The Edge of Democracy Part 3: When Politics Becomes a Holy War

It is one thing to disagree about tax policy or healthcare. It is another thing entirely when politics becomes a holy war. That is where we are today in the United States. More and more Americans are being told that our political battles are not about compromise or policy. They are about good versus evil.

The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk is the most recent reminder of how destructive this framing can be. Kirk built his career on championing free speech and open dialogue, yet his death has been used by some to deepen division rather than promote understanding. To his supporters, he has already been cast as a martyr in a spiritual war. To his critics, his rhetoric is being blamed for fueling the same polarization that made him a target. Both reactions reveal how easily grief and anger can harden into extremism when politics is seen as a cosmic struggle.

The Rise of Christian Nationalism

Christian Nationalism is one of the clearest examples of this shift. It argues that America was founded as a Christian nation and should remain one, with laws that reflect conservative Christian beliefs.

We see this in efforts to blur the line between church and state:

• Prayers at public school events that test the boundaries of past rulings.

• State laws restricting abortion on explicitly religious grounds.

• Calls to define America’s identity as “Judeo-Christian” rather than pluralistic.

Supporters believe this restores America’s “true” identity. Critics see it as an attack on religious freedom, a value the First Amendment protects when it declares that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

According to the Public Religion Research Institute’s Christian Nationalism Across All 50 States (2025), about 10% of Americans qualify as “Christian nationalism adherents,” and another 20% are “sympathizers” who support some, but not all, elements of the ideology. Of those adherents 38% agree that “true patriots may have to resort to violence to save the country.” This shift from civic faith to militant faith shows how spiritual language can become a justification for political aggression.

When Opponents Become Enemies of God

The danger lies not only in policy but in framing. When political opponents are cast as enemies of God, dialogue collapses. The debate over LGBTQ+ rights is one example. Legal protections for same-sex couples are often framed not as questions of equality but as society choosing “sin” over “virtue.” That narrative turns neighbors into moral threats.

Scripture gives a different instruction:

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” - Matthew 5:44 (NIV).

Charlie Kirk’s death has already been wrapped in this type of language. Some claim it proves that “the left” is evil and out to destroy Christianity itself. Others argue it shows that right-wing rhetoric causes violence and must be silenced. Either response turns grief into ammunition, drowning out the human story beneath the headlines.

The Broader “Good vs Evil” Frame

This moral absolutism is spreading across the spectrum. On the far right, conspiracy movements such as QAnon describe politics as a literal fight against a satanic cabal. On parts of the far left, opponents are painted as fascists or Nazis, even when disagreements are far more complex.

The PRRI survey data show that among Christian nationalism adherents, higher proportions embrace justifications for political violence (38 %) relative to those who do not adhere.

Moreover, PRRI’s Spotlight Analysis on prophecy and politics traces how charismatic Christian belief systems, which treat political events as part of divine revelation, can further embed the idea of divine urgency behind political struggle. This rhetorical fusion of prophecy, threat, and mission helps render political action divine rather than human, making dissent dangerous.

“My kingdom is not of this world.” - John 18:36 (NIV). Jesus rejected the idea that earthly political victories define God’s work.

Why This Threatens Democracy

Democracy depends on the idea that today’s opponents could be tomorrow’s partners. Once politics becomes a holy war, that foundation collapses. Violence starts to feel not only justified but righteous.

We are already seeing the consequences:

• Militia groups invoking God to legitimize aggression.

• Lawmakers and election officials facing threats wrapped in apocalyptic or prophetic language.

• School boards fracturing under moral panic over curriculum debates.

When disagreement is cast as spiritual betrayal, civic association and persuasion collapse.

A biblical counterbalance is found in humility and mutual dignity. Consider:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” - Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV). This humility is the opposite of the moral arrogance that fuels extremism.

Where Do We Go from Here

We cannot stop people from holding strong beliefs, but we can resist turning politics into a cosmic showdown. That means:

• Holding leaders accountable when they weaponize faith.

• Protecting pluralism and remembering that America was built on freedom of conscience and diversity of belief.

• Creating spaces where grief, disagreement, and dialogue coexist.

  
  

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3:28 (NIV).

Charlie Kirk’s death should be a moment for repentance and reflection, not retaliation. If we cannot step back from framing politics as holy war, we risk losing not only democracy but our shared humanity.

Looking Ahead

In the next part of this series, we will examine how Christian Nationalism has moved from the margins into real political power and why its influence poses one of the most urgent threats to America’s democratic future.