When Politics Becomes the Sermon, the Gospel Takes a Back Seat

I recently listened to a sermon by James Talarico about Christian nationalism that has been getting a lot of attention. As I listened, I found myself agreeing with some of what he said and disagreeing with other parts. What stayed with me afterward, though, wasn't simply where we disagreed. It was the overall direction of the sermon and what seemed to be missing from it.

The sermon began with a joke about beer being better than religion. I understand it was meant to be humorous, but it struck me as an unusual way to begin a Christian sermon. When people gather to hear God's Word, I think the focus should immediately be on Christ and the gospel rather than on making light of religion, even if it's done for effect.

As the sermon continued, I found myself agreeing with several biblical principles. Jesus rejected worldly power. He taught His followers to love their neighbors, care for the poor, live humbly, and serve others instead of seeking to dominate them. Those are timeless truths that every Christian should embrace.

Before I go any further, though, I think it's important to explain where I stand on Christian nationalism because I don't want anyone to misunderstand my position.

Based on the definition that is commonly used, I don't support Christian nationalism. If it means putting our country on the same level as God, believing that America has a unique covenant with God that elevates it above every other nation, or allowing loyalty to our country to become more important than loyalty to Jesus Christ, then I believe that is wrong. The Bible teaches that God alone deserves our highest allegiance. No nation, no political movement, and no earthly leader should ever occupy the place that belongs to Him.

At the same time, I do consider myself a Christian patriot. To me, Christian patriotism means loving my country, being grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, wanting America to flourish, and trying to be a good citizen while remembering that my citizenship in God's kingdom always comes first. I can love my country without worshiping it, and I can be patriotic without believing America is the center of God's redemptive plan. If my country ever asks me to choose between following Christ and following the government, my loyalty belongs to Christ every single time. That's the distinction I think is important.

I also think it's worth remembering that this is very close to how many of America's Founding Fathers viewed our country. They believed religion and morality were essential to a free society, but they did not establish a national church or create a government that was supposed to run Christianity. George Washington said that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" of political prosperity, and John Adams wrote that our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people.

At the same time, the Founders warned against allowing politics to become the center of our lives. In his Farewell Address, George Washington urged Americans to stay united and warned about the dangers of political parties becoming so powerful that they put party loyalty ahead of the good of the nation. He believed America's future depended on people of good character who respected the Constitution and placed principle above partisan politics.

I think there's an important lesson there for Christians today. We should care about our country, vote, and stand for biblical values, but we should never let politics become our identity. Our identity is found in Jesus Christ. Patriotism can be healthy, but once politics or our nation begins competing with Christ for our highest loyalty, we've crossed a line the Bible warns us not to cross.

This is one reason I wish the sermon had spent more time defining Christian nationalism before condemning it. Throughout the message, James Talarico clearly argued that Christian nationalism is sinful. He described it as a cancer on Christianity, a betrayal of Jesus, and the worship of power instead of God. If that's what he means, then I agree with him because worshiping power rather than God is idolatry, and idolatry is unquestionably a sin.

The difficulty is that he never really stopped to define the term from Scripture. Instead, he quickly moved into examples from current events and public policy. By the end of the sermon, Christian nationalism seemed to include January 6, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Christian schools, capitalism, billionaires, opposition to LGBTQ policies, and several other political issues. Once the definition becomes that broad, it's difficult to know where biblical teaching ends and political opinion begins.

If we're going to call something a sin, I think we first need to let the Bible define it. A pastor's responsibility is to open the Scriptures, explain what God says, and then apply those principles to modern life. In this sermon, I felt that the application came long before the definition.

As I reflected on the message, it also seemed to me that the entire sermon rested on one basic assumption: that the greatest threat facing Christianity today is Christians seeking political power. Everything else seemed to flow from that starting point.

That perspective explains why the sermon focused so heavily on social justice, equality, inclusion, caring for the poor, shared power, and nonviolence. Those are all important biblical values, and Christians should never ignore them. At the same time, the New Testament presents an even bigger picture of God's kingdom. Alongside justice and compassion, it repeatedly calls people to repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation with God, faith in Christ, His death and resurrection, and the promise of eternal life. Those central themes of the gospel received comparatively little attention.

I noticed something similar in the way the sermon talked about sin. Most of the emphasis was placed on societal sins like oppression, greed, domination, and the misuse of political power. Those are certainly real sins, but there was much less emphasis on personal sin, repentance, and humanity's need for salvation through Jesus Christ. The result was a sermon that seemed more concerned with changing society than changing hearts.

Another area where I struggled was the discussion of other religions. James Talarico spoke of there being many pathways to the sacred, quoted religious teachers from other faiths, and suggested that people simply use different names for God. I certainly believe Christians should respect people of every religion, but respecting someone else's beliefs is different from saying all religions ultimately lead to the same God. Jesus didn't leave that question open. He plainly said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Peter made the same point when he declared that "there is salvation in no one else."

By the time the sermon ended, I came away believing that James Talarico sincerely loves Jesus and genuinely wants Christians to reject the temptation to idolize politics. On that point, I think we actually agree. Where we differ is that I believe the Church's greatest mission isn't primarily to transform society through political and social reform. Its first mission is to proclaim Christ crucified and risen, call people to repentance and faith, and make disciples. Justice, compassion, generosity, and service naturally flow from transformed hearts, but they are the fruit of the gospel, not the gospel itself.

That's why I walked away feeling that this was a thoughtful political message with several biblical insights woven throughout it, but not the kind of sermon I would hope to hear on a Sunday morning. A Christian sermon should certainly address the issues of our day, but it should always leave people thinking more about Jesus than about politics.

The Church doesn't need to make politics its center, whether that politics comes from the right or the left. The Church's mission has never been to build a political movement. Its mission is to proclaim Jesus Christ, make disciples, and teach people to obey Him. When Christ stays at the center, Christians can love their country, serve their neighbors, and engage in politics without ever confusing the kingdom of God with the kingdoms of this world.

That's the message I wish I had heard more clearly. Jesus belongs at the center of every sermon. Everything else should flow from Him.