It’s interesting to consider that since I first wrote about Nehemiah in 2019, the concept of an overtly “Christian nationalism” has become more mainstream (or, at least, “mainstream” in the fringe circles of the Internet I inhabit). What exactly “Christian nationalism” looks like or entails is unclear, but it’s a concept that sounds pretty sensible: a predominantly Christian people should have a nation governed by broadly Christian principles.
Of course, the thorniness of the concept crops up as one enters the thickets and weeds of the particulars. But isn’t that the case for any civic arrangement? “Republicanism” and “democracy” are pretty broad terms that take on various permutations depending on the culture, peoples, and places that adopt them; America’s constitutionally-limited federal republic and Nigeria’s are pretty similar on paper, but vastly different in implementation. The labels just give us a broad idea of the kind of government and civil society at play, not the detailed particulars. As such, one could reasonably expect “Christian nationalism” to look quite different in, say, Italy than it would in the United States
Regardless, it certainly seems as though, in most states, tribes, kingdoms, empires, etc., throughout history, religion and government were inextricably intertwined. If a nation-state is a collection of a particular people within a particular geographic region, it would make sense that their faith would play a major role in their political, cultural, and national decision-making.
It’s an interesting concept to ponder, and brings to mind a religious revival that resulted in a political revival for the ancient Israelites as they rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem under the faithful guidance of Nehemiah, who trust God deeply and fully.
With that, here is 6 March 2025’s “TBT^256: Nehemiah and National Renewal“:
