- In a recent speech, Boebert reiterated Christian nationalist points, evoking the end times.
- She said it’s time for Christians to “stand up” and “influence this country as we are being asked to do.”
- Christian nationalism experts say such rhetoric is linked to violence.
In a recent speech by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, she cited the end times and said it was time for Christians to “rise up.”
At a Christian conference held by the Coalition for Truth and Freedom in Woodland Park, Colorado Republicans said, “It’s time for us to position ourselves, stand up, and influence this nation on Christ’s behalf. Came in. Colorado, September 9th.
“We need God to come back to the center of our country,” she added.
Boebert quoted heavily from the Bible in his speech. She framed the formation of the United States as divinely inspired, explaining that the founding fathers were men of faith motivated by God.
“We know we are at the end of the last days,” Boebert later said, referring to the belief of some evangelical Christians that Jesus would return after a period of trials and great suffering to save believers. “But it is not the time to complain about it. The coming of Jesus.”
Boebert’s comments expressing America’s intrinsic ties to Christianity are nothing new: in June, she said she was “tired of this separation of church and state crap” and said, “The church wants the government.” But by alluding to the end times, Boubert taps into aspects of Christian nationalism that have been associated with violence.
A spokesperson for Boubert told the Denver Post that she did not identify as a Christian nationalist, but her comments were based on the doctrine of Christian nationalism, namely that Christianity is privileged in American society. It is consistent with the ideological and cultural framework that should have a social status.
IUPUI sociologist Andrew Whitehead said, “There is a tendency among Americans who support Christian nationalism to accept a premillennialist interpretation of the end times, in spite of their suffering, when Christ takes away believers. We found that it was getting stronger,” he said. He is the co-author of “Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in America,” he told an insider.
Whitehead said that Bobert takes a concrete and relatively new interpretation of the end times and fuses it with the idea that Christians should play an influential role in public life. He said her view was not necessarily about saving the country, but about Christians resisting the forces of evil while they can and remaining loyal to the end.
“In some ways, the mention of the apocalypse really feels like a call to action, a cry of solidarity,” said Whitehead, noting that “many images of that apocalypse are about violence and jubilation and social distancing.” associated with falling into chaos,” he added.
A religious and political expert told the Denver Post that Beaubert’s remarks could be interpreted as a call for violence, especially in relation to the midterm elections.
Anthea Butler, professor of religion at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Because the current apocalypse will be an apocalypse if we don’t accept people.
Among proponents of Christian nationalism, Boebert’s comments are not new, but such rhetoric is rarely, if ever, deployed by members of Congress.
Christian nationalism has also caused acts of violence in the past. A report released in February by a group of religious leaders, historians and religious scholars, including Whitehead, argued that the concept was put on display at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and helped justify the riots. Christian nationalist ideals were also upheld by suspects in the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the 2019 New Zealand mosque shooting.
“Whenever our political rhetoric moves into the realm of raising the stakes, it’s the ultimate good versus the ultimate evil,” Whitehead said, adding, “Then political violence is far more likely. more likely to occur.
Boebert’s office did not respond to Insider’s request for comment.