Footnote:
Also issued in print: 2024. - Includes bibliographical references and index. - Description based on online resource and publisher information; title from PDF title page (viewed on February 16, 2024)
Description:
Recent years have seen a growing recognition of the role that White Christian Nationalism plays in American society. As White Christian Nationalism has become a major force, & as racial & religious attitudes become increasingly aligned among whites - for example, the more likely you are to say that the decline of white people as a share of the population is 'bad for society,' the more likely you are to believe the government should support religious values - it has become reasonable to wonder which of the adjectives in the phrase 'White Christian Nationalism' takes precedence. In this book, the authors respond definitively: the answer is 'white.' The majority of white Christians in America, they argue, are believers in a 'Religion of Whiteness' that shapes their faith, their politics, & more.
"We offer a new perspective that this inequality is perpetuated because it is a necessary feature of a religion, a religion practiced and held dearly by millions of people. That religion, which we label the Religion of Whiteness, raises racial interests to the level of spiritual commitment rivalling followers' commitment to Christianity itself. The Religion of Whiteness, a sect within historical Christianity, has risen to canonical status in many churches and among its millions of followers. This religion has its own unique beliefs, practices, sacred symbols, and organizations. It drives the nation's politics, divides families, and is especially harmful to communities of color. Using national survey data, in-depth interviews, and focus group results over several years of study, we show how the Religion of Whiteness distorts the practice of traditional Christianity for millions of Americans. We find that the Religion of Whiteness has two distinct but mutually constitutive groups, what we call the White Veil and the White Might groups. These two groups work to defend and uphold the Religion of Whiteness, at great costs to any who do not follow the religion. If churches hope to promote traditional Christianity and navigate the very many contentious issues of the nation, they must confront the distorting power of the Religion of Whiteness. We conclude with a suggested path for doing exactly that"--