political leaders, while 26 percent disagreed.
Darling acknowledged that a few evangelicals and Southern Baptists may be ready to "scrap the U.S. Constitution," while rejecting what has long been called a "classically liberal" approach to First Amendment rights. But the "vast majority of Southern Baptists are not pining for the beliefs" that most researchers link to Christian nationalism, he said.
"There are lots of people in our churches who think we've gone too far while changing some parts of American culture," Darling added. "They're worried about trends they see around them, but that doesn't make them Christian nationalists -- even if they quote a Bible verse or two when they talk about politics. ... The last thing Southern Baptists want is the government telling folks what to believe."
Terry Mattingly is Senior Fellow on Communications and Culture at Saint Constantine College in Houston. He lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and writes Rational Sheep, a Substack newsletter on faith and mass media.
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