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BIBLICAL PROTESTANTISM AND ETHNIC NATIONALISM by J. Parnell McCarter

Most professing American Protestants today seem not to recognize the close historical connection between Protestant reformation efforts and ethnic nationalism.  By ethnic nationalism I mean the belief that an ethnic people who share a common ethnic heritage, language, history, and culture should rightfully be able to constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination and abuse.

Consider these examples:

1.      John Wycliffe in defense of Protestantism and English nationalism

2.      John Hus in defense of Protestantism and Bohemian nationalism

3.      Martin Luther in defense of Protestantism and German nationalism

4.      Ulrich Zwingli in defense of Protestantism and Swiss nationalism

5.      Gaspard de Coligny in defense of Protestantism and French nationalism

6.      John Knox and Andrew Melville in defense of Protestantism and Scottish nationalism

7.      William of Orange in defense of Protestantism and Dutch nationalism

8.      Pretorius and Paul Kruger in defense of Protestantism and Afrikaner (“Boer”) nationalism

 

Moses himself exemplified this, as both Biblical reformer and Israelite nationalist.  Other Israelite leaders, including Gideon, David, and Nehemiah, shared this characteristic.  There is a Biblical form of ethnic nationalism which opposes imperial efforts that undermine Biblical Protestantism and ethnic nationalist rights.  Old Testament Israel in its moral aspects is to be the model for all nations under Christ, whereas Babel is the historic model of Anti-Christ.  Our scriptural eschatological destiny is one of many ethnic nations covenanted to Jesus Christ according to Biblical principles, but the enemies of Christ have continued over the course of history to oppose this.

Here is an accurate description of Moses:

1.      Follower of the God of the Bible

2.      Fervent ethnic nationalist who sought an independent homeland nation for his own ethnic people, free of foreign dominion and abuse but covenanted to follow the God of the Bible

3.      Believed that it was not morally prohibited to marry someone of another people group (as evidenced by his marriage to a Midianite), so long as marriage is only in the Lord

4.      Sought equal justice and fair treatment not only for his own people, but also foreign peoples, including foreign people in his people’s midst

 

Many American Christians today seem to think the above characteristics should not mix.  The multiculturalists believe there is no place for fervent ethnic nationalism, based in part upon an erroneous interpretation of certain New Testament verses, but especially due to politically correct societal brainwashing by imperial elites, and fear to go against the politically correct mainstream view.  On the other side of the spectrum, many kinists erroneously believe marriage is morally prohibited between certain people groups, even if the marriage is in the Lord (ie, both parties are Christian).  Some kinists also erroneously believe in an absolute segregation of people groups.  The latter is in contrast to  exceptions we find like Moses’ wife, Ruth, Rahab, and Uriah the Hittite. 

But to both of these I would respond: 

1.      Moses was right in embracing all 4 characteristics described above, despite opposition from Egyptian and Hebrew multiculturalists (who wanted the Israelite people to remain in and part of Egypt)  and Miriam and Aaron, “the kinists” of their day). 

2.      Old Testament Israel in its moral aspects is a model for all nations today.  This implies we need leaders today who follow the example of Moses in embracing all 4 characteristics described above. 

 

Various interests and interest groups (including the Vatican) have sought to ram multiculturalism down the throats of Americans.  But American people (aka “Anglos”) have a right to our own independent nation where we are the ruling majority just as much as the other peoples of the world have a right to theirs.  We can rightly reject the concept of a “global nation”, in which ethnic diversity is regarded as a moral imperative, and in which we have to forego our own independent ethnic homeland nation.

One would think judging by the commonly held view of most professing American Protestants that “Protestant nationalism” is an oxymoron.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Just as I have a special interest in seeing the Establishment Principle re-embraced, and that in an explicitly reformed Christian form, I also have a special interest in seeing Protestant ethnic nationalism re-embraced, including by my own people.  There is a significant effort to make ethnic nationalism a dirty word by multicultural imperialists.  The historic arch-enemy of Protestant nationalism is the Romish Pope, and that is still true today.  He has his allies, as he always has.  These include the corporate leaders whose god is money, and whose means is cheap foreign labor.  There are the many American secularist Jews, whose hatred of Protestant Christianity is only surpassed by their irrational fear of it.  Then there are many foreigners, generally from less developed countries, who do not realize they are being used by others for ends contrary to their long term welfare.  Then there are the Protestant lapdogs who soak up whatever multicultural drivel pours forth from politically correct imperialists, who either fail to analyze realities or else are too scared to say anything lest the “racist” label is thrown at them.  Frankly, many of the latter are not even Protestants at all, for Protest against the Romish Pope and Romanism is almost entirely absent from them.

Biblical Protestantism and ethnic nationalism go hand in hand.