Local clergy urge voters to distinguish Christianity from Christian nationalism

WENATCHEE — Organizers of a July 6 forum at Wenatchee United Methodist Church set out to answer what they described as a growing misconception about Christian nationalism: that it is merely a political label rather than a defined ideological movement with identifiable characteristics.

During a presentation titled "Demystifying Christian Nationalism," Pastor Aaron Musser of Faith Lutheran Church in Leavenworth argued that Christian nationalism is distinct from Christianity itself and drew on biblical interpretation, constitutional history, academic research and video clips to explain why organizers believe its defining characteristics have become visible in North Central Washington.

Opening the evening, the Rev. Debbie Sperry, pastor of Wenatchee United Methodist Church, described the conversation as a personal one.

"I am a white, Christian American," Sperry said. "These days, I find it exceedingly frustrating that I need to justify what kind of Christian I am and what kind of Christian I'm not."

Musser explained part of why that frustration — the need to explain — exists by distinguishing Christianity from Christian nationalism, arguing that the presentation was not about whether Christians should participate in public life or hold elected office. Instead, he described Christian nationalism as a political ideology with its own history, scholarship and theological assumptions.

That distinction is significant because Christians are already heavily represented in American government. According to a January 2025 Pew Research Center analysis, 87.8% of members of the 119th Congress identify as Christian, compared with about 62% of regular U.S. adult citizens.

Musser based his definition on the work of sociologists Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry, authors of The Flag and the Cross, along with historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne.

Central to that scholarship, Musser said, is what Gorski calls a "deep story," an overarching narrative about the nation's identity. In that narrative, he said, the premise is that the United States was founded as an explicitly Christian nation, has drifted from that identity and should be restored to it.

Musser said Christian nationalism is further distinguished by a spiritual warfare worldview that interprets political conflict as manifestations of an unseen struggle between divine and demonic forces.

To illustrate that framework, Musser played a series of video clips from national religious leaders whom he identified as influential voices within the movement.

Among them was Mark Driscoll, founder of Seattle's former Mars Hill Church. Driscoll resigned in 2014 after church leaders documented what they described as patterns of bullying and domineering behavior and proposed a restoration process that he declined to complete. Musser noted that Driscoll preached at Grace City Church in Wenatchee in February and appeared at FreedomCon at The Gorge before showing a clip in which Driscoll embraced the label.

"Yes," Driscoll said. "I am a Christian nationalist."

Musser also presented video of Idaho pastor Doug Wilson, whose theology has been closely associated with Christian Reconstructionism. Wilson, founder of Christ Church in Moscow, has argued for an explicitly Christian social order and has become an influential voice among pastors and political activists nationwide.

Musser then turned to local examples.

He introduced video of 12th Legislative District candidate Adam James speaking from the pulpit at Grace City Church with campaign imagery displayed behind him.

In the clip, James described the state's political problems as fundamentally spiritual.

"Underneath all of the problems in Washington State, the core is spiritual. It's moral," James said. "Underneath the abysmal policies being forced over the good, free people of Washington are wicked principals, and behind those principals are principalities, and only the church, people of faith, men and women filled with the Spirit of God have the spiritual authority to confront principalities and tear down strongholds."

In Christian spiritual warfare theology, "principalities" refers to unseen spiritual powers believed to influence governments and institutions. James followed those remarks by pivoting to campaign themes centered on election integrity.

"We will protect every legitimate vote," he said. "Our elections, we will restore transparency, integrity, trust in this state, voter ID, proof of citizenship. These things are common sense."

Among the candidates seeking the 12th Legislative District seat, James is the only one who has publicly framed the state's political problems as a spiritual conflict involving supernatural forces and said "only the church" has the spiritual authority to confront those forces. Musser presented James's remarks as an example of a movement he argued seeks political authority rooted in a particular understanding of Christianity rather than Christianity broadly.

Following the presentation, Musser was joined for a panel discussion by local clergy, community leaders and political candidates, including the Rev. Keith Madsen, Confluence Indivisible founder Meliesa Tigard, Channel Z organizer Kurt Alan Peterson, 12th Legislative District candidate Stacy Willoughby and Chelan County commissioner candidate Clint Strand.

Audience questions ranged from constitutional history and the religious beliefs of the nation's founders to practical questions about recognizing Christian nationalism in contemporary politics. One attendee asked how Christians could distinguish between a government influenced by Christian values and the ideology Musser had described.

Musser returned to the distinction that framed the evening, saying the question was not whether Christians should participate in government, but whether political authority should be understood through a theological framework that seeks to restore a particular Christian identity and interprets political conflict as spiritual warfare.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media