The Everyday Crusade: Christian Nationalism in American Politics

292 Pages·2022·4.97 MB·English

by  Eric L. McDaniel, Irfan Nooruddin, Allyson F. Shortle

TheEverydayCrusade
WhatiscausingtheAmericanpublictomovemoreopenlyintoalt-right
terrain? What explains the uptick in anti-immigrant hysteria,
isolationism, and an increasing willingness to support alternatives to
democratic governance? The Everyday Crusade provides an answer.
ThebookpointstoAmericanReligiousExceptionalism(ARE),awidely
held religious nationalist ideology steeped in myth about the nation’s
original purpose. The book opens with a comprehensive synthesis of
research on nationalism and religion in American public opinion.
Making use of twelve years’ worth of national and state surveys, it
then develops a new theory of why Americans form extremist
attitudes, based on religious exceptionalism myths. The book closes
with an examination of what’s next for an American public that
confrontsnewglobalissues,alongsideexistingchallengestoperceived
cultural authority. Timely and enlightening, The Everyday Crusade
offers a critical touchstone for better understanding American
nationalidentityandtheexclusionaryideologiesthathaveplaguedthe
nationsinceitsinception.
EricL.McDanielisanAssociateProfessorandco-directorofthePolitics
ofRaceandEthnicityLabattheUniversityofTexasatAustin.Heisthe
author of Politics in the Pews: The Political Mobilization of Black
Churches(2008).
IrfanNooruddinistheHamadbinKhalifaAl-ThaniProfessorofIndian
Politics in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at
Georgetown University. He is the author of Coalition Politics and
Economic Development (2011) and Elections in Hard Times (2016,
withT.E.Flores).
Allyson F. Shortle is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the
UniversityofOklahoma.Sheservesasthechairofthefacultyadvisory
boardforOU’sCommunityEngagementandExperimentsLaboratory
(CEEL)anddirectstheOklahomaCityCommunityPoll.
Published online by Cambridge University Press
Published online by Cambridge University Press
The Everyday Crusade
Christian Nationalism in American Politics
ERIC L. MCDANIEL
TheUniversityofTexasatAustin
IRFAN NOORUDDIN
GeorgetownUniversity
ALLYSON F. SHORTLE
UniversityofOklahoma
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Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781316516263
doi:10.1017/9781009029445
©EricL.McDaniel,IrfanNooruddin,andAllysonF.Shortle2022
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Firstpublished2022
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
names:McDaniel,EricL.,1976–author.|Nooruddin,Irfan,author.|Shortle,Allyson
F.,author.
title:Theeverydaycrusade:ChristiannationalisminAmericanpolitics/EricL.
McDaniel,IrfanNooruddin,AllysonF.Shortle.
description:Cambridge,UnitedKingdom;NewYork,NY:CambridgeUniversity
Press,2022.|Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
identifiers:lccn2021053514(print)|lccn2021053515(ebook)|isbn
9781316516263(hardback)|isbn9781009029445(ebook)
subjects:lcsh:Christianityandpolitics–UnitedStates.|Conservatism–United
States–Religiousaspects–Christianity.|Nationalism–UnitedStates–Religiousaspects–
Christianity.|Whitenationalism–UnitedStates.|RepublicanParty(U.S.:1854–)
classification:lccbr526.m292022(print)|lccbr526(ebook)|ddc277.308/3–
dc23/eng/20211227
LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2021053514
LCebookrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2021053515
isbn978-1-316-51626-3Hardback
isbn978-1-009-01458-8Paperback
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Published online by Cambridge University Press
Formymentor,BishopCornalGarnettHenning,Sr.–E.L.M.
ForEsmeandEmil:“Imaginethere’snocountries.”–I.N.
Formymother,Brenda.–A.F.S.
Published online by Cambridge University Press
Published online by Cambridge University Press
Contents
ListofFigures pageviii
ListofTables xii
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction 1
1 Myths,Gods,andNations 13
2 WhoAretheBelievers? 39
3 WhoDwellsinHisHouse? 68
4 WhatDoWeOweStrangers? 99
5 EvangelizingAmericanReligiousExceptionalism 122
6 GoverningtheTemple 163
7 TheViewfromtheBackPews 187
Conclusion 211
Appendix 217
Notes 223
References 228
Index 261
vii
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Figures
1.1 Differencebetweencitizensofotherdevelopednationsandthe
UnitedStatesregardingfeelingstowardthenation page21
1.2 FrequencyoftheuseofGodandotherreligiouslanguagein
presidentialinauguraladdresses 33
2.1 BeliefinGod,importanceofreligion,andreligiousactivity
amongselectdevelopednations 41
2.2 Religiousbeliefsandpracticesacrossdevelopedcountries 42
2.3 Freedomsdeemedasveryimportanttohaveinnation 43
2.4 Attitudestowardreligion,religiousorganizations,and
religionandsociety(1990–2020) 44
