Christian nationalists’ professed support for religious pluralism is often drowned out by perceptions that Christians are under threat

A survey of 1,500 American Christians found average agreement with Christian nationalist statements at 0.64 and with pluralist statements at 0.74 — meaning many respondents endorsed both, seemingly contradictory, positions simultaneously. Researchers found that among strong Christian nationalism supporters, professed support for pluralism didn't translate into greater tolerance for disliked groups, unlike among opponents of Christian nationalism.

The researchers trace this to perceived persecution: both groups reported similar fears that the 'American way of life' is under threat, and that sense of threat, not any lack of pluralist belief, predicted lower tolerance. They conclude that countering Christian nationalism requires addressing perceived threat directly, not just promoting pluralism messaging.

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