Representatives of evangelical American churches condemned Wednesday, in an open letter, the
growing
"
radicalization
" of some Christians in the United States, a trend illustrated by the assault on Capitol Hill in Washington.
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These religious leaders, numbering over a hundred, write "to
recognize and condemn the role played by Christian nationalism in the violent, racist and anti-American insurgency
" of January 6.
On that day, some of the attackers claimed to act in the name of Christ, going so far as to say a public prayer in the occupied Congress building.
White evangelical Christians represent a significant portion of Donald Trump's electorate that the billionaire, yet twice divorced, had attracted with in particular the promise to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court to overturn the law authorizing abortion.
Three in five white evangelical Christians believe Joe Biden was not legitimately elected to the White House, according to a recent poll.
"
We recognize that evangelicalism, and in particular white evangelism, has been exposed to the heresy of Christian nationalism because of a long tradition of directors of the faith accommodating the white supremacist thesis
," say American clerics.
“
We don't want to be silent accomplices in this sin,
” they add.
It is "
urgent
" to denounce "
this violent change in our faith
", say these officials, like "
many Muslim leaders who have felt the need to denounce deviant and violent versions of their faith
".
These same Christian leaders confided in being alarmed by the increase in "
violent actions by radical extremists who use the name of Christ
", citing the example of Charlottesville in 2017, where a rally of the American ultra-right had degenerated into clashes with anti-racist counter-demonstrators.
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“
We call on pastors, ministers (of worship) and priests to make it clear that commitment to Jesus Christ is incompatible with calls for violence, support for white Christian nationalism, conspiracy theories and all racial and religious discrimination
", affirm the signatories who consider" inconceivable for Christians to support extreme right-wing groups like the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, or the conspiratorial movement QAnon.
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