America’s Future May Depend on Getting Patriotism Right

Four debate podiums on a CNN stage background.

A prominent Christian theologian says America is losing the very meaning of patriotism — and he argues the country’s future depends on getting that definition right.

Story Snapshot

Russell Moore, editor at large for Christianity Today, draws a sharp line between patriotism and nationalism, calling them opposites — not cousins.
Moore defines patriotism as loyalty to America’s founding ideals and a willingness to call out the country’s failures — not just celebrate its wins.
He warns that nationalism is rooted in bitterness and entitlement, and that it covers up wrongdoing rather than confronting it.
A 2026 Pew Research Center survey found that 52% of Americans think conservative Christians have pushed their values too far into government — while 48% say secular liberals have done the same.

Two Words, Two Very Different Ideas

Most people use “patriotism” and “nationalism” as if they mean the same thing. Russell Moore says they don’t — and the difference matters. Moore, a well-known Christian theologian and writer, argues that patriotism means loving your country enough to hold it accountable. Nationalism, he says, means putting your country above everything else, including truth. He writes that “patriotism is a good and right attitude toward a country,” but warns the trouble starts when people confuse a nation with something sacred or divine.

Moore draws the line even more clearly when he talks about motivation. Nationalism, he says, grows out of bitterness and a sense of entitlement. It excuses past wrongs — even atrocities — rather than facing them. Patriotism, by contrast, grows out of gratitude. It can honestly say, “We fell short,” and still love the country. That’s a distinction many Americans — left and right — may find worth thinking about, especially heading into the country’s 250th year.

Faith, Politics, and a Line That Keeps Getting Blurred

Moore’s concern goes beyond politics. He argues that Christian nationalism — the idea of fusing Christian identity with American political power — is a serious theological mistake. He has called it “a prosperity gospel for nations,” and in a widely cited phrase, described it as “liberation theology for white people.” His point is that when faith becomes a badge of tribal identity rather than a personal conviction, it stops being faith at all. It becomes a political tool.

This debate isn’t new. Scholars note that the tension between Christian patriotism and Christian nationalism tends to flare up during times of national crisis. War, economic fear, and political upheaval have historically pushed some believers toward a more militant, nation-first version of faith. The current political moment — with sharp divisions over immigration, race, and the role of religion in public life — fits that pattern closely.

What the Numbers Say

A 2026 Pew Research Center survey shows just how divided Americans are on this question. Seventeen percent of U.S. adults now say the federal government should declare Christianity the official national religion — up from 13% in 2024. That’s still a minority, but it’s a growing one. At the same time, most Americans say they want churches to stay out of politics. The country seems pulled in two directions at once.

Moore’s argument cuts across the usual left-right divide. Conservatives who feel their faith is under attack may find his defense of genuine patriotism compelling. Liberals who worry about theocracy may agree with his warnings about nationalism. Both sides, though, should sit with his core challenge: Are we loyal to America’s ideals — liberty, justice, accountability — or just to our own team? That question doesn’t have a partisan answer. It has a civic one. And in a country where trust in government is at historic lows, it may be one of the most important questions of the moment.