Justice Advocates in the Roanoke and New River Valleys and the Roanoke Reparations Group are co-sponsoring a screening of the documentary Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy on Saturday, September 14 at 1:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall of Christ Episcopal Church (1101 Franklin Rd. SW). The Rev. Dr. David A. Jones, pastor of Williams Memorial Baptist Church, will be the featured commentator. Dr. Jones, a student of this movement for years, will add a brief presentation on the connection between Christian Nationalism and Project 2025.
Christian Nationalism is a movement that uses Christian values and symbols to acquire political power. The goal of Christian Nationalism is the transformation of American democracy into a theocratic authoritarian state. Dr. Jemar Tisby, author of The Color of Compromise, calls White Christian Nationalism “the greatest threat to democracy and the witness of the Church today.” Christian Nationalism was on full display during the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol. Its followers believe that violence may be a necessary tool in the battle for what they perceive is the soul of the nation.
The Bad Faith documentary traces the history of Christian Nationalism from its beginning during Reconstruction, the KKK, and the Jim Crow era. Its contemporary expression can be traced to the 1980s and will persist beyond any election cycle. Project 2025 is its guidebook for implementing its priorities and cementing its control over American democracy and American lives.
The film features multiple voices from the movement opposing Christian Nationalism, including the Rev. William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign and Lisa Sharon Harper, founder of Freedom Road and author of Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World – and How to Repair It All.
You are invited to learn more about Christian Nationalism from this film – to understand the forces that propel it, the organizations that fund it, and the persistence behind it. You are also invited to join in conversation with others who seek a better way of realizing the American dream of liberty, dignity, and freedom for all.
