Americans United for Separation of Church and State hosted its second Summit for Religious Liberty in Washington, DC, from April 14 to 15. President and CEO Rachel Laser welcomed the crowd by reminding attendees, “The wall (of separation between church and state) protects us all.”
Laser continued, “The wall of separation between church and state does not divide us; it unites us.” Americans United advocates for First Amendment protections to be extended to all citizens, including religious adherents and those who choose not to practice religion.
Featured speakers at this year’s summit included Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Dr. Anthea Butler of the University of Pennsylvania and journalist Erin Reed. Other speakers led breakouts and workshops on a variety of critical issues.
In the opening plenary, Butler warned the audience that she would not leave them feeling very joyful. She provided evidence that Christian nationalists are attempting to “fundamentally change America to a theocratic state.”
Butler concluded, “This latest iteration of White Christian Nationalism is the most dangerous movement we’ve encountered in the last 50 years.”
During a breakout session on school vouchers and the concerted attempt to privatize public education, Linh Dang, Alex Luchenitser and Samantha Sokol pointed out examples across the country where Christian nationalists are undermining public education on two fronts.
First, there is a well-funded attempt to gain access to taxpayer money to support religious education. Second, Christian nationalists are attempting to impose their religious beliefs on public educators and students who do not believe in their conservative theological conclusions.
In another breakout session, Good Faith Media’s (GFM) Bruce Gourley informed attendees of the importance of language when talking to others about Christian nationalism. Christian nationalists interpret words such as freedom, rights, gospel and community differently than others.
Another keynote speaker, Erin Reed, told the audience that White Christian Nationalists are using fear of trans individuals to gain power in state legislatures and the federal government. Reed encouraged people to advocate for trans rights because “trans rights are all our rights.”
Executive Director Ani Zonneveld of Muslims for Progressive Values revealed how the Christian Right is courting the Muslim Right in America. She showed photos of disgraced former General Michael Fynn speaking to a group of Muslims, using shared “family values” language to influence them.
Democracy Forward representatives Megan Uzzell and Max Levy pointed out numerous concerns over The Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025.” The project is a blueprint for conservatives to take control of the federal government and usher in an autocracy if Donald Trump wins the presidency in 2024.
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D–Maryland’s 8th District) inspired the crowd with words of caution and hope. Recalling former President Donald Trump’s attack order on peaceful protesters on June 1, 2020, in LaFayette Square near the White House, Raskin pointed out that all six rights promised in the First Amendment were violated that fateful day.
In an interview after his keynote, Raskin told GFM that the “founders told us that when one group tries to take over our government, all other groups need to come together” to thwart their effort. The congressman hopes some of his Republican colleagues will join him and other House Democrats in a concerted effort to preserve democracy.
The Americans United Summit for Religious Freedom was both challenging and inspiring. Americans and people of faith face many challenges with the growth of White Christian Nationalism. Christian Nationalists’ rhetoric and policy are killing people, such as mothers in need of abortion care and LGBTQ youth facing a constant barrage of dehumanizing words from so-called leaders.
The documentary “Bad Faith” was shown on the summit’s final night. Based on Anne Nelson’s excellent book, “Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right,” the documentary warns about the dangers of White Christian Nationalism and challenges viewers to counter the threat.
Running throughout the summit were two themes: (1) a dire warning against White Christian Nationalism and (2) the need for people of good faith to rise up for democracy.
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State is doing remarkable work. Their staff, led by Laser, is making a difference, standing on that wall protecting the church from the state and the state from the church.
With democracy hanging in the balance, I am reminded that groups like Americans United and Good Faith Media advocate for faith and democracy, protecting both while compromising neither.
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