The President of the United States brags about sexually assaulting women, cheats on his wife with Playboy models and porn stars, and claims he's never asked for God's forgiveness. Yet, majorities of both white evangelical and mainline Protestants continue to support him. Why do Americans in these religious groups embrace a politician who seems to violate their basic standards of morality?
A megachurch pastor declares on Fox News that he and tens of millions of Americans think that professional football players kneeling for the national anthem should "be thanking God that they live in a country where they're . . .free from the worry of being shot in the head for taking a knee like they would be if they were in North Korea." Why do some Americans conflate God and country? And why do many of these same Americans seem so unsympathetic to the plight of their fellow citizens who are racial or religious minorities?
The answer, Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry argue, is a strain of thought that they call "Christian nationalism," the belief that the United States is-and should be-a Christian nation. Christian ideals and symbols have long played an important role in American public life, but Christian nationalism demands far more than a recognition of our religious heritage. At its heart, Whitehead and Perry argue, Christian nationalism is about a fight to preserve a particular kind of social order, one in which everyone? Christians and non-Christians, native-born and immigrants, whites and minorities, men and women - recognizes their "proper" place in society. And it is a significant driver of political behavior. In fact, knowing someone's stance on Christian nationalism tells us more about his or her political beliefs than race, religion, or political party.
Drawing on national survey data and interviews with Americans across the political spectrum, Taking America Back for God illustrates the tremendous influence of Christian nationalism on debates about the most contentious issues dominating American public life.

Andrew Whitehead is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Clemson University and Assistant Director of the Association of Religion Data Archives. He is the author of numerous articles on Christian nationalism and religion in the modern world.
Samuel L. Perry is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He is the author of over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and two books, Addicted to Lust and Growing God's Family.