Congressional Democrats Propose Christian Nationalist Hymn
The GOP is not the only home to Christian Nationalist ideology in America. Democratic politicians also have a long tradition of using rituals of Christian Nationalism to gain advantage.
The rules by which our government operates are established by the Constitution. The First Amendment to the Constitution is very clear in creating protection from religious power over the people’s government. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
With complete disregard for the First Amendment, the U.S. House of Representatives is currently considering H.R. 301, legislation that would establish an official, government-sanctioned National Hymn. This legislation was introduced not by Republicans, but by Democrats.
A hymn is by definition religious, and is Christian by default. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a hymn primarily as “a song of praise to God” with the word god capitalized, a practice that signifies a reference to the Christian god in particular. Their second definition of a hymn is “a metrical composition adapted for singing in a religious service”.
There can be no pretense that a National Hymn would be devoid of religious content. Hymns are Christian songs that are used as part of Christian rituals, containing lyrics that promote Christian beliefs.
A report in support of H.R. 301, submitted by Representative Jerrold Nadler from the House Judiciary Committee, states that the proposed National Hymn “is a beloved hymn that is currently produced and distributed by approximately 40 religious publishing houses throughout the United States,” and that it is “regularly sung at various religious services”.
In fact, the proposed National Hymn is not beloved by all Americans. The proposed National Hymn is only sung at Christian religious services, and only in the churches of some branches of Christianity.
Although the congressional report states that H.R. 301 “is intended to foster national unity”, by violating the First Amendment of the Constitution, it promotes the divisive and discriminatory religious ideology of Christian Nationalism. The proposed National Hymn would take the Christian religious beliefs of only some Americans, and elevate them to a status of representing all Americans. That’s in direct defiance of the First Amendment.
The Christian Corruption of the Faith and Politics Institute
The congressional report specifically mentions that the proposed National Hymn “is sung at gatherings of the Faith and Politics Institute, whose bipartisan programs and pilgrimages include participation by Members of Congress.”
The Faith and Politics Institute is an organization that uses Christianity as a cover for corporate lobbying of members of Congress.
A suspiciously high number of members of the board of the Faith and Politics Institute are registered lobbyists. These include:
David Marventano, chair of the board, lobbyist for the construction company Fluor, and husband of Jessica Marventano, lobbyist for iHeartMedia and Clear Channel Communications
Joyce Brayboy, vice-chair of the board and lobbyist for Wall Street investment company Goldman Sachs, and recognized as Lobbyist Of The Year by the Washington Government Relations Group
Matt Gelman, lobbyist for Microsoft
Dan Keniry, lobbyist for Anheuser-Busch
Nate Gatten, lobbyist for American Airlines, former lobbyist for Wall Street investment firm JPMorgan Chase
Tiffany M. Moore, lobbyist for the Consumer Technology Association
Martha Roby, lobbyist with the Bradley firm, representing multiple corporate clients
Al Thompson, lobbyist for Intel Corporation, former lobbyist for the military contractor Raytheon
Norma Kaehler, former lobbyist for American Airlines
Jane Campbell, former lobbyist for the National Development Council
The Faith and Politics Institute isn’t just an organization that works to erode the separation of church and state by using the power of religion to influence secular government. It’s also a channel for corruption, a place where lobbyists use the cover of religion to gain access to leaders in the federal government. In the past, the Faith and Politics Institute has demanded lobbyists pay fees as high as $25,000 in order to participate in its events alongside members of Congress.
America Under The Hand Of Christian Authority
The Christian song that H.R. 301 would establish as a National Hymn contains the core message of Christian Nationalism, the assertion that the United States is subject to the dominion of the Christian god.
“Keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our god, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand, true to our god, true to our native land.”
Supporters of H.R. 301 will say that the proposed National Hymn is a song of progressive social justice, because it was used as a theme song during the anti-racist Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The problem with this justification is that Christian Nationalism in the United States is inherently racist, even when it is promoted by African-Americans in the name of the Civil Rights Movement.
