January 6th and Christian Nationalism: Solidarity Within Civil Religion Gone Wrong

 

Gilbertson, Ashley. January 6, 2021. "Bible and Flag, The Insurrection, Capitol Rotunda" From Artsy. Retrieved March 27, 2025 (https://www.artsy.net/artwork/ashley-gilbertson-bible-and-flag-the-insurrection-capitol-rotunda-washington-dc-january-6-2021).

     

This image depicts what is referred to as January 6th in popular culture. The insurrection which occurred in 2021 was a result of a mob of then former-president Donald Trump's supporters essentially storming the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Gilbertson, in this photograph, captures a White, male rioter in the Capitol Rotunda raising the Holy Bible among the crowd of members of the Capitol Police and the mob of supporters. In the foreground, someone else holds up the American flag. The Bible, a symbol for Christianity, and the American flag, a show of patriotism, work together in this image to paint a picture of Christian nationalism. The man holding the Bible holds it with pride, a look of triumph and pride on his face as he looks up at the ceiling, or what one could presume he imagines to be the heavens. There is no capture of the person holding the The Capitol Rotunda, with the paintings of historical events present, acts as the background for this image. Spersed throughout the rotunda, those in the police force wear black helmets with numbers printed on them over their heads, distinguishing them from the rioters-- although it is interesting to note that most, if not all, of the people present in this image are White men. This group of White men serve as a representation of the main demographic of Trump supporters and the Christian nationalist movement, possibly providing a better understanding of what the goals of the group are. This show of solidarity within the mob aims to preserve and narrow what it means to be American-- white and Christian. 

Robert N. Bellah's analysis of Rousseau's concept of civil religion in his article, "Civil Religion in America," maintains that the symbolism that is present within the framework of American patriotism is the basis of American politics. Bellah describes the binding power of civil religion. Civil religion is what informs the beliefs, symbols, and rituals that create a nation. Thus, the people of the nation can form a national identity and find a sense of greater purpose (Bellah 1967: 8). In John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, Kennedy mentions God-- not in a way that is binding to any one religion, as Bellah states, but rather in a way that refers to God as a concept. The name of God is a symbol for something greater; God is a mere yet monumental entity all in the same rite for America. From the Declaration of Independence to many inaugural addresses and speeches from American presidents, civil religion provides a basis for both thought and process. Civil religion reveals itself to be something of great importance for America as a nation, especially during its earlier formative years. Civil religion formed what patriotism and nationalism meant to Americans then and still, to this day, informs what being American means. 

January 6th is a prime example of the distortion of civil religion. Christian nationalism as a phenomenon continues to wreak havoc on the bylaws of American society and government. The idea that Christianity should be the ruling religion that dictates all legal decision making is harmful and with that comes dangerous territory. Bellah explains how this distortion may come about and how "ideology that fuses God, country, and flag" is the basis for movements such as Christian nationalism (Bellah 1967: 14). God, here, is no longer something, perhaps a symbol, for all Americans to consider; rather, Christian nationalism wrecks the inclusive nature of civil religion. Civil religion works to bring countrymen together, not drive wedges between different groups. Civil religion is unifying, not divisive. Solidarity, in this case, acts as a destructive, amplifying positive feedback loop-- a term, which, in natural science, can be detrimental to an ecosystem. The motive behind the symbols such as the Bible present within this image showcase Christian nationalism at its most extreme and threatening form. Though the Bible itself is not inherently a symbol for Christian nationalism, in the way it is being used in this context, the Bible provides a sort of basis for the movement. In this way, solidarity, when used to uproot civil religion and conflate it with Christian nationalism can be extremely harmful. 

References:

Bellah, Robert N. 1967. "Civil Religion in America." Daedalus 96(1): 1-21.

Duignan, Brian. 2025. "January 6 U.S. Capitol attack". Encyclopedia Britannica, March 17. Retrieved 27 March 2025 (https://www.britannica.com/event/January-6-U-S-Capitol-attack).

Volle, Adam. 2024. "Christian nationalism". Encyclopedia Britannica, August 15. Retrieved 27 March 2025 (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christian-nationalism).