From Doctrine of Discovery to Christian Nationalism: America's Religious Political Roots
Centuries-old religious doctrines and colonial myths aren’t just history; they’re the scaffolding of today’s Christian Nationalist push. As new laws and court battles revive the language of “chosen nation,” it’s time to confront the origins and ongoing impact of these narratives on American democracy.
This week, as state legislatures debate bills to post the Ten Commandments in public schools and the Supreme Court edges ever closer to erasing the line between church and state, the myth of America as a divinely chosen nation is not just alive; it’s driving policy. But these ideas didn’t spring from nowhere. They’re rooted in a centuries-long project: from papal decrees that justified conquest and dispossession to Puritan sermons warning of public failure to the modern political weaponization of “Christian nation” rhetoric. Understanding these deep roots isn’t just academic; it’s essential for anyone who cares about pluralism, justice, and the future of American democracy.
Part 1 in the Christian Nationalism Series:
Doctrine of Discovery: The Papal Blueprint for Conquest
Fact: The Doctrine of Discovery originated in 15th-century papal bulls, notably Dum Diversas (1452), Romanus Pontifex (1455), and Inter Caetera (1493), which authorized Christian European powers to claim sovereignty over non-Christian lands and peoples, providing the legal and theological foundation for centuries of colonization and dispossession (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_doctrine).
Fact: The U.S. Supreme Court enshrined the Doctrine into American law in Johnson v. M’Intosh (1823), ruling that “discovery” by Europeans gave the U.S. ultimate dominion over Indigenous lands, reducing Native nations to mere occupants without full property rights (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/21/543/).
Fact: The Doctrine remains a living legal precedent, invoked in recent court cases to deny or restrict Native land claims, and underpins the federal “trust” system that limits tribal sovereignty over land and resources (https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/doctrine-of-discovery-is-a-legal-fiction-but-revoking-it-wont-herald-immediate-changes-experts-say/).
Analysis:
Let’s be clear: the Doctrine of Discovery isn’t some dusty relic. It’s the legal bedrock for centuries of theft, broken treaties, and environmental destruction; still cited in courtrooms today. The fact that a 15th-century papal memo can dictate 21st-century land rights is less “tradition” and more a case study in how bad ideas refuse to die.
Puritan Theology: Covenant, Community, and the Birth of the “Chosen Nation”
Fact: Puritan settlers in 17th-century New England brought with them a theology rooted in covenant, an agreement with God that demanded communal responsibility, moral discipline, and a sense of mission (https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/eighteen/ekeyinfo/puritan.htm).
Fact: John Winthrop’s 1630 sermon, “A Model of Christian Charity,” warned that the new colony would be “as a city upon a hill,” highly visible, and subject to public shame if it failed its divine covenant (https://history.hanover.edu/texts/winthmod.html).
Fact: Contrary to later myth, Winthrop’s “city on a hill” was a warning, not a boast of preordained greatness. The sermon was largely forgotten for two centuries, only to be resurrected in the 20th century as a symbol of American exceptionalism (https://www.neh.gov/article/how-america-became-city-upon-hill).
Analysis:
The Puritans didn’t invent American exceptionalism, but they did plant the seeds. Their theology was less about manifest destiny and more about mutual accountability, a nuance lost on politicians who prefer their history with extra sugar and no footnotes.
“City on a Hill”: From Puritan Warning to Political Weapon
Fact: The phrase “city on a hill” was revived in the Cold War era, notably by Harvard historian Perry Miller, and then weaponized by politicians from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, who recast it as a declaration of America’s divine mission to lead the world (https://www.neh.gov/article/how-america-became-city-upon-hill).
Fact: In the past year, state legislators and national candidates have invoked the “chosen nation” narrative to justify bills mandating Christian symbols in public schools and to frame opposition as unpatriotic or ungodly (Chosen Nation: Christianity, Politics, and American Destiny).
Fact: A 2024 PRRI/Brookings survey found that 10% of Americans are Christian Nationalism adherents, 20% are sympathizers, and support is highest in rural, conservative states—where the “chosen nation” myth is most aggressively promoted (https://prri.org/research/christian-nationalism-across-all-50-states-insights-from-prris-2024-american-values-atlas/#_ftn1).
Analysis:
The “city on a hill” has gone from Puritan anxiety to political hammer. When lawmakers invoke this myth to demand Christian symbols in public schools, they’re not just misreading history; they’re using it to sanctify exclusion and silence dissent.
The Modern Christian Nationalist Surge: Law, Policy, and Public Opinion
Fact: The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with Christian groups in 66% of relevant cases under Chief Justice Roberts, up from less than 45% in earlier eras, signaling a judicial shift toward privileging Christian claims in public life (https://www.interfaithalliance.org/post/new-research-finds-the-supreme-court-shows-bias-towards-christian-groups).
Fact: In 2025, more than a dozen states introduced or passed bills to display Christian symbols in public spaces, often using “chosen nation” rhetoric to justify these moves (https://www.the74million.org/article/state-laws-requiring-ten-commandments-in-schools-are-the-product-of-a-far-right-bill-mill/).
Fact: Polls show a stark rural/urban divide: support for Christian Nationalist policies is highest in rural, white evangelical communities, with 66% of white evangelical Protestants supporting or sympathizing with Christian Nationalism (https://www.npr.org/2024/02/28/1234304058/christian-nationalism-survey).
Quote: “Christian nationalism attempts to sanctify oppression and not liberation. It attempts to sanctify lies and not truth. At best, it’s a form of theological malpractice. At worst, it’s a form of heresy.” —Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/21/us/william-barber-christian-nationalism-blake-cec/index.html).
Data Point: The good news is that while three in 10 Americans are either Christian nationalism adherents or sympathizers, two-thirds of the country rejects this anti-democratic ideology. (https://www.salon.com/2024/09/25/donald-transformation-into-a-religious-totem-has-turned-christian-nationalism/).
Analysis:
If you think this is just a culture war sideshow, think again. The legal and legislative machinery of Christian Nationalism is humming along, fueled by myths that were never meant to be policy blueprints. The result? A democracy that’s increasingly allergic to pluralism.
What It Means
The deep roots of Christian Nationalism including papal decrees, Puritan covenants, and the myth of the “chosen nation,” aren’t just historical curiosities. They’re the DNA of a movement that seeks to privilege one faith, erase the separation of church and state, and define “real” Americans by religious identity. For democracy and pluralism, the stakes couldn’t be higher: when ancient myths become modern law, everyone outside the chosen circle is at risk.
What’s Next
Supreme Court Watch: The Court is expected to hear new cases this term on religious displays in public schools and government buildings, decisions that could further erode church-state separation (https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/terms/ot2025/).
Call to Action
Take a stand:
Check out Native American Rights Fund to support Indigenous land rights and the separation of church and state. Sign up for updates and local events at NARF’s news page. Organize a teach-in in your community, because history doesn’t change itself.
Methods & Verification
All factual claims were cross-checked against primary sources, recent news, and organizational records. Quotes and data were independently confirmed via public databases, court documents, and direct statements from named individuals and organizations.
Reader Question:
How have you seen the “chosen nation” myth show up in your community, school, or local politics? Share your story for possible inclusion in next week’s newsletter.
Note: All sources cited are recent, credible, and directly verified. For further reading, see the linked references throughout this article.