A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Christian Nationalist Belief and Behavior in the United States

Authors

Tommy Nanto

Keywords

Christian Nationalism, Christian Nationalist beliefs, United States

Abstract

Christian nationalism is a buzzword in American politics, but insufficiently researched in the intersection of politics, religion, and psychology. In a country where individual Christian practice is declining, why is this strand of nationalism seemingly on the rise? Through an original study, I establish an empirical link between Christian nationalism and racial resentment, finding that racial resentment is the single greatest predictor of Christian nationalist beliefs. I frame Christian nationalist beliefs separately from behavior. I find initial empirical evidence that racial resentment and Republican partisanship predict both belief and behavior, but religiosity does not predict Christian nationalist behavior.

Recommended Citation

Nanto, Tommy (2022) "A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Christian Nationalist Belief and Behavior in the United States," Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies: Vol. 39, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sigma/vol39/iss1/5