Who gets to decide what is Christian? What does religious liberty look like today? With so much unsettling and destabilizing news coming from the new administration in Washington, DC, it’s hard to keep up with and keep track of everything. We believe, however, that a recent decision by the President is a dangerous threat to religious liberty, promotes Christian Nationalism, and all people who care about our democracy need to take note.
We, the Lutheran (ELCA) bishops in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, are concerned about an executive order signed by President Trump on Feb. 6 that established a new “Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias.” This task force has the duty to “identify any unlawful anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct by an agency.” While some might think that all Christians would support an effort to root out “anti-Christian bias,” that’s not the case. We believe this executive order is a threat to the religious pluralism enshrined in the Constitution and does not actually protect Christians. Instead, this order aligns the federal government with Christian Nationalism, a dangerous conflation of fundamentalist Christianity, conservative politics, and fierce patriotism that distorts what it means to be an American citizen and an engaged Christian in society.
With this executive order, the federal government has given itself the authority to define what might be considered “anti-Christian,” and therefore also the authority to define what is Christian — a power which belongs to the Church alone, not the federal government. This executive order violates religious freedom, corrupts the separation of church and state, and creates a more hostile environment for Christians and all citizens who believe differently than the current administration and its religious advisors.
We feel so strongly that this task force is a threat to our values and our freedom that we wrote a public statement and invited religious leaders and others to sign on (https://www.wichurches.org/articles/religious-liberty). We now have over 250 signers, and we invite all who care about religious freedom and the preservation of our democracy to join us.
Christian Nationalism is a dangerous ideology that distorts the Gospel and turns Jesus and Christianity into a weapon for power and division instead of a movement towards love and justice. It demands that a particular brand of Christianity be privileged by the state and impose that singular belief system in order to be a “good American.” (For more information on Christian Nationalism, check out www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org.)
In order to protect religious freedom, the federal government must not align with one religious ideology but rather honor the constitutional mandate to defend space for religious pluralism and ensure that each member of society is free to practice their religion, or no religion, while keeping the peace and working together for the common good. Please join us as we call upon the President of the United States and all elected officials to protect religious freedom in our country and uphold the constitution of the United States of America.
Faithfully,
Bishop Paul Erickson, Greater Milwaukee Synod ELCA
Bishop Anne Edison-Albright, East Central Synod of Wisconsin ELCA
Bishop Felix Malpica, La Crosse Area Synod ELCA
Bishop Martin Halom, Northwest Synod of Wisconsin ELCA
Bishop Katherine Finegan, Northern Great Lakes Synod ELCA
Bishop Joy Mortensen-Wiebe, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin ELCA
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