The Session of First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, by majority vote of those present, joins our brothers and sisters in Christ in rejecting Christian Nationalism as contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Reformed tradition, and the constitutional principles of religious liberty and equal citizenship.

Christian Nationalism seeks to merge religious identity with national identity and political power and has its ideological roots in White Christian Supremacy. White Christian Supremacy represents a malicious theological distortion rather than merely a political opinion. It suggests the superiority of any one faith and holds that certain ethnic groups should have greater access to the levers of power. Such ideology distorts the gospel and leads to excluding our neighbors rather than embracing the vision of God’s reign and all-encompassing Love. (National Council of Churches, 2021)

As a church, we should recognize an increasing prevalence of language and practice that seeks to normalize thinly veiled Christian Nationalism and should remember God’s demand that the people of God reject all idols. As such, it is appropriate that we, as the Church, address any concerns as a matter of Christian doctrine and discipleship. Furthermore, our silence during such moments can lead to confusion regarding the gospel that the Church proclaims and can cost the lives of many as we have witnessed in the past. (226th General Assembly, 2025)

The reign of God is not dependent upon earthly governments and faith cannot be imposed by the state. Remembering that God alone is Lord of the Conscience, we affirm the separation of church and state as a safeguard for both religious liberty and democratic government.

Therefore, in agreement with statements from fellow Christians, such as the 227th General Assembly (2026), Southern Arizona Clergy (2025), and National Council of Churches (2021), we witness that

Where the Bible has at its core the story of a people committed to welcoming aliens and strangers because they themselves were aliens and strangers, and to defending the oppressed because they themselves were once oppressed, the Christian nationalist narrative rejects the stranger....Where the Bible declares that all human beings are made in the image of God, American Christian nationalists regard only certain people — “advanced,” white Christian, English-speaking — to have the full measure of God’s image. (National Council of Churches, 2021)

Conclusion

We believe in God’s universal love for all of God’s creation. And through the teachings of God’s son, Jesus Christ, we believe in sharing God’s love to all by speaking out against ideology that stands in opposition. Therefore, the Session of First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, by majority vote of those present, rejects Christian Nationalism as false doctrine, and affirm a Christian witness rooted in humility, service, justice, compassion, and the inclusive love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.