At a Sept. 19 forum in Louisville, panelists argued religion cannot be separated from the story of white Christian nationalism and urged religious leaders to confront racism, broaden who counts as Christian, defend pluralism and show civic courage.
Speakers urged religious communities to confront racism, resist narrow definitions of Christianity, defend religious pluralism and engage courageously in public life.
Panelists pointed to public religious leaders such as Adam Hamilton and Sen. Raphael Warnock as examples of faith voices pushing back against Christian nationalist messaging.
# What happened
On Sept. 19 at Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., a panel convened to respond to Paul Raushenbush's Johnson Lecture on "Courage and Faith in a Time of Authoritarianism." Mark Wingfield, executive director of Baptist News Global, moderated. Panelists included Raushenbush, Lauren Jones Mayfield (Center for Interfaith Relations), former Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, theologian Darvin Adams and constitutional litigator Dan Canon.
# Core argument
# How Christian nationalism came to dominate public perception
Raushenbush traced part of the problem to organized conservative evangelical efforts in the 1970s and 1980s. He said the Christian Coalition and similar groups learned to use media effectively so their views became the dominant public "religious voice," crowding out other Christian perspectives.
That dynamic has real consequences for public trust. Raushenbush cited surveys showing about 48% of young people and a similar share of LGBTQ people reject Christianity because of its association with the MAGA movement. That rejection reflects how closely some Americans now associate religion with a narrow political project rather than a range of religious voices.
# Examples of alternative faith voices
Panelists pointed to public religious leaders using their platforms differently. Raushenbush named Adam Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor running for U.S. Senate in Kansas, and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Baptist pastor in Georgia, as figures whose religious leadership and public messaging run counter to Christian nationalist themes. These leaders, panelists said, use religious language to support pluralism, compassion and inclusion rather than exclusion.
# Legal and civic concerns raised
Dan Canon and others connected the theological and civic concerns to constitutional and civic questions: defending religious pluralism requires both public witness and legal vigilance. The panel also turned to the topic of book bans and other efforts that shape public discourse, though the public summary of the discussion in the available record ends as that topic begins.
# Bottom line
The panel's message was practical: if religious communities want faith to be part of civic repair rather than a source of division, they need to address racism inside their institutions, broaden the public image of Christianity, defend rules that protect religious diversity and show public courage when civic life requires moral leadership.
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