WASHINGTON — Sojourners, a leading Christian media and advocacy organization committed to social justice and peace, is tackling the threat of Christian nationalism. This toxic ideology distorts Christian language, symbols, and identity into tools for political manipulation and gain.
On October 16 at 1 PM EST, Sojourners will host an online webinar where panelists will explain what Christian nationalism is (and isn’t), offer examples of actions to help end it, and articulate a path forward that neither stifles the participation of people of faith in public life nor threatens a vibrant, democratic, and just future for all.
The webinar will build on the insights from experts and faith leaders published in the Sep-Oct issue of Sojourners magazine, available online now at sojo.net/nationalism2024.
Rev. Adam Taylor, President of Sojourners, will be part of the conversation. An ordained Baptist minister, Taylor believes that a healthy version of patriotism is possible for committed Christians. However, “Christian nationalism is a heretical distortion of our faith and needs to be met with unwavering opposition from all those who understand that loyalty to God must always come first. A Christianity that truly puts God first must never wrap the cross in the flag; instead, we must embrace our constitutional commitment to religious freedom, which has so often enabled religion and religious liberty to both flourish in our nation. We must insist that the standard of religious freedom is applied equally to people of all faiths and none.”
Our special guests for this conversation will be:
Rev. Caleb E. Campbell is lead pastor at Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Ariz and author of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor.
Rev. Pamela Cooper White, Ph. D. is emerita professor of psychology and religion and a former dean and vice president for academic affairs at Union Theological Seminary and author of The Psychology of Christian Nationalism.
Rev. Adam Russell Taylor is president of Sojourners and author of A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community. He is ordained in the American Baptist Church and the Progressive National Baptist Convention.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove is assistant director for partnerships at the Yale Center for Public Theology and Public Policy. A preacher, author, and community cultivator, he is the author, most recently, of White Poverty with William J. Barber II.
The webinar is free and open to the public.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Time: 1 PM (Eastern Time)
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
To Register: Visit sojo.net/nationalismwebinar
About Sojourners
Sojourners, a faith-inspired nonprofit, articulates the biblical call to social justice through its magazine and digital publication and convenes, equips and mobilizes people to put their faith into action.
###
Contact:
Sandra Sims
Sojourners
202-745-4601
ssims@sojo.net
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RNS or Religion News Foundation.
