TN Pastors Warn of Speaker Johnson's Christian Nationalism

Advocacy group warns about Johnson's Christian Nationalism

A group of Tennessee pastors affiliated with the Southern Christian Coalition is speaking out about the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. The group is warning that Johnson is a "Christian Nationalist" and says the philosophy is dangerous for democracy.

One pastor affiliated with the group called Johnson's guiding philosophy undemocratic.

"It's imperative that those of us who profess the Christian faith condemn the harmful and discriminatory ideology of Christian nationalism," said Rev. Dr. Kevin Riggs, Pastor of Franklin Community Church in Franklin, TN. "Because of its harmful effects, I find it highly problematic and dangerous that the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, openly and loudly supports this Christian Nationalist agenda and continues to defend it publicly in interviews. It's especially concerning that he used to work for Alliance Defending Freedom knowing that they are a legal advocacy group that has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Christian Nationalism is, both by definition and in practice, an undermining of a diverse, multi-racial democracy and instead prioritizes the values of a certain version of evangelicalism and has an agenda that includes discriminating and removing the rights of some of us in order to protect the power and influence of a small group of people that include Speaker Johnson and his like-minded colleagues. Christian Nationalism is neither Christian nor democratic."

Another member of the group called Johnson's ideology dangerous.

"In America we believe that means everyone deserves the freedom to be themselves and live without discrimination," Rev. Jason Mikel, Pastor of Jenkins Presbyterian Church in Nolensville. "Elected leaders, like Speaker Mike Johnson, undermine these values and freedoms and instead are happy to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community or those whose views and beliefs don't line up perfectly with their own. I believe, as a Christian pastor, I am obligated to speak out against Christian Nationalism because it is contrary to the call of Jesus Christ to love our neighbors as ourselves. It has never been more important for those who profess the Christian faith to not only reject this dangerous ideology that is harmful to both Christianity and democracy, but to also demand our elected leaders enact policy that embodies a love and care for all neighbors, just as Jesus commanded."

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