Any political movement that uses Christian Nationalism to advance its cause also advances the cause of racism. That’s because Christian Nationalism is rooted in racist Christian theology that simultaneously claims that A) the United States was founded as a manifestation of ancient religious prophecy and B) that slavery and the general subjugation of African ancestry is justified by the very same ancient religious prophecy. That prophecy, the curse of Ham and enlargement of Japheth, come from the very same words Genesis chapter 9.
For this reason, it’s impossible to embrace the idea that the United States is Christian Nation, and should have official government forms of Christian worship such as a National Hymn, without strengthening the hand of racism.
Even putting the racism aside, imposing a Christian hymn on all Americans is inherently authoritarian, discriminatory, and antidemocratic. No one can have civil rights in a country that uses the power of government to impose religion on people.
You can’t use the tools of oppression to fight oppression.
This Christian Nationalist bill was written and introduced by Representative James Clyburn of the sixth congressional district of South Carolina. Clyburn doesn’t stand alone in his support of H.R. 301, however. The bill has 44 cosponsors, all of them Democrats.
The following are the members of Congress who have endorsed the Christian Nationalist bill H.R. 301. If you are represented by one of these politicians, please get in touch with their office and let them know that you do not approve of violating the First Amendment to establish an official federal government Christian hymn.
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]*
Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-31]*
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]*
Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1]*
Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37]*
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]*
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]*
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]*
Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]*
Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1]*
Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-53]*
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-13]*
Rep. Luria, Elaine G. [D-VA-2]*
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30]*
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]*
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]*
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]*
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]*
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]*
Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-9]*
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]*
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]*
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]*
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]*
Rep. Carson, Andre [D-IN-7]*
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]*
Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]*
Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]*
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]*
Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]*
Rep. Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9]*
Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]*
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]*
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]*
Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]*
Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]*
Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]*
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]*
Rep. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI-8]*
Rep. Bush, Cori [D-MO-1]
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
Rep. Jeffries, Hakeem S. [D-NY-8]
Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. [D-Guam-At Large]
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
What should we do in response to Christian Nationalism on the part of Democratic politicians?
There is no simple absolute moral path for us to take in these cases.
James Clyburn, the author of H.R. 301, has shown a disregard for the separation of church and state, and is strengthening the hand of Christian Nationalism. On the other hand, Dwayne Buckner, who is Clyburn’s Republican opponent in this year’s election to represent the 6th congressional district of South Carolina in Congress, also supports Christian Nationalism, including a complete nationwide ban on abortions without any exception, including cases of rape and pregnancies that will kill the mother.
Democracy doesn’t promise us a choice between good and evil, between right and wrong, between one candidate who represents us and another candidate who opposes what we believe in. We won’t always get to cast a vote for a candidate who opposes Christian Nationalism. Christian Nationalists have worked hard to insinuate their anti-democratic ideology into American politics, so sometimes, all we can do is to vote for the least Christian Nationalist of two candidates.
In the case of South Carolina’s 6th congressional district, conscientious voters this November will be forced to decide whether James Clyburn or Dwayne Buckner is less of an extreme Christian Nationalist.
Next time, it can be different.
In the United States, voters have the right to select who their political party’s candidates for public office will be. Two years from now, another Democrat, a better Democrat, a Democrat who does not support Christian Nationalism, could challenge James Clyburn in the Democratic Party primary election for the right to run as the Democratic candidate for South Carolina’s 6th district seat in Congress.
A year after that, a better Democrat could challenge Joe Biden to become the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024.
When we see Republican politicians promoting Christian Nationalism, we aren’t surprised. When we see Democratic politicians promoting Christian Nationalism, we can’t look the other way. We need to get better Democratic candidates.
This effort requires a different level of activism on the part of Democrats. It requires us to do more than just showing up to vote every now and then. It requires us to become informed about the details of public policy and party politics, and to get involved in the selection of quality candidates who will stand firm against Christian Nationalism
If you care enough, you’ll get involved.