The Flag and the Cross
White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy
Philip S. Gorski, Samuel L. Perry, and Foreword by Jemar Tisby
Reviews and Awards
"Deeply researched and immensely clarifying, The Flag and the Cross offers a sobering account of the history of white Christian nationalism and the threat it poses in our present moment. Anyone who cares about the fate of American democracy should read this book." -- Kristin Kobes Du Mez, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
"White Christian nationalism is the key concept to understand the authoritarian American right today. In this exceptional investigation, drawing on sociology, social psychology, philosophy, and history, Gorski and Perry show how the various apparently incoherent strands of libertarianism, racism, and authoritarianism combine to make a toxic moral and political stew. This book makes a vital contribution to our understanding of the current moment." -- Jason Stanley, author of How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them
"For anyone concerned about the future of religion and democracy in America, Gorski and Perry's The Flag and the Cross is essential reading. This book helps us understand how white Christian nationalism divides Americans along racial and religious lines." -- Anthea Butler, author of White Evangelical Racism
"Gorski and Perry make sense of the seemingly senseless January 6 uprising. Built on powerful evidence, they show how white nationalism wove itself into the very fabric of modern conservative values. By making visible the creation of white nationalism, this book gives me hope that we can unmake it." -- Beth Allison Barr, Professor of History at Baylor University and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth