A politically and theologically contested term. Christians disagree sincerely about what it means and whether any version of it is biblically warranted — this guide presents the range of views rather than a single verdict.
"Christian nationalism" is used differently by different speakers. Some use it narrowly to describe the belief that a nation's laws, institutions, and identity should be explicitly and formally Christian. Others use it more broadly for any view that a country has a special, God-given role or heritage tied to Christianity. Critics of the term often apply it broadly to describe a fusion of Christian and national identity they view as dangerous; supporters of some version of the idea often reject the label while affirming a role for Christian influence in public life. Because the term itself is contested, clarity about which definition is in view matters more than the label.
Some Christians argue that biblical wisdom and Christian moral principles have historically and rightly shaped just laws (e.g. against murder, theft, and perjury), that a nation benefits from leaders and citizens who fear God (Proverbs 14:34: "righteousness exalts a nation"), and that Christians have a legitimate calling to influence culture and government toward biblical justice, not merely to withdraw from public life.
Other Christians argue that the New Testament consistently describes the Church, not any nation-state, as God's chosen people and kingdom (1 Peter 2:9), that Jesus explicitly declined to build an earthly political kingdom (John 18:36: "My kingdom is not of this world"), and that fusing national identity with Christian identity risks conflating loyalty to a country with loyalty to Christ, and can distort the gospel's universal, cross-national scope (Galatians 3:28).
Given how differently the term is defined and used, Christians engaging this topic are better served asking specific questions — should Christians seek to influence law and culture? In what way? What is the relationship between the Church and the state? — than adopting or rejecting a contested label wholesale. Romans 13:1-7 and Matthew 22:21 ("give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's") are both frequently cited in this discussion but interpreted differently across traditions.
See our What Does the Bible Say About Politics? guide and our Theology Guides hub.