Left-Leaning Christian Leaders Issue an Open Letter Targeting ‘White Christian Nationalism’

A coalition of evangelical Christian leaders released an open letter criticizing the Trump administration and warning about what they described as a growing rise in “white Christian nationalism.”

As The Gateway Pundit reported, the letter, signed by hundreds of Christian leaders and clergy members from various denominations, accuses the current government and some religious communities of promoting policies and rhetoric the signatories say conflict with their understanding of Christian teachings.

In recent years, some media outlets and Democratic leaders have used the term “Christian nationalism” to describe increased political engagement by conservative Christians.

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Critics of that label have argued that it is often used to characterize Christian political activism and the belief that the United States has historical ties to Christian traditions.

The letter issued by the coalition echoes those concerns and includes direct criticism of policies enacted during President Donald Trump’s second term.

“We are facing a cruel and oppressive government; citizens and immigrants being demonized, disappeared, and even killed; the erosion of hard-won rights and freedoms; and a calculated effort to reverse America’s growing racial and ethnic diversity — all of which are pushing us toward authoritarian and imperial rule,” the letter states.

“We call on all Christians to join us in greater acts of courage to resist the injustices and anti-democratic danger sweeping across the nation. In moments like this, silence is not neutrality—it is an active choice to permit harm.”https://t.co/QCJz3MAIvO

— James F. McGrath (@ReligionProf) February 24, 2026

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The document also argues that current political conditions represent not only political concerns but also a religious crisis for the church.

“What confronts us is not only an endangered democracy and the rise of tyranny. It is also a Christian faith corrupted by the heretical ideology of white Christian nationalism, and a church that has often failed to equip its members to model Jesus’s teachings and fulfill its prophetic calling as a humanitarian, compassionate, and moral compass for society.”

According to the signatories, the letter aims to represent “the breadth of Christian traditions and one part of our nation’s religiously plural society.”

The authors say they believe the moment requires public action and calls on Christians to respond to what they view as political and moral challenges.

It calls Christians to “join us in greater acts of courage to resist the injustices and anti-democratic danger sweeping across the nation.”

The letter also addresses what the signatories describe as silence from other Christians, arguing that inaction carries consequences.

“In moments like this, silence is not neutrality — it is an active choice to permit harm,” the letter states.

The coalition further said that, in their view, the teachings of Jesus compel them to speak out against what they described as the misuse of religion in politics.

“Again invoking the teachings of Jesus,” the letter said that the group “refuse to be silent while too many people who call themselves Christians aid, abet, or simply stand by and allow these atrocities.”

“We choose to resist, calling forth the righteous demands of our faith rooted in the teachings of Jesus. Religion should not be used to deify politicians or justify their abuses,” the letter continues.

“When it is, faith ceases to be faithful and becomes a weapon of both heresy and hypocrisy.”

The document also rejects the blending of national identity and religious identity.

Christians, the letter argues, must not “confuse American and Christian identity with whiteness, or mistake allegiance to modern-day Caesars for faithfulness to Christ.”

Several leaders from mainline Christian denominations signed the letter, including representatives from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Moravians, the Mennonite Church USA, and the United Church of Christ.

Among the evangelical figures listed as signatories are Kristin Du Mez, a professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University, and Shane Claiborne of Red Letter Christians.

On Ash Wednesday, I joined a community of Christian leaders who released “A Call to Christians in a Crisis of Faith and Democracy.” During Lent, I’m going to take a break from social media and pray, fast and help the poor (Matthew 6) https://t.co/9ADe6IRrUE

— Peter Heltzel (@PeterHeltzel) February 19, 2026

The letter concludes with a statement about solidarity with vulnerable communities.

“We serve a God, through our Lord and Liberator Jesus Christ, who equips us with the courage and fortitude to stand for justice and peace,” the document states.

“We will always stand in solidarity with those who are most vulnerable among us.”

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