On Wednesday, January 6, I, like almost everyone else in America, watched as a mob of predominantly white domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol, in an attempt to prevent the Senate from certifying the electoral college vote in favor of Joseph Biden, a claim that, at its core, is based on the idea that voter fraud was committed by Black and Brown voters. Many of the insurgents bore flags specifically referencing Christianity. There were the Jesus 2020 flags, which resemble Trump banners; flags with the the ichthys, the Christian fish; an American flag that read “Make America Godly Again”; a banner proclaiming, “Jesus is my Savior” on one side, and “Trump is my President” on the other; as well as the “official” Christian flag with the red cross against a blue background.

However horrifying I find the spectacle of white Christians storming the Capitol in hopes of keeping Donald Trump in power, I do not find it at all surprising, because I grew up in the Christian nationalist movement. Growing up I came to understand firsthand that many Christian nationalists view people who don’t practice their form of Christianity as illegitimate. I also came to understand how racism is ingrained in the teachings of the white evangelical church.