As an Evangelical Christian, I am amazed, amused and appalled by the fact that so many of my fellow believers seem not to understand the ignorance, irony and hypocrisy of their stance regarding Sharia. I am specifically referring to those who identify as “Christian nationalists” and are very outspoken in their contempt of Sharia. (Note: One usually hears or sees the phrase “Sharia Law,” but that’s redundant. It’s like saying “Law Law.”)
Christian nationalists reflexively oppose Sharia because it is, in part, Islamic law. Yet, the fact is that Sharia is a broader concept than merely law; Sharia essentially lays out all the fundamental tenets regarding how Muslims should live their lives. Law is merely one part of those tenets. In any case, the fact that Sharia is Islamic is enough for Christian nationalists to condemn it.
It should be noted, of course, that the 1.9 billion Muslims around the world do not have a uniform understanding of Sharia – any more than the 2.2 billion Christians around the world have a uniform understanding of the Bible. For example, Sunni Muslims generally have stronger restrictions regarding art (citing the Quran’s prohibitions against idolatry) than Shia Muslims do. More importantly, only a small percentage of Muslims agree with how the Taliban or ISIS or Boko Haram interpret Sharia.
Of course, nuance and extremism don’t normally coincide well, so Christian nationalists tend to lump all Muslims together. I find this to be odd because many of their beliefs are quite similar to extremist Sharia beliefs. For example, self-identified Christian nationalist Pastor Doug Wilson’s arguments regarding the role of women – in the home, in society, and in government – fit very well with the Taliban’s gender proscriptions.
Wilson is based in Moscow, Idaho. His influence is strong and rising among Christian conservatives. One of his many books, “The Case for Christian Nationalism,” has become a type of how-to manual regarding the reshaping of America into a theocracy. Wilson has even gained traction in national politics. For example, he has strong ties with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who attends one of the churches that Wilson founded.
If theocracy were ever on trial, Sharia and Christian nationalism would be exhibits A and B in the prosecution’s argument that political authoritarianism is a natural outgrowth of religious authoritarianism. And speaking of judicial proceedings, both Sharia and Christian nationalism would supplant our current legal system with one that is based on the Quran and the Bible, respectively – the latter of which focusing on the Old Testament.
To be fair, I have suggested that those who adhere to Sharia represent a diverse set of beliefs, while concurrently suggesting that those who adhere to Christian nationalism are homogeneous. To be clear, most Christians oppose Christian nationalism, just as most Muslims reject extreme forms of Sharia.
By contrast, most Christian nationalists are, in fact, very much unified in their beliefs and in their goals. Thus, my point is that Christian nationalists reject Sharia in a reflexively abstract sense, while concurrently embracing many of its extreme positions. If we remove religious titles and particularist tenets (e.g., dietary restrictions, cultural phenomena), Christian nationalism and extreme forms of Sharia have much in common.
Christian nationalists embrace a movement that is known as “theonomy.” Theonomy is the notion that Old Testament law should prevail in civil and legal matters throughout a nation. Ironically, Christian nationalism has much more in common with conservative Judaism and conservative Islam than it does with any reasonable interpretation of Christianity.
Some would assert that Christian nationalism is consonant with the Apostle Paul’s teachings; that’s a debate for another day.
While we all possess the God-given right to determine what is best for us, none of us has the right to force our religious beliefs on others. Both Christian nationalism and extreme forms of Sharia do just that. Therefore, they are both incompatible with democracy. Then again, that’s not a problem if you don’t actually believe in democracy.
Contact community leader Larry Smith at larry@leaf-llc.com.
