“Too much proximity to political power makes it impossible for the church to fulfil its role as a watchdog”

‘Holy Nation?! – A critical examination of nationalist politics under the guise of Christianity’. This is the theme that the Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA) has chosen for its 2025 national gathering in May.

The annual General Assembly will provide a space for debate on the theological implications of movements that seek radical political change using Christian language.

Why is such a conversation needed in Switzerland, a country known for its influential Christian history? Andi Bachmann-Roth, co-secretary general of SEA, put forward some of his ideas in answers to Evangelical Focus.

Question. You chose a very hotly debated issue for your national gathering. What conversation do you want to stimulate among Swiss evangelicals?

Answer. The topic has been repeatedly discussed in the SEA board. Of course, also in the context of the strengthening of so-called ‘Christian nationalism’ in the United States of America, with figures such as Pete Hegseth (Secretary of Defense), J.D. Vance (Vice President), Marco Rubio (Secretary of State) or Russel Vought (Office of Management and Budget).

On the one hand, this very political Christianity is evident in symbols (tattoos, ash crosses on the forehead, etc.), but also in concrete programmes (the ‘Project 2025’). We are observing this development with concern and are also seeing some similar developments in Europe and Switzerland.

The Evangelical Alliance board has decided to broaden this discussion because we consider it important. In our Alliance, Christians have often become involved in society in various ways. Political engagement was and continues to be an important part of the Alliance’s work.

We believe that we as Christians have a healing contribution to make to society. The key question is: how should Christians exert influence?

Q. Switzerland is a country whose historical identity is strongly linked to the Christian faith: from the cross on the flag to the national anthem (which is a psalm) to the legacy of the Reformation and Anabaptism. Isn’t it somewhat normal for 21st-century believers to miss the Christian influence in society and express this with a certain sadness?

A. I can understand this insecurity well. Christianity has shifted rapidly from the centre of society to the margins in Switzerland. Despite the rich Christian tradition, a maximum of 15% of people in Switzerland are still Christian (the number of church members is higher, but this does not reflect the actual number of believers).

On the one hand, it seems important to me to emphasise that this outsider situation is not that unusual for Christians. Christians have often been on the margins of society and have had a hopeful and creative impact on society from there. Often with great transformative potential.

And in all sadness, we should remember that much of what used to be called ‘Christian’ was in fact more of a religious-social convention that had little to do with genuine discipleship of Jesus. So, what exactly do we want back?

We can react to the loss of meaning in different ways. By retreating into our idealised Christian communities. By adapting to the spirit of the age. By attempting to re-Christianise society. All three paths seem problematic to me. What is needed is a more differentiated perspective in which we differ without leaving (Miroslav Volf).

Q. Throughout Europe, there are parties on the hard or far-right that often invoke the values of Christendom as a culture. Do you see dangers in these new political forces?

A. In Switzerland, we have the special situation that almost all political forces, including the right, are involved in the government and in parliament. This is certainly an advantage for a dialogue.

However, if the church and politics use each other to expand their influence, it is problematic. On the one hand, the gospel itself is compromised. The gospel is political, but Jesus did not proclaim a political programme.

On the other hand, the means of politics are not legitimate for the church (and vice versa). Ultimately, the state always has coercive measures at its disposal to achieve its goals. The church, which is guided by the gospel, is barred from this path. Following the gospel is a personal, free decision and should not and must not be imposed or supported by promises or threats.

Furthermore, too much proximity to political power makes it impossible for the church to fulfil its role as a watchdog. The history of the church in Nazi Germany is an oppressive example of this.

Q. Is it possible for committed Christians to defend Christian values and the presence of the gospel in society while at the same time prophetically denouncing the failings of all political ideologies on both sides of the parliamentary spectrum?

A.  Once again, we must always think carefully about what we are defending. Is it really the gospel, or simply our idea of a romanticised past? Perhaps we should speak not of defence but of commitment.

Faith repeatedly causes us to turn to our neighbour and not to fight primarily for ourselves and our privileges. If Christ is Lord of the world, as the oldest Christian confession says, then we do not have to defend him. Then we can happily and courageously engage in society, whether we are a minority or not.

The rise of so-called Christian nationalism can of course also be understood as a backlash against the ‘woke’ movement, where ideas of gender, sexual orientation or justice have been distorted. In my opinion, the political right is right to put its finger on these problematic issues.

Unfortunately, the common ground is often overlooked. That is why we need an Alliance community that is also politically diverse. Only by including different perspectives can we perceive developments across the entire social spectrum without being torn apart in the process. Sticking to this balancing act seems to be becoming increasingly difficult in Switzerland as well.

Q. With Donald Trump’s new government in the US, we seem to have entered in a time of uncertainty and global change. How can Christians in Europe, the US and in other parts of the world maintain unity and cooperation in a context in which relations between the continents are tense and could break apart?

A. The key seems to me to be personal encounters. When we share our (faith) stories and pray together, relationships grow that can withstand political differences, and a willingness to listen to the other grows as well.