RELIGIOUS NATIONALSIM: SEEING THE SACRED IN SECULAR TIMES
- Kean Huy Alado
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
By Kean Huy Alado
In a myriad of countries worldwide, governments and churches still maintain heavy influence between each other despite a movement to separate them centuries ago. The movement to separate the secular and the sacred is more recent in time, but it is not one that the entire world accepted. Many places still allow religion to influence the policy making of nations, known as religious nationalism.
Religious nationalism is defined as the relationship between nationalism and a particular belief, dogma, affiliation, ideology, or religion. This was the norm in many countries throughout history and maintains a strong prevalence today. Some examples include the presence of Judaism in Israel or Islam in many Middle Eastern countries such as Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. This concept is important to understand as it influences geopolitics and governing of the population, with the U.S.A. not being an exception.
On the same day that President Trump was sworn into office for his second term, Jan. 20, 2025, he also signed an executive order that recognized two sexes only: male and female. He extended this order by stating that sex cannot and is not a synonym nor contains the concept of gender identity, nor can it be changed. This executive order reflects the teaching of Christianity, as well as some other Abrahamic religions, that teaches, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” This is found in Genesis 1:27 of the King James version (KJV) of the Bible.
Astonishingly, this may indicate a fallback to older ways of governing and could bring back similar problems during those times. Actions like this may only rally further religious extremism in various cultures.
In England, they also demonstrate instances of Christian religious nationalism. As a country with deep ties to Christianity throughout history, several policies that were placed by the secular government still reflect teachings of the sacred Church that governed the land less than 500 years ago. One such policy is called the Sunday Trading Act of 1994. This act aimed to restrict trading on Sundays which reflect the Christian teaching of sabbath. Since the conception of the Act, it has been relaxed, but is still in place to, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,” which was written in the KJV Bible in Exodus 20:8-10.
In the continent of Africa, countries such as Uganda depict more instances of Christian religious nationalism through the government policies. One such policy is called the Anti-Homosexuality Act. This act criminalizes same sex marriages and is based within the teachings of Christianity. The KJV version of the Bible was written to say that “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination,” in Leviticus 18:22. This indicates the prevalence of Christianity even in Africa.
On the other hand, countries such as the United Arab Emirates reflect the religious nationalism of the Islam belief. One policy in the UAE that reflects their teachings is Federal Decree Law No. 3 of 2021 on Regulating Donations. This policy aims to regulate and monitor charitable activities such as Zakat, so that they are performed correctly. Zakat, meaning purity and growth, is a teaching of Islam which obligates qualified (wealthy) families to donate to those in need. In Surah At-Tawbah (9:60) of the Quran, it states that “Alms tax is only for the poor and the needy,” and “This is an obligation from Allah,” indicating the concept and application of Zakat.
Barry student Frank Wong is a senior nursing student with an opinion to share on this topic.
“I wouldn’t support the national government enacting any kind of laws promoting or rejecting religion, religion is a personal choice, and it should stay a personal choice,” he said.
In response to the rise of religious dogma becoming more prevalent in our legislation, Barry University is hosting an event on campus called, “Perspectives on Christian Nationalism: Unpacking the Religious, Political, and Cultural Phenomenon in America.” This event aims to explore the religious, political and cultural landscape of America. This serves as an informative event to expand the impact of religious nationalism in countries and will be held on the evening of April 10.
Overall, the role of religious nationalism interprets the shared beliefs of a country and its people, and allows for the better understanding of different cultures, but more importantly: their priorities. Plenty of countries showcase the teachings of the Bible in their laws, while others demonstrate rules from Islam. Ultimately, it is inevitable for governments to promote policies which reflect the popular beliefs shared by a majority of the population, but it leads to a better understanding of the people in our world and therefore, the world itself.
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