Thomas Higgins, a former cabinet official under President Jimmy Carter, and devout Catholic, speaks for many of us when he says that the movement of so-called Christian nationalism violates the basic teachings of Jesus.
“Nowhere is the contrast between Christian and nationalist beliefs more striking than with the treatment of refugees seeking relief from war, persecution and economic injustice. Jesus commands his followers to treat them with dignity (Matthew 5-7). For nationalists, the response has been steel walls and barbed wire.”
He also cites the passage in Matthew 22:15-17 in which Jesus is asked whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.
Jesus said: “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me? Show Me the coin used for the tax.”
And they brought Him a denarius.
“Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they answered.
So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Higgins concludes: “Christians worship only one God, not the state.”