This episode places the question regarding Christian nationalism in the greater context of the problem of power, the major concern informing republican ideology of the Founders. While none of them were 5 point Calvinists, they nevertheless imbibed heavily from republican ideology, which was substantially informed by a pessimistic, almost Calvinist view of human nature. Human nature is corrupt, and power magnifies and makes manifest the evil of men. Consequently the maxim of republican ideology: "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The Constitution consequently limits power exercised by any one man or branch in government, fragmenting power on numerous levels to limit potential abuse. This realistic solution to the problem of power led to the Constitutional "separation of powers." When Christian nationalism is evaluated through the lens of the problem of power, arguably THE issue of republican ideology, the answer is clear: the Church should be separate from the State. The Establishment Clause of the Constitution is arguably the natural application of Federalist #10 to the potential mixing of Church and State.
Sloth, Ignorance, and Persecution: the Legacy of Christian Nationalism
Established churches, according to Madison, lead to "pride and indolence in the clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, and in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." This episode unpacks this statement, emphasizing that state churches lead to a confounding of kingdoms. A natural bi-product of Christian nationalism, where Christianity blends with the State is conflation of natural and spiritual identities. The latter Christian identity requires repentance and faith in Christ, followed by regeneration and entrance into the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) The former natural identity requires...NOTHING. Most Anglicans in Virginia likely presumed that natural and spiritual identities were fused together since Virginia was a Christian state. As long as Virginians attended the state Anglican church and partook of the sacraments, they were by definition Christians. The clergy as a consequence need do very little: disciples aren't made through the preaching of the gospel, for their infant baptism makes them Christians. The laity in turn is ignorant of the requirements for Kingdom entrance, presumptuously resting on natural citizenship of "Christian" Virginia. Worse, both clergy and laity persecute Baptists for preaching "you must be born again." Baptists correctly spelled out the entrance requirements for the Kingdom of God, dismissing its association with the "kingdom" of Virginia. They consequently spear-headed the separation of church and state, maintaining that Christ's otherworldly Kingdom is distinct and separate from the kingdoms of this world.