On the Rise of White Christian Nationalism in the US

In the 1980s, UC Santa Barbara was a vibrant campus that felt like the counterculture's afterparty. Nestled in a picturesque setting with palm trees swaying over serene surroundings, the university was a hub of youthful energy and idealism. However, beneath the surface, echoes of the cultural upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s lingered.

UCSB had been at the forefront of protests against the Vietnam War, advocating for racial and gender justice, challenging societal norms, and even staging acts of defiance, such as burning symbols of authority.

By the time the reporter arrived as a freshman in 1982, the campus had moved on from the radical protests of the past, but the lingering atmosphere hinted at deeper cultural and political shifts. The reporter, a devoutly religious eighteen-year-old from Missouri, had come to UCSB with a scholarship and aspirations of joining the top-ranked Gaucho volleyball team.

Little did they know that they were stepping into a complex intersection of American culture and politics—a place where conservative conservatism clashed with the ideals of the counterculture.

Just a few miles east of the UC Santa Barbara campus, Ronald Reagan was busy shaping the political landscape. In 1980, the former governor of California had been elected president, bringing with him a wave of fundamentalist Christians known as the Moral Majority. This group sought to fill a void left by the turmoil of the previous decade, including the Vietnam War, race riots, Watergate, and inflation. By the time the reporter entered college, the political atmosphere was ripe for a conservative counterrevolution.

The reporter's experience at UCSB was marked by a religious studies professor named Walter Capps, who played a pivotal role in shaping their understanding of the cultural and political complexities surrounding them. Capps did more than teach about religion and politics; he made the clash between ideologies engaging and thought-provoking. His courses attracted high-profile guest speakers, including political figures and intellectuals from diverse ideological backgrounds.

One of Capps' signature courses, "Religion and Politics in America Today," became a national sensation when it debuted in 1985. Co-taught with former presidential candidate George McGovern, the course featured a diverse range of speakers, from GOP strategist Richard Viguerie and evangelical leader Francis Schaeffer to academic analysts like Erling Jorstad and George Marsden. The course delved into the rise of the New Religious Right, a movement that was rapidly reshaping American politics.

At the heart of this movement was Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., a charismatic televangelist and the founder of the Moral Majority. Falwell's message evolved over time, beginning as a segregationist and opponent of civil rights. By 1976, he had transformed his rhetoric into a more moderate form of bigotry, defending conservative values such as school prayer and opposing abortion, while simultaneously attacking modernity and "secular Humanism."

Falwell viewed these modern elements as threats to traditional values and biblical authority, positioning himself as a champion of Christian nationalism.