New in-depth research by GPAHE, Faith as a Weapon: Inside America’s Theocratic Vanguard, offers insight into the religious ideologies and leaders that helped catalyze the January 6 Capitol attack and are wielding great influence on President Trump’s agenda and in his administration.
Faith as a Weapon is a critical resource for easily understanding how these distinct but aligned movements — Christian nationalism, the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), and Catholic Integralism — are reshaping American conservatism and governance. The package includes descriptions of Christian nationalist premises like the Seven Mountain Mandate, profiles of those with political power, and a glossary of terms.
While groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers received the bulk of media attention in the wake of the insurrection, Christian nationalist movements provided much of the ideological framework and mobilization for the day’s events. From “Jericho Marches” to speeches and prayers invoking spiritual warfare, religious leaders cast efforts to overturn the 2020 election as a divine mission.
“The Christian nationalist movement has evolved into one of the most dangerous drivers of political extremism in the United States,” said Wendy Via, co-founder of GPAHE. “Its leaders are not simply using religion to inspire the faithful — they are strategically working to dismantle democratic institutions, delegitimize elections, and impose a rigid, theocratic vision of governance that serves a narrow few. This movement is not fringe — it’s now deeply embedded in the structures of power.”
GPAHE’s report also traces how these religious movements have expanded their influence beyond protest and spectacle, embedding themselves inside the government. The research also covers how contributors to Project 2025, a blueprint for Christian nationalist governance, are using their government positions and alliances to dismantle key federal agencies, impose Christian nationalist values on education and law, and reshape the U.S. as a nation divinely ordained for Christian rule. These are no longer fringe views but a rising ideology thriving in our government and poised to steer the country’s future.
“Faith is being weaponized to undermine democracy and civil rights and to concentrate power in the hands of a small, ideologically driven minority,” said Heidi Beirich, co-founder of GPAHE. “This is not simply a cultural trend — it’s a political strategy.”
The investigation also examines how Trump administration officials like Russell Vought and Pete Hegseth promote Christian nationalist ideals under the heading of “religious freedom,” and how members of Congress — including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — frame policy goals in terms of spiritual warfare and divine law.
This research is highly relevant for understanding the deep connections between extremism, religion, and politics — as well as the current events and threats facing democratic institutions.
To further explore these findings, GPAHE hosted an online briefing featuring Rev. Jennifer Butler. The virtual briefing examined the Christian nationalist influence on the Trump administration and its authoritarian goals, as well as how these movements are driving federal policy, emboldening political violence, and threatening American democracy.
Watch the report briefing here.
Accompanying the report is an article that outlines the movement and its leaders through 10 key points—highlighting their push for religious rule, consolidation of political power, billionaire backing, embrace of Catholic Integralism, and efforts to criminalize dissent. Together, the report and article offer a clear, accessible guide to understanding how religion is being strategically weaponized to reshape the nation.
