Since when does praying to Jesus, loving America, and saluting the flag make you an extremist?
Patriotism isn't optional for Christians. It's essential. In Defense of Christian Patriotism explains that God gave us a country, and with it, a duty to love it. So why do cynics act like Christians ought to be burning flags, desacralizing churches, and disdaining our national history?
In this deeply-researched walkthrough of political theology and history, Daniel Darling defies the statue-toppling spirit of our age to recover a lost tradition of patriotism. He lays out why Christians should revere flags and civic heroes, that it's OK to believe in American exceptionalism, and what it really looks like to bring Jesus into politics (spoiler: it's not theocracy). You may be called a fascist. That's OK. When insanity is normal, the normal are deemed insane.
The Left claims Christian political engagement will produce a "real-life Handmaid's Tale," "the Afghan Taliban," and a "Christo-fascist future." In fact, the opposite is true. The Salvation Army and the Southern Baptist Convention run the second- and third-biggest disaster relief organizations in the country. Seventy-three percent of American substance abuseĀ treatment programs include spiritual elements. Evangelicals are five times more likely to adopt than the average adult. This is a tradition to be proud of. So why aren't we?
In Defense of Christian PatriotismĀ is Darling's joyful response to the cynics: stop lecturing the faithful. Instead, equip them. The book is a guide arming ordinary Christian patriots to fight back against the Left's false narrative with an upbeat, robust defense of how Christians make America better.Ā
But how can believers navigate the tension between the Kingdom of God and the country they call home?
- Patriotism as a Duty: Discover why Scripture commands a love for the nation God has given you, and how to honor flag and country without it becoming an idol.
- Religious Liberty: Unpack the Founder’s vision for ordered liberty and why a robust Christian presence in the public square is essential for a flourishing democracy, not a threat to it.
- A Defense of the Family: Arm yourself with arguments against the modern war on the family, understanding why a biblical vision for the home is the cornerstone of a stable society.
- Renewing American Culture: Go beyond politics to see how strong families, vibrant churches, and engaged local communities are the true engines of national renewal.
- Answering the Cynics: Learn to answer the charge of “Christian Nationalism” by distinguishing it from healthy patriotism and celebrating the immense good Christians do for America.