Adherents explain prosperity as reward for national fidelity to the Bible

Evidence

Ambassadors also tie our prosperity as a nation to our heritage of obedience to God’s commandments as laid out in the Christian Scriptures. An Ambassador from Oklahoma, Matthew, after some conversation about Christian nationalism, actually embraced the label, seeing it merely as a recognition of our country’s historic dependence on the Bible. … I would probably be identified from my beliefs as a Christian nationalist. But I don’t see Christian nationalism as a bad thing … I’m by no means an expert, but I do consider myself decently well read in American history. And I think my Christian nationalism is more recognizing the profound impact the Bible has had on America from the 1500s and 1600s to the present. Has America ever been perfect? Absolutely not! Will America ever be perfect? No. [But] I think it is quite possible that the prosperity America has enjoyed is in large part due to America’s embracing the Bible more so than any other country in history with the exception of Israel. — Andrew L. Whitehead; Samuel L. Perry, Taking America Back for God, 150

Categorization

• XREF: Prosperity-tied-to-obedience framing resembles the prosperity-gospel-inflected moral worldview Melinda Cooper describes social conservatives carrying into alliance with economic libertarians; useful primary-quote evidence. — connects to: Prosperity theology frames wealth as evidence of God’s blessing. — Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, The Worm at the Core: On the Role of…, 444; Prosperity gospel frames wealth as God’s blessing and poverty as punishment — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Democracy in Black: How Race Still…, 387; Opposing Christian nationalists read the Bible as a condemnation of wealth-tilted systems — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the…, 123 (+3 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Andrew L. Whitehead; Samuel L. Perry, Taking America Back for God, 150

Broader Connections

• Prosperity theology frames wealth as evidence of God’s blessing. #qualifies (0.85) — Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, The Worm at the Core, 444
• Prosperity gospel frames wealth as God’s blessing and poverty as punishment #qualifies (0.85) — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Democracy in Black, 387
• Opposing Christian nationalists read the Bible as a condemnation of wealth-tilted systems #contradicts (0.80) — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers, 123
• Early American Calvinists read wealth as a sign of divine favor. #corroborates (0.80) — Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, The Worm at the Core, 443
• The Green family conflates the Bible with American Protestant nationalism #qualifies (0.75) — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 227
• American prophetic language fuses scripture with national founding narratives. #qualifies (0.72) — Talal Asad, Formations of the Secular, 701