Claims of a Christian founding are strategically deployed to privilege present-day values

Evidence

Religious and political leaders push this narrative because it establishes a foundation from which they can argue that their particular values should take precedence. If they can convince Christians that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson embraced the idea of a Christian America, then the modern-day values and policies embraced by those who want to return to a Christian America become central markers of a true American identity. These folks also tend to ignore the dangerous game they are playing. If the founding period was particularly Christian, why did it include the genocide of native peoples and the enslavement of Africans? — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 203

Categorization

• QUESTION: The internal contradiction (a ‘Christian founding’ coexisting with genocide and slavery) is worth developing into a sustained argument against Christian nationalist historiography.
• SEED: Angel for an essay: the founding-era ‘Christian America’ myth founders on its own selected evidence — what founding fathers actually said about Christianity vs. their treatment of natives and enslaved Africans.
• XREF: connects to: Centuries of Christian violence served protecting power and privilege — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 447; Theological conviction bundles economic privilege with political favor — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the…, 219; Christian Reconstructionism reconceived freedom as submission to hierarchical authority — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne: How White…, 175 (+11 more)

Broader Connections

• Religious liberty is being redefined as Christian right to dominate public square #expands (0.85) — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 250
• Christian nationalists read the First Amendment as one-directional church protection #exemplifies (0.83) — Andrew L. Whitehead; Samuel L. Perry, Taking America Back for God, 153
• Religious freedom rhetoric means privilege for one sanctioned creed #expands (0.82) — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers, 659
• Defending a Christian nation has meant defending the racial order #exemplifies (0.81) — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 476
• Religious legitimation claims intensify as a project’s true coercive character becomes exposed #expands (0.80) — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 532
• Christian Statism pursues exclusive state power over cultural dominance #expands (0.80) — Ruiqian Li and Paul Froese, The Duality of American Christian…, 44
• Christian Reconstructionism reconceived freedom as submission to hierarchical authority #exemplifies (0.78) — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 175
• The founding lie began as a theological justification for enslaving recognized humans. #exemplifies (0.78) — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Begin Again, 88
• Religious claims serve different functions depending on political position #corroborates (0.77) — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 207
• Theological conviction bundles economic privilege with political favor #corroborates (0.76) — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers, 219
• Centuries of Christian violence served protecting power and privilege #expands (0.74) — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 447
• Groups may posture sacred claims that are not deeply held identity commitments #qualifies (0.73) — Scott Atran and Jeremy Ginges, Sacred Values and Cultural Conflict, 85
• Religious identity functions as a racial marker conferring privilege in America. #expands (0.72) — Sahar F. Aziz, The Racial Muslim, 190
• Theologians’ claims overstated religion-politics fusion to protect their standing #exemplifies (0.71)