“The greatest threat to Christianity isn’t from the outside—it’s from those who have hijacked it for power, nationalism, and hate. It’s time to take our faith back.”
By: Rev. Dr. Harold Marrero
We are under attack.
Not from some external force, not from the so-called “secular world,” and certainly not from those scapegoated as enemies of Christianity—immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, or those who dare to question doctrine. No, the greatest threat to Christianity today comes from within.
Christianity has been hijacked, bastardized, and transformed into a grotesque distortion of itself. What was once a faith rooted in love, justice, and radical inclusion has been weaponized in service of white nationalism, authoritarianism, and power-hungry political interests. The name of Christ is being invoked to justify oppression, cruelty, and a rejection of the very people Jesus commanded us to care for: the poor, the marginalized, the outsider.
This is not a fringe issue. This is the defining crisis of American Christianity in the 21st century.
Christian Nationalism: A Threat We Can No Longer Ignore
The rise of Christian nationalism is not a new phenomenon. Throughout history, faith has been co-opted by empires to justify conquest, subjugation, and violence. In Constantine’s Rome, Christianity was repurposed as a tool of imperial dominance. In medieval Europe, the Church sanctioned the Crusades. In the American South, Christian theology was twisted to defend slavery.
Each time, there were those who claimed that such distortions were righteous, that to resist them was to betray the faith. And each time, history has judged them as the heretics they were.
Yet here we are again. The forces of Christian nationalism have risen in America, emboldened by political leaders who invoke scripture while advocating for policies that betray every commandment Christ gave us. They pass laws to marginalize transgender youth while preaching about “family values.” They demonize immigrants while ignoring Christ’s command in Matthew 25:35—“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” They wrap themselves in the flag and cry out for power, all while trampling the very Gospel they claim to uphold.
And where is the Church?
Where are the so-called progressive Christians, the moderates, the mainline Protestants who reject this grotesque mutation of the faith?
Too many have remained silent, retreating into the comfort of theological nuance while extremists seize the microphone. Too many have convinced themselves that if we just ignore the rise of Christian nationalism, it will fade away on its own. That if we just keep our heads down, history will correct itself.
This is a lie.
We Must Reclaim the Name of Christ
Christianity has been mocked, desecrated, and reduced to a hollow shell of itself—not by the secular world, but by those who have hijacked it for their own political ends. And we, those who claim to follow the true Jesus of Nazareth, have let it happen.
It is time for us to reclaim our faith.
It is time to say—loudly, unequivocally, and without apology—that the Christ of the Gospels has nothing to do with the Christ of white supremacy, nationalism, and oppression. That the Jesus who dined with tax collectors, prostitutes, and outcasts has nothing in common with the Jesus preached in churches that bar the doors to LGBTQ+ people. That the God of justice, liberation, and love stands in direct opposition to those who wield faith as a weapon to control, demean, and dehumanize.
And no, this is not about creating yet another label—”progressive Christian,” “centrist Christian,” “liberal Christian.” These distinctions are meaningless. Either we follow the Jesus who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), or we follow the false gods of empire and power. Either we stand with the least of these (Matthew 25:40), or we stand against Christ himself.
There is no middle ground.
Judgment Begins With Us
Yes, Christianity has sinned before. We have stood on the wrong side of history more times than we care to admit. We have defended slavery, justified genocide, and remained silent in the face of oppression. But what has always set the Church apart—at least at its best—is its ability to repent, to self-correct, to return to the radical, countercultural call of Christ.
The time for that self-correction is now.
We must be clear: The faith preached by those who wield it as a tool of oppression is not our faith. The Christ they proclaim is not our Christ. The version of Christianity they peddle—one that trades in fear, cruelty, and power—is not Christianity at all.
“Not everyone who claims to follow me is living in alignment with the Divine. Words mean nothing without action—only those who embody love, justice, and compassion will experience true wholeness.” (Matthew 7:21)
So let us stop pretending that we can reason with those who have no interest in truth. Let us stop playing nice while the name of Christ is used to justify hatred. Let us, instead, reclaim our faith—not through words alone, but through action.
Because if we do not, history will judge us as it has judged those before us who failed to resist the forces of empire in the name of Christ. And worse—God will judge us too.
Rev. Dr. Marrero is the founding pastor of No Reservations, a faith community dedicated to radical authenticity, psychological healing, and spiritual transformation. A theologian, activist, and advocate for the marginalized, he challenges conventional faith models to create a space where introspection, justice, and divine connection intersect.
