The tragic assassination of popular conservative Charlie Kirk has prompted reflection on the oxymoron of “Christian nationalism.” Many voices have celebrated the public repetition of Jesus’ name as a kind of “revival of faith,” something they believe has been missing from public life. They have drawn parallels between the large stadium memorial service and a Billy Graham crusade at the height of his evangelistic ministry.
Others, however, have noted an undercurrent of praise for perspectives and policies that seem contrary to the teachings of Jesus. For these observers, the most distinctly Christian moment of the memorial was Erika Kirk’s expression of forgiveness toward the man who killed her husband.
Two different versions of Christianity seem to be at work here.
Whenever religion steps onto the public stage beyond its traditional sanctuaries, it tends to elicit a range of responses that reveal just how differently people understand faith itself. The public perceptions of John F. Kennedy’s Catholicism, Jimmy Carter’s personal piety, Mitt Romney’s Mormonism, and House Speaker Mike Johnson’s biblical literalism all illustrate the confusion and conflict that arise when “religion goes public.”
Christianity, like other faiths, consists of two dimensions:
- An inner reality that transforms and guides life according to the values born of spiritual experience, and
- An outer packaging and language that allows the community of faith to express, explain, and invite others into that experience.
In short, there is the faith that defines the person—and the language and symbols through which that faith communicates itself.
Throughout scripture, the covenant community struggles to keep these inner and outer dimensions aligned. When ritual and appearance begin to outweigh trust, mercy, and justice, prophetic voices rise to call the people back to balance.
Jesus’ interpretation of the Law pointed to its spirit rather than its letter (Matthew 5:17–48). Paul warned against the dangers of legalistic distortions of faith (Galatians).
When the adjective “Christian” is attached to a person, event or political movement, it is worth asking whether it reflects the inner substance of faith or merely its outer packaging.
Jeremiah had words for his people’s “Back to the Temple” rally, meant to shield them from the consequences of their faithlessness:
“If you change your ways and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow… then I will let you live in this place” (Jeremiah 7:5–7).
Jesus also addressed those who prayed loudly on street corners to display their piety (Matthew 6:1–8), and he said:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’” (Matthew 7:21–23).
And Paul offered this timeless reminder:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” First Corinthians 13:1).
Whether something is “Christian” depends not on how often the name of Jesus is invoked, but on how faithfully the values revealed in Christ are embraced and lived out.
The discernment needed to tell the difference between the inner substance and the outer trappings of faith is cultivated within communities that seek a mature, thoughtful understanding of what it means to follow Christ. Where such discernment is lacking, people become vulnerable to being “tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles” (Ephesians 4:14).
Occasionally, events thrust the Christian faith into the public spotlight. When that happens, the range of reactions—both within and beyond the Christian community—reveals just how varied our understandings of faith truly are.
The growing appeal of Christian nationalism in certain sectors underscores how deeply this discernment is needed. It also reminds us that, within our faith communities, there is still much work to do.
Colin Harris is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Mercer University and a member of Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, GA.
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Professor emeritus of religious studies at Mercer University, a member of Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and the author of Keys for Everyday Theologians (Nurturing Faith Books, 2022).
