Connecting Christian Nationalism and Dominion Theology

What exactly is “Christian nationalism”?

How is it connected to “dominion theology”?

Many different authors researching the subject have defined Christian nationalism in multiple ways. The basic core of this belief can be seen in the following Christian nationalist narrative: America’s founding fathers were staunch believers — basically like evangelical Christians are today. As devout Christians, they imbued America’s Constitution and legal system with Christian/biblical principles.

Moreover, they fully intended to found America as an expressly “Christian nation,” with Christianity as the preferred religion of America. This program was built on the notion that America enjoyed a special covenant relationship to God, just as the Old Testament (OT) nation of Israel did. The Puritans saw themselves as the “New Israel” fleeing the “persecution of Egypt” (Europe), coming to the “Promised Land” of America. God, in his providence, had led them to occupy the land — just like Israel occupied the land of Canaan.

Ancient Israel lived under a theocracy whereby the law of God became the religious, civil and moral laws of the land. It was a conditional covenant: obedience to the terms of the covenant would bring God’s blessing, whereas disobedience and sin would bring cursing and judgement from God. This aspect of the story line is made amply clear in the historical narratives of the OT. According to the text, Israel’s repeated failure to live up to the standards of the covenant ultimately brought about God’s judgement, followed by destruction and Babylonian exile — and God, in his righteous wrath, takes the credit for directing the entire thing.

Thus, in the Christian nationalist reading of America’s reading, like OT Israel, America too has lost its way. How do we know this is the case? Christian nationalists point to with the widespread availability of abortion, which traces its roots back to the landmark Supreme Court ruling of 1973: Roe v. Wade. God has been “kicked out of public schools” with two additional Supreme Court rulings dated back to 1962 and 1963, removing school-led prayers and Bible studies in public schools. We also see widespread other evils such as homosexuality, secular humanism, pluralism, pornography, alcohol, etc. running…