Giving Up Christian Nationalism for Lent | Letting Go of Might and Embracing Grace

Lent as a Season of Surrender

Every Thursday, I publish an essay for paid subscribers. It’s my way of saying thank you for supporting my work. Throughout Lent, I am sharing a series of essays titled “Giving Up Christian Nationalism for Lent.” (And no, I am not resuming the practice of Christian Nationalism after Easter)

Lent is not for the faint of heart. It is unlike its four-week counterpart, Advent, which builds in anticipation toward the joy of Christmas. Lent, by contrast, drags us into the wilderness, forcing us to confront the illusions we cling to—the ones that make us feel secure, powerful, and in control—only to watch the relentless grace of Jesus strip them away.

At its core, Lent is about surrender; a season of unlearning the world’s definitions of success and power. It is where we discover—sometimes painfully—that faithfulness has never been about winning, securing, or preserving influence. Instead, it is about relinquishing our grasp on worldly might and trusting in the strange, upside-down power of the cross.

Christian nationalism cannot comprehend this. It thrives on the myth of might—the belief that if we can seize enough power, pass enough laws, win enough elections, nail enough copies of God’s Top-Ten to the walls of courtrooms and classrooms, and dominate the right institutions, we can secure Christianity’s future. The heresy of Christian nationalism whispers that we must take control, protect the faith from those who would weaken it, and ensure that Christianity remains at the center of American life.

But Lent calls us to something else entirely.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”[i] This is not the battle cry of a movement obsessed with winning. It is the confession of a faith willing to lose everything for the sake of Christ. The gospel does not promise power, prestige, or dominance—it promises a cross. And that is precisely what makes it so scandalous.

If we are serious about giving up Christian nationalism for Lent, then it is time we confront one of its deepest lies: the belief that Christianity is best served by force, might, and political supremacy. Instead, we embrace the truth that the kingdom of God is not secured through power but through grace.