BWA General Council Resolution 2024.2
The Baptist World Alliance General Council, meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, July 7-12, 2024:
LAMENTS the rise of religious nationalism around the world in all forms of government from totalitarian
systems to democracies. Religious nationalism is the co-opting of the language, symbols, imagery, sacred
texts, or holy figures of the dominant religion to justify wielding legal, political or social power or privilege,
and may depict a nation or political party as divinely approved and guided.
UNDERSTANDS that religious nationalism threatens religious freedom and may corrupt or exploit any
religion in the pursuit of obtaining or maintaining political power. Such fusing of religion with community
or national identity may create flawed expressions of devout faith and patriotism.
DECRIES the harm caused by all forms of religious nationalism that may include discrimination against and
silencing of religious minorities and other marginalized communities, resulting in vandalism, harassment,
violence, arrest, forced displacement, and death.
RECOGNIZES that Baptists and other Christians are not immune to this dangerous trend. In Christian
nationalism the gospel of Jesus Christ is reduced to a gospel of earthly political power.
ACKNOWLEDGES that Christian nationalism is a form of idolatry as it makes one’s nation-state equal to if
not superior to the Triune God. Christians who perpetuate and fuel Christian nationalism should repent
of, not celebrate, their participation.
REPUDIATES the theology of dominion and the way it undergirds Christian nationalism as a Christian duty.
Dominionism distorts gospel values to misuse churches for political gain, spurs societal aversion to the
gospel, creates divisions within the church, and silences Christians and Christian leaders who oppose this
theology of power. In contrast, we endorse Jesus’s model of civic engagement characterized by love and
sacrifice for our neighbors.
AFFIRMS our Baptist heritage of fighting for more than 400 years for a radical separation of the institutions
of religion and government as the best way to protect the religious freedom of all people. We further affirm
a constructive and prophetic Christian strategy of civic engagement and advocacy that defends the freedom
of religion or belief for everyone, protects the human rights of all, and promotes the common good.
COMMENDS Baptists around the world who are leading the religious, academic, cultural, and political
opposition to religious nationalism in their contexts and calls for an increase in multifaith advocacy in
support of religious freedom for all. We also applaud efforts opposing Christian nationalism such as the
Approved by the General Council (Thursday, July 11, 2024) Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign run by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in the United States and the Freedom of Religion or Belief course from the International Baptist Theological Seminary in the Netherlands.
CALLS on all Baptist individuals, churches, unions, and institutions—and all people of good will—to find
ways to publicly and privately oppose religious nationalism, and especially resist the temptations of
Christian nationalism. We also urge Baptists and other Christians to support positive Christian
engagement in the public square.