As the nation grapples with ongoing political and cultural shifts, the intersection of faith and nationalism continues to spark critical conversations in both public and ecclesiastical spheres. This fall, Duke Divinity School delved into this complex subject with a new course, Christian Nationalism and Worship, led by Research Professor of Christian Worship Lester Ruth.

Offered during a pivotal presidential election season, the course brought students into a nuanced exploration of how Christian nationalism—the belief that Christian viewpoints should dominate political and social life—manifests in worship and the implications for faith communities.

"We are living in tumultuous times politically and culturally, which are usually ripe occasions for the rise of religious nationalism," said Ruth. "This course sought to place the current phenomenon of Christian nationalism into broader historical, global, and theological contexts."

Through a mix of lectures, readings, and analysis of worship practices, 29 M.Div. and M.A.C.P. students were challenged to look afresh at their own perspectives, engage respectfully with their peers, and develop tools to critically engage with Christian nationalism in their ministries.

Understanding Historical Context 

Before the semester began, Ruth shared his vision for the course: "I want the students to stay concerned about Christian nationalism but be a little less overwhelmed by anxiety about its current manifestation. Students could better understand and critique its expressions in worship by situating it as a recurring historical phenomenon—not limited to the U.S. or Christianity." 

The course emphasized that Christian nationalism is neither new nor monolithic. By examining historical high tides of religious nationalism, such as during the Civil War or the rise of the Moral Majority, students gained perspective on its cyclical nature. "Christian nationalism is like a tide," Dr. Ruth explained. "We’re in a high tide phase, but the moon moves, and the tide will eventually wane."

Ruth mentioned several other examples of religious nationalism globally, negative and positive, that the group discussed to put the current manifestation into context, including the Nazi regime, the Puritans, the abolitionist movement, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Jennifer Durbin Tuffy, a first-year hybrid M.Div. student, shared that the course deepened her understanding of the historical roots and theological implications of Christian nationalism. "I was surprised to learn that the current manifestation of Christian nationalism in the U.S. is rooted in segregationist beliefs and became a political movement in the 1970s," she said.

Embracing Christ-Centered Worship

Students engaged with questions like: How should worship reflect the narrative of salvation? Are these worship practices faithful to the central message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? 

These theological frameworks allowed students to examine ideas in nationalist worship practices that diverged from Christ-centered worship. Ruth focused the class on three common strands of Christian nationalism: the desire to maintain strict gender roles, which manifests in total leadership of the church by men and the marginalization of women; the idea that Americans are a distinctive people in distinctive covenant with the Lord, which expresses itself liturgically by celebrating America in worship; and the idea that God gave dominion over the entire earth to his people—the church. Liturgically, these believers may end up repurposing scripture or hymns to support the idea that one should be faithful to God over government, said Ruth. 

As part of the course, students analyzed contemporary worship examples shaped by Christian nationalism, such as Fourth of July services emphasizing patriotic themes over theological content. 

Ruth said these worship practices are not harmless if congregations are “substituting a different metanarrative for the Gospel message over the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You have limited time in worship, so if you are highlighting the American story, it’s almost inevitable that you are reducing the Gospel story.” The exercise underscored the importance of keeping worship focused on Christ rather than national identity or political agendas.

In sharing information about this course more broadly, Ruth said he hopes that alumni and worship leaders take away a crucial message: "Believe Romans 1:16—don’t be ashamed of the apostolic message of the Gospel, and trust that it is the power of God for salvation. Worship should focus on what God has done in Christ for the entire cosmos, not on nationalist or partisan narratives."

Engaging in Difficult Conversations

Parris Howard, M.Div. Hybrid '28, described the classroom discussions as "intellectual, passionate, and thought-provoking," noting that the course equipped him to identify and address Christian nationalism in worship and to engage with people across the Christian nationalism spectrum. 

"This course fundamentally assisted me in recognizing the reasons behind the expression of Christian nationalism in the church and how to structure services to maintain a wholly Christocentric approach," he said.

Howard highlighted several more controversial yet respectful discussions on topics like police brutality, gender identity, abortion, and prayer in schools. "These topics required a significant degree of emotional intelligence to ensure that we balanced love and respect while critically analyzing each belief system," he added. 

These are contentious topics, said Howard, and how pastors handle them is of critical importance. This course helped students to critically analyze their belief system when it came to Christian nationalism and other topics, a practice that every ministry leader should be engaging in, he said. 

Tuffy said that she took this course because she feels called to use her position in ministry to combat hate with love and illuminate the darkness. “This course gave me the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual language to have crucial conversations about Christian nationalism with people of all walks of life and beliefs,” she said. “It is imperative that those of us in and called to ministry understand and can articulate the dangers of Christian nationalism.”

The Role of Fear, and Welcoming the Marginalized

Camille Cruzado, M.A.C.P. ’25, reflected on how the course illuminated the role of fear in fueling nationalist ideologies. "One of the most compelling discussions we had was how Christian nationalism thrives off societal fear and change. Analyzing historical examples, like Nazi Germany, made me realize the parallels with current situations in some American churches," she said. "It’s alarming to see how fear of change can lead churches to focus more on love for country than on the gospel."

Cruzado also appreciated the course’s focus on fostering meaningful conversations about nationalism’s impact on marginalized groups. "Christian nationalism often makes the marginalized feel unwelcome in God’s Kingdom.”

The course taught Cruzado not just about the historical roots and current implications of Christian nationalism, but also provided her space to reflect on how the church can better work to embody the kingdom of God. 

“This course reminded me that Jesus came for everyone, not just a chosen few," she said. "Worship should emphasize Christ’s teachings of love, justice, and humility rather than cultural or political agendas.”

Preparing Students for Ministry 

The timing of the course, offered during a presidential election season, added another layer of relevance for students preparing to do ministry in the real world. Students observed how campaign rhetoric during elections often blurs the lines between faith and political loyalty—creating tension in their congregations. 

"The election provided a unique and timely backdrop for understanding Christian nationalism," said Cruzado. "Some church liturgies or political party language blurred the lines between political loyalty and faith. It made me think about how worship can either resist or reinforce Christian nationalism.”

Howard echoed this sentiment, noting how some worship services used songs and sermons to bolster specific political narratives. “Some churches and pastors place particular emphasis in their worship services on songs and sermons that bolstered the American metanarrative for a certain candidate,” he said. 

Tuffy was also struck by the role of contemporary Christian music in spreading nationalist ideals and the challenge for clergy to maintain an "appropriate patriotism.” "This course gave me a deeper appreciation for the importance of Christ-centered worship in the church and the critical role clergy play in ensuring that worship remains Christ-centered," she said.

Tuffy observed how students wrestled with their own preconceived notions. "Even those vocally opposed to Christian nationalism found themselves grappling with the realization that they held some overlapping beliefs, like advocating for prayer in schools," she said. "These revelations were crucial for personal and spiritual growth."

The course highlighted the need for pastors and ministry leaders to confront the temptation of political idolatry in their own spiritual lives. "Worship should never stray from being Christ-centered," Cruzado said. "As worship leaders, we must resist cultural and political agendas that detract from the gospel’s core message. The church needs to offer peace and unity rather than partisan alignment."

Professor Ruth encourages ministry leaders to remember that Jesus said his kingdom is not of this world. He said, “If you expect your hopes to be fulfilled in the future, Christian nationalism has less appeal. You can still work for justice and peace, but there is a level of complexity in the current world that will stay here until the new heavens and new earth come.”