We asked Hunter Baker, author of Postliberal Protestants: Baptists Between Obergefell and Christian Nationalism, a few questions about his recently published book.
The Baptist Courier: Why did you write this book?
Baker: I wrote my first book, The End of Secularism, to defend the right of Christians to bring their religious beliefs to bear on politics and public policy. At that time, there was an academic vogue aimed at silencing Christians based on the idea that it was morally and politically wrong to bring their faith into the public square. In their mind, secularism was the path to reason and harmony. I wrote the book to criticize that point of view.
The debate has evolved. The left is now less interested in limiting Christian participation so much as it wants to make it obsolete. But there are now Christians on the right becoming increasingly interested in revisiting old ideas of Christendom and established churches. That’s what Christian nationalism really is. I understand the interest, but I believe Christian nationalism is wrong-headed.
The Baptist Courier: Why is this book needed?
Baker: I think we need to understand the times. For that reason, I wrote about Obergefell (the gay marriage decision) and the terrible situation it creates for Christians. I think that’s part of why people have become more interested in Christian nationalism. But I think we’ve [already] run the experiment on Christian nationalism. [Think of] England, Sweden, or whatever western European nation you like. Where we had Christian nationalism, we now have the most secular countries.
The Baptist Courier: What’s the purpose of the book? Who is the audience that you’re writing to (who does it speak to)?
Baker: I’m encouraging people to stick to the idea of the regenerate (voluntary and free) church over against the state church, which I think some are yearning for right now. My argument is that Christianity is vital and important in the U.S. because of our free church tradition.
The Baptist Courier: Thank you for your time and sharing the purpose behind the book.
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Postliberal Protestants: Baptists Between Obergefell and Christian Nationalism is a timely book for the collision of cultures, beliefs, and ideologies that Baptists are faced with today.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, one social scientist sagely declared we had reached “the end of history.” What he meant was that the big arguments were over and that liberal democracy would prevail henceforth. The rest would be tinkering with policy. The classical separation of church and state (not secularism), religious liberty, and freedom of speech all seemed to be unquestioned values that would stand for centuries to come. With failure in the Middle East, the rise of China, and the emergence of postliberal politics on the left and right in the U.S. and around the globe, our values seem far less settled than we might have thought. How should Baptists see themselves as they stand somewhere between the human sexuality revolution on the left and Christian nationalism on the right? Hunter Baker encourages the church to strongly embrace religious liberty, the regenerate church, and the sanctity of life as it seeks to be faithful in the 21st century and beyond.
“In Postliberal Protestants: Baptists Between Obergefell and Christian Nationalism, Hunter Baker writes with his typical candor and insight, offering a timely, thoughtful exploration of the pressures reshaping Baptist understandings of church and state. With clarity and conviction, Baker navigates the tensions of our cultural moment — between capitulation and all-out culture war, utopia and despair — without losing sight of biblical truth. This is a sober and needed book, marked by a deep commitment to faithfulness in the face of complex public challenges. It is a must-read for those wrestling with how to be Baptist, biblical, and engaged in a world that exhibits postliberal challenges from both the Left and Right.” — Andrew T. Walker, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Public Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary