An Introduction to the Christian Nationalism Project at the CCE

Описание: Welcome to the first What Matters Most podcast that is also offered in video form. This episode introduces our Christian Nationalism project and our plans for the next few years in terms of podcasts, webinars, and lectures, culminating with an international and ecumenical conference in 2028. You will also find links here to the podcast episodes that have already started to examine Christian Nationalism.

What Matters Most is a podcast about listening to people and exploring major questions of religion and spirituality. Created by the Centre for Christian Engagement at St. Mark’s College (UBC’s Catholic college), it is intended for all listeners, Catholic or not. The podcast centers on spirituality and faith while genuinely listening to voices both inside and outside the Church.

In this episode I explain what I mean by “Christian Nationalism.” I use the term to describe the desire among some Christians in Europe, the USA, Canada, and elsewhere to link the roles of Church and state so that each formally supports the aims of the other. This often implies a return to some form of Christendom or a theocratic model. I view Christian nationalism as a distinct threat, different from nationalism itself, which carries its own dangers. I reference former podcast guest Bill Cavanaugh, who argues in his article Nationalism as Idolatry that nationalism is the real threat. I encourage listeners to revisit his episode for further context.

I reference data from the Public Religion Research Institute, especially A Christian Nation? Understanding the Threat of Christian Nationalism to American Democracy and Culture, as key to grasping Christian Nationalism. This research is U.S.-based, and comparable Canadian data are limited. One useful source is Lydia Bean’s 2010 book The Politics of Evangelical Identity, which shows that while Canadian and American churches share theological similarities, their political identities differ significantly.

Our aim is to understand Christian nationalism and how to resist it politically and religiously. It is not the authentic face of Christianity, yet it is a real expression that cannot be ignored. We also need to grasp its appeal: what needs or desires it addresses, what positives supporters see in it, and why it has emerged at this moment.

Also, how does this impact people of other faiths? How is their place in a democracy understood by Christian nationalists? What do Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, indigenous peoples, and those with no particular faith, inclusive of all others, feel about Christian nationalism?

So, where are we at right now in terms of our project? Right now, there are podcasts that introduce a variety of ideas and the history of Christian nationalism in North America on the podcast. Let me give you a list of episodes that touch on or discuss the topic in depth.

The Rise of Christian Nationalism in the 1930s and Today in the USA: A Conversation with Charles Gallagher, S.J. on October 31, 2023
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

The Uses of Idolatry, or Many Old Gods: A Conversation with Bill Cavanaugh on October 22, 2024.
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Reconsidering John Calvin: A Conversation with Ruben Rosario Rodriguez, January 16, 2025 https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Becoming a Catholic Peace Church: A Conversation with Gerald Schlabach January 30, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Reading the Bible in the Kingdom of Love: A Conversation with Tom Bolin June 25, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

"The Way We Exercise Dominion is Through Justice:" A Conversation with Dr. Steven W. Tyra on Christian Nationalism, October 22, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

Finally, I think Elizabeth Castelli’s fits in the context of our discussion of Charlie Kirk and his murder and how that fits in martyrdom narratives. Who is a Martyr? A Conversation with Dr. Elizabeth A. Castelli, November 19, 2025

Coming up is Ruth Braunstein, who will discuss evangelical Christian nationalism, and Matthew Cressler who will discuss Catholic integralism, a specifically Catholic form of Christian nationalism.

There is more to come including an in person lecture with Pavlo Smytsnyuk on March 17, 2025.

More to come, so stay tuned! And please follow us on your favourite podcasting platform, rate and review the podcast, follow us on Instagram at @stmarkscce, or drop us an email at [email protected] or @[email protected].

Thanks for listening and remember what matters most.