Power, Christian Nationalism, & President Jimmy Carter

We have dealt with a lot of Christian Nationalists over the years and have seen pretty much every argument for it to this point. One thing that remains the same about all of these arguments is that the moment we push back with Scripture or history or ask for examples, the conversation ends with us being labeled some apostate, heretic, demon, or even occasionally a foreign agent. One of the current trends is the attempted defense of a “Christian Government” by giving us a list of examples of Christian rulers and governments in history. The list is normally the same and short: Constantine, the US Founders, the Romanov family, and the Church of England. While the list is completely flawed in and of itself, which we will get into later, the past 24 hours have highlighted an interesting new aspect of this specific argument. Where is the late President Jimmy Carter on the Christian Government list?

President Jimmy Carter

The legacy of the 39th President has always been mixed and somewhat complicated. He is often talked about as a failure of a president, due to perceived weakness in leadership skills in a very rough time. Financial crisis, a failed hostage negotiation, and a perceived lack of strength internationally saw him stuck with a one-term presidency, as the original MAGA leader came into view under Ronald Reagan. But when you step back and examine his presidency now some 40 years later, there is something of note that is missing from much of the criticism I always have heard about him. It was defined by gentle strength, peacemaking, and dignity for the Image bearer. 

Without starting new wars, Carter demanded Human Rights worldwide and domestically. The Camp David Accord was a monumental testimony to his ability to be a literal peacemaker. He stabilized relations with China while simultaneously showing the Soviet Union he meant business without escalation of arms, but instead through diplomatic efforts. He gave back the Panama Canal to improve relations with Latin America. He established the Department of Education envisioning fairer schooling for all. He, as a man of the Deep South, continued to push forward Civil Rights and race relations across the country. Some even argue that his reluctance to involve the military in the hostage crisis for as long as he did, may have saved more lives than were lost, even though he did not get the credit for the release.

Post-presidency, he spent years continuing this work, pushing for human rights internationally, calling for peace in crisis, and building houses for the poor through Habitat for Humanity, all while still serving in his local church. He earned a humanitarian award from the UN and even won the Nobel Peace Prize. Jimmy Carter, as a President who served in the middle of the Cold War remained, as one commenter I saw said, “possibly the last president we will ever see not accused of being a war criminal…” Amid a world fearing nuclear war, Jimmy Carter was defined as a man of peace.

All of this, yet when we get to the discussions of Christians in government, his name never comes up. In fact, many within the Christian Nationalist movement have made public statements instead saying that Carter “lost the faith”. Why? Sadly for all the reasons listed above. This highlights clearly two major points that we have been trying to show about this movement. 

CHRISTIAN GOVERNMENT CANT EXIST

Christian Governments cannot exist, because the moment they would arrive at this point, they would either cease to be Christian or cease to be a government. The Christian life simply cannot support the attitude and mindset needed for a government to operate effectively. Because the Christian life is one that is defined by service, submission, peacemaking, gentleness, and Christocentric kingdom-building. The moment that these become the focus of a government it has two options, either it will simply become the church, or, more likely, it will collapse under another power seeker. I believe this highlights exactly why President Carter’s in-power legacy is so clouded. He was simply not going to be effective as a governor of power, which is why his post-power legacy is so strong. Both were defined by a peacekeeping service that simply cannot rule in this world. 

CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM DESPISES CHRISTIANITY 

This dynamic of Jimmy Carter also brings fully to light as well the reality that Christian Nationalism has no desire to even pretend to represent Christian living. The fact that Jimmy Carter devoted his life to serving others, discipling others, giving up power, and promoting other's needs as most important to be a sign that he “lost the faith”, fully shows what their faith truly is rooted in. It is not Christianity as we see in Scripture, but a power-hungry fascism painted in bloodshed and white American supremacy. 

The life of Jimmy Carter is one that we as American believers especially should examine. This peanut farmer from Georgia lives his life in a way that models for us all what it can look like to truly live in a way that models what a disciple should be. A peacemaker, a servant, a voice for the voiceless, a man committed to his family & community, a man who despite all the critiques and criticism and name-calling modeled contentment, even amid cancer and heartbreaks. A 100-year life of service to the Kingdom of God first, even when he was tasked with leading a nation.