This book postulates that the rise of right-wing populism in the West and its references to religion are less driven by a resurgence of religious fervour, than by the emergence of a new secular identity politics. Based on exclusive interviews with 116 populist leaders, key policy makers and faith leaders in the USA, Germany, and France, it shows how right-wing populists use Christianity as a cultural identity marker of the 'pure people' against external 'others' while often remaining disconnected from Christian values, beliefs, and institutions. However, right-wing populists' willingness and ability to employ religion in this way critically depends on the actions of mainstream party politicians and faith leaders. They can either legitimise right-wing populists' identitarian use of religion or challenge it, thereby cultivating 'religious immunity' against populist appeals. As the populist wave breaks across the West, a new debate about the role of religion in society has begun.

This book postulates that the rise of right-wing populism in the West and its references to religion are less driven by a resurgence of religious fervour, than by the emergence of a new secular identity politics. Based on exclusive interviews with 116 populist leaders, key policy makers and faith leaders in the USA, Germany, and France, it shows how right-wing populists use Christianity as a cultural identity marker of the 'pure people' against external 'others' while often remaining disconnected from Christian values, beliefs, and institutions. However, right-wing populists' willingness and ability to employ religion in this way critically depends on the actions of mainstream party politicians and faith leaders. They can either legitimise right-wing populists' identitarian use of religion or challenge it, thereby cultivating 'religious immunity' against populist appeals. As the populist wave breaks across the West, a new debate about the role of religion in society has begun.

Faith, Nationalism, and the Future of Liberal Democracy highlights the use of religious identity to fuel the rise of illiberal, nationalist, and populist democracy. In Faith,Nationalism, and the Future of Liberal Democracy, David Elcott, C. ColtAnderson, Tobias Cremer, and Volker Haarmann present a pragmatic and modernistexploration of how religion engages in the public square. Elcott and hisco-authors are concerned about the ways religious identity is being used tofoster the exclusion of individuals and communities from citizenship, politicalrepresentation, and a role in determining public policy. They examine the waysreligious identity is weaponized to fuel populist revolts against a political,social, and economic order that values democracy in a global and strikinglydiverse world. Included is a history and political analysis of religion,politics, and policies in Europe and the United States that foster thisilliberal rebellion. The authors explore what constitutesa constructive religious voice in the political arena, even in nurturingpatriotism and democracy, and what undermines and threatens liberaldemocracies. To lay the groundwork for a religious response, the book offerschapters showing how Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism can nourishliberal democracy. The authors encourage people of faith to promotefoundational support for the institutions and values of the democraticenterprise from within their own religious traditions and to stand against thehostility and cruelty that historically have resulted when religious zealotryand state power combine. Faith,Nationalism, and the Future of Liberal Democracy is intended for readerswho value democracy and are concerned about growing threats to it, andespecially for people of faith and religious leaders, as well as for scholarsof political science, religion, and democracy.