Christian America and the Kingdom of God: White Christian Nationalism from the Puritans Through January 6, 2021

The myth of a Christian America fuels a powerful political force sure of its moral superiority and intent on implementing a Christian nationalist agenda. Richard T. Hughes and Christina Littlefield draw on discussions of civil religion and forms of nationalism to explore the complex legal and cultural arguments for a Christian America. The authors also provide an in-depth examination of the Bible’s words on the ＂chosen nation＂ and ＂kingdom of God＂ that Christian nationalists quote to support the idea of the US as a Christian nation.

A timely new edition of the acclaimed work, Christian America and the Kingdom of God spotlights how the centuries-long pursuit of a Christian America has bred an aggressive white Christian nationalism that twists faith, unleashes unchristian behavior, and threatens the nation.

Richard T. Hughes is a professor emeritus at both Pepperdine University and Messiah College. He is the author of Myths America Lives By: White Supremacy and the Stories That Give Us Meaning, Second Edition, and coauthor of Reviving the Ancient Faith: The Story of Churches of Christ in America, Third Edition. Christina Littlefield is an associate professor of communication and religion at Pepperdine University. She is the author of Chosen Nations: Pursuit of the Kingdom of God and its Influence on Democratic Values in Late-Nineteenth Century Britain and the United States.