Trump, Christian Nationalism, and Migration

CURA announces the spring 2026 colloquium schedule. This year-long conversation brings together an interdisciplinary community of scholars of culture, religion, and world affairs. Please register below for the session(s) you plan to attend. The March 20 workshop will feature a paper by R. Ward Holder, Professor of Theology & Politics, St. Anselm’s College.

Please note that reading the paper in advance is required for attendance. CURA workshops are dedicated to focused, in depth feedback and discussion. A copy of the paper(s) will be sent to registered participants one week in advance of each session.

Abstract: Trump’s immigration policies were lauded by Christian nationalists and White evangelicals prior to the election, though the reception after the first six months of the administration is less sanguine. But conservative and evangelical Christian support for Trump’s policies has raised questions, given the overwhelming biblical support for care for the neighbor and the stranger. Reinhold Niebuhr’s thought, especially as set forward in The Irony of American History, presents an excellent framing of this issue, and some foundational points that can provide some solutions to the present aporia.