Christian Nationalism
Christian Nationalism is a movement that argues for a greater influence of Christianity in government, including U.S. government. It came under fire in August 2025 after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposted a video by a Christian Nationalist pastor criticizing women's right to vote.
Greater Christian Influence in Government
That Christians should have more influence in government and promote a belief in GOD through government is consistent with the beliefs of the early founding fathers. Thomas Jefferson in both the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom as well as in the Declaration of Independence based his argument for inalienable rights upon their having been given by a CREATOR. Jefferson while President of the University of Virginia required students attend Bible classes, and was a founding donor to the Virginia Bible Society. James Madison also based arguments for religious freedom and inalienable rights upon the self-evident existence of a CREATOR giving rights to mankind and imbuing people with inherent worth and value in Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments, a piece of legislation where he argued against a tax to support Christian pastors as being antithetical to Christian doctrine (point 12). Benjamin Franklin was part of a 3-person committee that voted to adopt as seal of the United States a depiction of Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. The early founders were open about their Biblical beliefs (although Jefferson was arguably Jewish, not Christian[1]).
Women Teaching
A common criticism of Christian Bationalism as a movement, including those associated with Pete Hegseth, is their tendency to argue against women's right to vote.[2] Pete Hegseth refused to endorse the position however, saying he supported the right of women to vote.[3]
The Christian Nationalists apparently make an issue of women not supposed to teach according to 1 Timothy 2:12. However, the word translated woman there should have been translated wife, not woman. It's the Greek word gune which is translated wife 92 of 221 times in the KJV.[4] There are cases Biblically of women leading nations (Deborah - Judges 4), of women prophesying (Philip's seven daughters - Acts 21:9), producing some of the major hymns/praises to GOD in the Bible (Miriam - Exodus 15; Mary - Luke 1; Deborah - Judges 5; Hannah - 1 Samuel 2), and of teaching one of the great leaders of the early Church (Priscilla with her husband Aquilla teaching Apollos - Acts 18). Clearly there are cases where women Biblically made a difference in Israel or the early Church, so the Paul teaching should be understood as not affecting virgins or widows. Widows in fact were a part of Church leadership whose requirements rivaled those of Bishops and Deacons, see 1 Timothy 5, and caring for widows was a major issue for the early Church (Acts 6).
Ultimately, Republicans were the main ones who gave women the right to vote in 1919 with the 19th Amendment, more Democrats voted against the 19th Amendment than Republicans,[5] so the position of Christian Nationalists is at odds with the historical position of the Republican Party.
References
- ↑ Wade, N. (2007, February 28). "Study Raises Possibility of Jewish Tie for Jefferson." New York Times.
- ↑ Cordover, E. (2025, August 15). "Are Christian nationalists targeting women’s right to vote?" Politico.
Simon, J. (2025, August 9). "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Reposts Video of Pastors Saying Women Shouldn't Vote." NPR.
Toropin, K. (2025, August 8). "Hegseth Reposts Video Featuring Pastors Saying Women Shouldn't be Allowed to Vote." Associated Press. - ↑ Britzky, H. (2025, August 15). "Pentagon Says Hegseth Supports Women’s Right to Vote Despite Sharing Video Saying Otherwise." CNN.
- ↑ Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon Entry for Gune." The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon, BibleStudyTools.
- ↑ U.S. House of Representatives (2019, May 21). "Roll Call Votes: House Vote #2 in 1919 (66th Congress) - To Pass H.J.Res. 1, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution Extending the Right of Suffrage to Women. (P. 78-2)." GovTrack.us.
U.S. Senate (1919, June 1). "Roll Call Votes: Senate Vote #13 in 1919 (66th Congress) - To Pass HJR 1." GovTrack.us.
