Grad student essay contest 2024 — 6th place: Bradley Koberg

FFRF awarded Bradley $1,000.

By Bradley Koberg

For decades, a small group of religious extremists, wealthy plutocrats and right-wing politicians has been stealthily organizing an enormous political infrastructure to exert influence and consolidate power in the United States government. Once a fringe movement operating largely in the shadows, it has since gone mainstream, with millions of Americans now subscribing to its extreme tenets and GOP politicians openly preaching its false and dangerous doctrines.

It is known as Christian nationalism, and it is well-funded, anti-democratic, and thus far, wildly successful.

Christian nationalism is not a religious movement, but a radical political ideology that foments and exploits religious fervor among its base to acquire power. Its believers promote the obvious falsehood that America was founded as a “Christian nation” and their ultimate goal is to replace our secular democracy with an authoritarian Christian theocracy in which a fundamentalist interpretation of the bible is the supreme law of the land. The movement is fiercely opposed to LGBTQ-plus rights and reproductive freedom, wants biblical literalism taught in public schools, and is inextricably linked with white supremacy. Its foot soldiers — millions of churchgoers who are highly susceptible to conspiracy theories — are fed carefully drafted talking points meant to trigger emotional responses (particularly regarding abortion) via church leadership and right-wing media outlets. 

Agents and allies of Christian nationalism now occupy some of the most powerful positions in U.S. government. The Supreme Court has been packed with a majority of conservative Catholic justices who openly belittle the “so-called” separation of church and state, and who have been rapidly undoing decades worth of social progress (most notably revoking constitutional protections for reproductive rights) while simultaneously strengthening protections for religious groups (predominantly conservative Christians).

And, of course, there’s Donald Trump, who could not even name a bible verse in 2015, yet who now sells a “God Bless the USA” bible for $59.99. Trump more than anybody highlights how Christian nationalism is not about following Christian values, but about pandering to the Christian right for political gain. Aware that this group was largely responsible for his first term, he now campaigns for reelection on the promise to “make America pray again.”

While Trump is the most visible agent of Christian nationalism, the movement’s most powerful (and dangerous) operative is Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House. Despite his muted, bookish persona, he has spent his entire career fiercely opposing civil liberties in the name of religion and undermining the constitutional separation of church and state. Most concerningly, Johnson played a central role in the legal battle to overturn the 2020 election results, and he has many close ties to known Christian nationalist extremists who were involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection. He currently hangs an “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside of his office, a Revolutionary War-era banner that has been co-opted by right-wing Christians as a symbol of spiritual warfare. This religious extremist has demonstrated a total willingness, even eagerness, to subvert democratic institutions to achieve his vision of a “biblically sanctioned government,” and he is now second in line to the presidency.

Christian nationalists are waging a holy war on our pluralist democracy, and they are poised for a major, perhaps decisive, victory. If Trump is reelected in 2024, agents of Christian nationalism will occupy key positions in all three branches of government, and they intend to implement a radical policy plan to erode our system of checks and balances and greatly expand executive authority (called Project 2025). This should alarm anyone who is not a white Christian nationalist. The best we can do in the short term is vote against Trump to prevent this key win for the movement. We must raise awareness and educate ourselves, as we must understand the beast in order to defeat it. 

On Dec. 5, 2023, Mike Johnson gave a keynote address at the National Association of Christian Lawmakers’ Annual Gala. In the speech, he compared himself to Moses, the biblical prophet called on by God to lead an enslaved religious minority through the “roiling sea” toward salvation. In reality, he is more like Abraham: an unyielding patriarch willing to sacrifice anything, even his own son, in the name of faith, that black hole that defies understanding. Fortunately, unlike Abraham’s son, we do not have to march obediently toward our demise. But the knife is plunging toward our neck and we know God isn’t around to save us. Humanity must save itself.

Bradley Koberg, 29, attends the Cardozo School of Law.

“I attended Columbia University for undergrad, where I studied film and economics while working at some of the most cursed independent film companies of that era,” Bradley writes. “I plan to practice entertainment and media law, but will continue studying the intersection of religion and law and advocating for religious pluralism.”