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Adult Classes Audio Archive

Christian Nationalism & US Christianity

Recently, we held a 4 week series aimed at understanding the rise of Christian Nationalism and how it distorts the gospel and misshapes the Christian witness. We believe it is crucial for followers of Jesus to recognize the damage Christian Nationalism inflicts on the church, condemn its idolatrous beliefs and practices, and boldly live into our identity as citizens of the kingdom of God whose ultimate allegiance is to Jesus. During our series we were joined by Gonzaga University professor Dr. Kevin Vander Schel. The discussions provided thoughtful and engaging experiences which will continue long after the end of this series. 

You can still watch all weekly discussions by clicking on each of the links: 

Week 1  Discussion

Week 2 Discussion

Week 3 Discussion

Week 4 Discussion

Dr. Vander Schel provided additional reading material on this topic. Below you will find a handful of articles that offer a deeper understanding of the history and impacts of Christian Nationalism. 

Resources (click links below)

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This piece is by a historian of modern German thought named Helmut Walser Smith, and is titled "Nation and Nationalism". It offers a historical overview of the modern concept of nation and the rise of nationalist forms of thinking, presenting a fuller discussion of some of the points that were discussed on 9/15. It's a chapter from a larger volume: Germany 1800–1870, edited by Jonathan Sperber (Oxford University Press, 2004). 

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These articles are by Tim Alberta, and both were published in The Atlantic. The first is longer and offers excerpts from his book The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, which was brought up some 9/15. The other is a shorter piece speaking about the dangers that Christian nationalism poses for Christian communities today.  (The Only Thing More Dangerous Than Authoritarianism and My Father, My Faith, and Donald Trump)

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This is the first chapter of a 2022 book called The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, by Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry (Oxford University Press) who approach the recent rise of Christian nationalism from a sociological perspective. 

Additionally, Dr. Vander Schel's suggested readings on Christian Nationalism in the Contemporary U.S., can be found by clicking here.


 

Audio Recordings of Past Classes

Visit our soundcloud page to hear recordings of past classes at HPPC.

Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church

growing active followers of Jesus Christ and building his community

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