Christian nationalism’s rise in American politics provides the critical context for Separation of Church and Hate, which serves as a guide for reclaiming Christianity from this ideology. As researchers define it, Christian nationalism is “an ideology that idealizes and advocates a fusion of American civic life with a particular type of Christian identity and culture” (Whitehead, Andrew L.; Perry, Samuel L. Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States. Oxford University Press, 2020). This fusion has been linked to political positions such as strict immigration enforcement, traditional gender roles, and opposition to social welfare and gun safety measures.

The development of Christian nationalism is rooted in earlier efforts to align religious identity with national identity. Figures such as Billy Graham helped popularize a form of public Christianity that blended evangelism with American patriotism, particularly during the Cold War, when religion was positioned in opposition to communism. In later decades, the rise of the Religious Right further strengthened connections between conservative politics and evangelical Christianity. Following the September 11 attacks, religious rhetoric increasingly intersected with national security discourse, reinforcing the idea of the United States as a nation defined by a particular religious identity.