2.5 Ifyourpartynominatedagenerallywell-qualifiedpersonfor
presidentwhohappenedtobe...,wouldyouvoteforthat
person? 46
2.6 PercentageofpeoplewhoagreeGodgrantedAmerica
aspecialroleinhumanhistoryandthatnationaltragedies
aredivinepunishmentsbyreligioustradition 49
2.7 Distributionofdissidents,laity,anddisciplesofAmerican
religiousexceptionalism 52
2.8 AgreementwiththeideathatnationaltragediesareGod’s
punishmentgivenplacementontheAmericanreligious
exceptionalismscale 53
2.9 Percentofmembersinreligioustraditionswhoareclassifiedas
dissidents,laity,anddisciplesofAmericanreligious
exceptionalism 55
2.10 Percentageofpeoplewhoaredissidents,laity,ordisciplesof
Americanreligiousexceptionalismgivenworship
attendanceandbiblicalinerrancybeliefs 56
viii
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ListofFigures ix
2.11 Predictedprobabilityofbeingadissident,laity,ordiscipleof
Americanreligiousexceptionalismgivenreligioustradition 58
2.12 Predictedprobabilityofbeingadissident,laity,ordiscipleof
Americanreligiousexceptionalismgivenworshipservice
attendanceandbiblicalinerrancy 59
2.13 Predictedprobabilityofbeingadissident,laity,ordiscipleof
Americanreligiousexceptionalismgivenadherenceto
Schwartz’ssuperordinatevalues 64
2.14 Predictedprobabilityofbeingadissident,laity,ordiscipleof
Americanreligiousexceptionalismgivenpersonalitytraits 66
3.1 Predictedprobabilityofnationalattachmentaspredictedby
religioustradition 74
3.2 Predictedprobabilityofexpressingnationalprideandhubrisas
predictedbyreligioustradition 76
3.3 Predictedprobabilityofviewingprotestsaspositivegiventhe
protester,byreligioustradition 77
3.4 Predictedprobabilityofnationalidentitygivenagreement
withthebeliefthatGodhasgrantedtheUnitedStates
aspecialroleinhumanhistory 79
3.5 Predictedprobabilityofexpressingnationalhubrisgiven
agreementwiththebeliefthatGodhasgrantedtheUnited
Statesaspecialroleinhumanhistory 80
3.6 Predictedvaluesofnationalattachmentgivenadherenceto
Americanreligiousexceptionalism 82
3.7 Predictedvaluesofsupportfornationalcontenttraditions
givenadherencetoAmericanreligiousexceptionalism 88
3.8 Predictedprobabilitiesandvaluesofattitudestoward
racialissuesandracialgroupsgivenadherencetoAmerican
religiousexceptionalism 91
3.9 Predictedprobabilitiesofattitudestowardreligiousissuesand
religiousgroupsgivenadherencetoAmericanreligious
exceptionalism 93
3.10 Predictedprobabilitiesofdisapprovingorcontrollingthe
constructionofMuslimculturalcentersandmosquesgiven
adherencetoAmericanreligiousexceptionalism 96
3.11 Predictedprobabilitiesandvaluesofattitudesrelatedtothe
legitimacyofwomen’scomplaintsandthebeliefWhite
masculinityisunderattackgivenadherencetoAmerican
religiousexceptionalism 97
4.1 Predictedvaluesandprobabilitiesofattitudestoward
immigrants 104
4.2 Predictedprobabilitiesofperceivedimmigrationstatus
byglobalregion 106
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x ListofFigures
4.3 Predictedprobabilitiesofattitudestowardtherate
ofimmigration 107
4.4 Predictedprobabilitiesofimmigranttreatmentgiven
immigrationstatus 109
4.5 PredictedprobabilitiesofsupportforArizonaimmigration
lawandgivingstatesgreaterpowerincreatingimmigration
laws 111
4.6 Predictedprobabilitiesofsupportforcitizenshipfor
undocumentedimmigrantsandtheirchildren 113
4.7 Predictedprobabilitiesofsupportlimitingtheimmigrationof
non-Christians 117
4.8 PredictedprobabilitiesofsupportforPresidentTrump’s
immigrationpolicies 119
5.1 Americansupportforisolationism,militarism,co-operation
(1992–2017) 143
5.2 Predictedvaluesandprobabilitiesofsupportformilitant
internationalism,militaryconservativism,andreasonsfor
militaryaction 149
5.3 PredictedprobabilitiesofsupportforUSmilitaryactions 151
5.4 Predictedvaluesandprobabilitiesofsupportforco-operative
internationalism,USwithdrawalfrominternational
organization,andunilateralactiongivenadherenceto
Americanreligiousexceptionalism 154
5.5 Probabilitiesofsupportfortradepolicygivenadherenceto
Americanreligiousexceptionalism 157
5.6 Predictedvaluesandprobabilitiesofsupportforisolationism
andbeliefthattheUnitedStateshasaresponsibilityto
spreadcertainvaluestotheworldgivenadherenceto
Americanreligiousexceptionalism 160
6.1 Predictedprobabilitiesofsupportforvariousformsof
governmentgivenadherencetoAmericanreligious
exceptionalism 166
6.2 WhiteconservativeProtestantpartisanidentification,
presidentialvotechoice,andpartisanbiasbetween1980
and2016 173
6.3 Predictedprobabilitiesofvotechoicegivenadherence
toAmericanreligiousexceptionalism 175
6.4 Predictedprobabilitiesofpresidentialapprovalgiven
adherencetoAmericanreligiousexceptionalism 176
6.5 PredictedvaluesandprobabilitiesofbelievingPresident
Trump’spiety,votingforPresidentTrump,andreasonfor
votegivenagreementwiththebeliefthatGodhasgranted
Americaaspecialroleinhumanhistory 178
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