The Religious Nationalisms Project and Anti-Racism Resources

“The Religious Nationalisms Project” (TRNP) is a national initiative designed to convene, educate, train, and mobilize faith communities in response to the rising threat of religious nationalisms in the United States. It is an initiative of the Federation for the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America and the New York State Council of Churches. 

Overview

“The Religious Nationalisms Project” (TRNP) is a national initiative designed to convene, educate, train, and mobilize faith communities in response to the rising threat of religious nationalisms in the United States. It is an initiative of the Federation for the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America and the New York State Council of Churches. 

Local religious communities, with their inherent diversity and extensive reach, are uniquely poised to confront and counteract religious nationalisms.

The Religious Nationalisms Project (TRNP) equips religious groups with proactive strategies to safeguard religious freedom and advance justice for all, irrespective of faith identity. By leveraging collective strength and diverse perspectives, faith communities build and model inclusive, resilient alternatives that uphold fundamental human dignity, human rights, and social harmony across different faith traditions.

The Religious Nationalisms Project aims to help houses of worship of all faiths to discuss and evaluate where and how religious nationalism functions in their communities, nationally, and globally. This is a joint project of the Federation for Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA) and the New York State Council of Churches. 

Christian Nationalism/Racism Books

Suggested by Jim Ketcham

The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future,” by Robert P. Jones (2023)

White Too Long: The Legacy Of White Supremacy in American Christianity, by Robert P. Jones (2020)

Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own, by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (2020)

Good White Racist? Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice, by Kerry Connelly (2020)

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, by Robin Diangelo (2018)

Dear White Christian: What Every White Christian Needs to Know About How Black Christians See, Think, and Experience Racism in America, by Aaron J. Layton (2017)

The End of White Christian America, by Robert P. Jones (2016)

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide, by Carol Anderson, Ph.D. (2016)

Deep Denial: The Persistence of White Supremacy in United States History and Life, by David Billings (2016)

Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame and the Rise of the Right, by Arlie Russell Hochschild (2024)

Resources and Actions on Hindu Nationalism and Supremacy in India and the United States

NYSCOC asks Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams to refuse Islamophobic Float in India Day Parade August 18, 2024.

A similar appeal from the Federation for Indian American Christian Organizations of North America was picked up by https://religionnews.com/2024/08/06/symbols-of-hate-can-never-be-disguised-as-symbols-of-celebration/

Christians across the theological spectrum are increasingly speaking out. Please read the recent letter from Over 300 American Christian Leaders Appeal for Indian Religious Minorities initiated by Neal Christie, Peter Cook and Pieter Friedrich.

Religious Minorities and Transnational Violence: A Seminar Sponsored by Sikh Assembly, Peter Cook and Neal Christie, and full video with Pieter Fridiech, Congressman Greg Pence (R-IN), Simar Singh, and USCIRF Commissioner, and Asif Mahmood. Click here for more pictures and background on this event.

India Day Parade delights thousands in NYC. Here's more on a float that sparked controversy.

Ram Temple tableau prompts Indian Muslims of North America to withdraw float from NYC parade

Resources and Actions on Jewish Supremacy Palestine/Israel and the United States

'Deeply Disturbing' NYU Policy Change Equates Anti-Zionism With Antisemitism

Lecture by The Reverend Dr. Munther Issac, Pastor Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, at The Riverside Church, Silence is Complicity, August 14, 2024

Resources and Actions on Christian Nationalism and Christian Zionism in the United States and Select Countries

Beloved Community - An Antidote to Extremism A Pastoral Letter From The United Methodist Council of Bishops

Support for Christian Nationalism on All 50 States: Findings from PRRI’s 2023 Values Atlas

A Pithy Primer on Christian Nationalism on Tik Tok

Faith and Democracy: Confronting White Christian Nationalism

Resources and Actions on Islamic Nationalism and Supremacy

Anti-Racism

New York State Reparations Task Force - Press release August 1, 2024

Denominational and Secular Resources to Address Structural Racism 

Related Organizations

Hindus for Human Rights

Indian American Muslim Council

International Religious Freedom and Human Rights

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom

International Freedom Secretariat 

India Working Group

Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD)

Coming Events

2024

A Conversation About White Christian Nationalism in the Southern Tier Sunday, November 3 | 4-6pm | 42 Chenango Street, Binghamton, Hosted by UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BINGHAMTON, together with New York State Council Of Churches and The Religious Nationalisms Project, Panel of speakers to include: Prof. David Cingranelli, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Rev. Douglas Taylor, pastor at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton, Rev. Kimberly Chastain, pastor at the United Presbyterian Church of Binghamton, Rev. Peter Cook, Executive Director of the New York State Council of Churches and Principal of The Religious Nationalisms Project, Rashida Tyler, Deputy Executive Director of the New York State Council of Churches, Rev. Jim Ketcham, Chaplaincy Coordinator and Policy Lead on Criminal Justice Reform, New York State Council of Churches, Rev. Neal Christie, Executive Director of the Federation for the Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA) and Principal of The Religious Nationalisms Project

Global Dimensions of Religious Nationalism and the Case of the United States - Dr. Mark Juergensmeyer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Global Studies, Sociology, and affiliate of Religious Studies University of California, Santa Barbara October 27, 2024 at 4:30PM

Responding to the Global Rise of Religious Nationalisms: Looking Through a Lens at Hindu Supremacy in India - The Chicagoland Tour: Oct. 4-6, 2024, Friday, Oct 4, 7pm - 9pm | Broadway United Methodist Church, 3338 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657; Saturday, Oct. 5, 10am - 1pm | Wesley United Methodist Church, 21 E. Franklin Ave., Naperville, IL 60540; Sunday, Oct 6, 12pm - 3pm | Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 1401 Oak Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

Nurture the Soul: A conversation with member ministries of the UCC Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries (COREM), United Black Christians, August 8, 2024 at 3:30 PM. 

Silence is Complicity - Wednesday August 14, 2024 at 7PM

Nurture the Soul: A conversation with member ministries of the UCC Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries (COREM), Colectivo de UCC Latinx Ministries,  August 15, 2024 at 3:30 PM

Mennonite Action's next mass call - August 22, 2024 8PM - Join Mennonite Action's next mass call on Thursday August 22nd. This month, we'll hear report backs from participants and supporters of our All God's Children's March for a Ceasefire, and from participants of the Interfaith Action for Palestine coalition that mobilized in Washington, DC from July 28-30.

2025

International Religious Freedom Summit - February 4-5, 2025 Washington DC

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with NYSCOC - April 22-May 1, 2024

Recordings of Previous Seminars

White Christian Nationalism in Buffalo Two Years After 5/14/2022 TOPS Supermarket Shooting. October 29, 2024, Trinity Episcopal Church, Buffalo