Is Ethnonationalism Anti-Christian? By James Reed

Christian universalism, that there is one world, that no nation has a right to exclude anybody, is championed by the current Pope and many below him. But, Christian universalism is in fundamental conflict with Christian theology, as Askelopius argues in his article, “A Theological Argument for Ethnonationalism.” As he puts it in his master argument:

“Instead of a biblical argument for ethnonationalism, I want to make an argument based on natural theology, that is, based on observation and common sense. Thus, the theological argument for ethnonationalism only requires the very basic concept of an almighty God, Creator of the universe. Ethnonationalism follows logically from that. The Gospel of John begins thus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” If we bring this passage into our scientifically-informed world, those things that have evolved naturally would be of the divine order that came into being through God. The races of mankind, and to a lesser extent the nations, are then separated according to the divine will. This separation is according to nature, while its opposite is a human artifice and a sin against nature and its Creator.

The problem of migration between peoples of the same race does bring some temporary problems and tensions, but these are usually resolved with time. Experience shows us that this is not the case with migration between races. There has always been some migration within the white race, for example, although over time they were assimilated. Thus, small amounts of intraracial migration can even be said to be part of the natural order, whereas interracial migration is not. The former has happened naturally throughout history and is part of the process that formed each nation, whereas the latter is a human design and a rebellion against the divine order.

Since history is a revelation of God’s will, the ascendancy of the white race to world dominance through the centuries is not something of which to be ashamed, but should rather be seen as the work of Divine Providence. If there are any people on Earth that is God’s chosen people, the divine revelation of history witnesses to the fact that it is indeed the white race and no other.”

I am not too keen on the implicatrion that the dominance of the world by the White race is some sort of “manifest destiny,” which would be seen as leading to its own form of tyranny and oppression. The better view is that God created the races as good things in themselves, all of them, and the issue of superiority, which implies also inferiority, and the ever-likelihood of domination, should not come into it. Live and let live, separately.

Davis Carlton, “A Bibilical Defense of Ethno-Nationalism,”

http://faithandheritage.com/2011/01/a-biblical-defense-of-ethno-nationalism

outlines an explicit Biblical critique of Christian universalism. Thus, the story of Babel under Nimrod, Genesis 11:6, tells of the failed attempt to build a multi-national empire, a New World Order of the time. God saw this as evil and confused the languages of the globalist empire builders. This showed that national boundaries are a good thing. Nations were also divided by God, elsewhere: Deuteronomy 32:8.

Separate families, tribes, races and nations were created from the beginning. Paul spoke approvingly of his “kinsman according to the flesh” Romans 9;3, which translates as “race” and an expression of natural affection.

But, what about Pentecost?

“Some people argue that this may have been a passing purpose of national distinctions, but that these distinctions are blurred or done away with by the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2. The problem with this interpretation is that it does not square with the narrative. If God intended for the people at Pentecost to amalgamate into one body politic then he would have caused them to start speaking one language again, hereby facilitating their unity. Instead we read that God caused those present to hear the Apostle Peter preach to them in their own language! It is important also to point out that those assembled at Pentecost were identified as pious Israelites who had gathered at Jerusalem from the regions where they had been residing. Pentecost would hardly resemble a United Nations gathering today. The people involved were quite homogeneous ethnically. Moreover, Pentecost was the baptism of Babel. Dr. Francis Nigel Lee states quite succinctly the relationship between Babel and Pentecost:

Pentecost sanctified the legitimacy of separate nationality rather than saying this is something we should outgrow. In fact, even in the new earth to come, after the Second Coming of Christ, we are told that the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of the heavenly Jerusalem, and the kings of the earth shall bring the glory and the honor – the cultural treasures – of the nations into it… But nowhere in Scripture are any indications to be found that such peoples should ever be amalgamated into one huge nation. 

What then is the destiny of separate nationality as Dr. Lee calls it? Are separate nations bound to “bleed into one” as the Gospel spreads? Or will separate nationhood persist? Ethno-nationalists strongly believe that separate nationhood will persist even into the next life in the new heavens and the new earth. We read about this chiefly in Revelation, written by the Apostle John, when he writes that “the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it (heavenly Jerusalem): and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.”  The Apostle John also envisions Christians of every kindred, people, and nation in heaven,  and also witnesses the Tree of Life in the heavenly Jerusalem which is for the healing of the nations.  Within the church, then, we can boldly assert that there are separate and distinct nations. When you become a Christian, you retain your ethnic and racial identity. These are not done away with in Christ, but rather sanctified and legitimized in the same way that both genders are sanctified in their separate identities within the family and Church. What role do nations play in a Christian civil society? This question is foundational to a traditional Christian understanding of social order.”

Thus, there exists a strong case from a Biblical perspective for ethnonationalism, against Christian universalism of those like the present Pope.