In The Flag and the Cross, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry deliver a timely, incisive analysis of a strain of American ideology that has long lurked beneath the surface, now threatening to dismantle the democratic fabric of the nation. With the violence at the Capitol on January 6th as a stark backdrop, Gorski and Perry dissect the rise of white Christian nationalism, arguing that its fusion of religion, race, and political power is not only a historical force but an ongoing danger to democratic ideals.

While the book is at times dense in its historical analysis, it serves as an essential primer for understanding the roots and evolution of this movement, tracing its origins from the colonial era to the present. Gorski and Perry effectively detail how white Christian nationalism has been a vehicle for oppression—particularly toward minority groups—while simultaneously securing privileges for white Protestants. Their argument that the future of American democracy hinges on the collective response to this ideology is both sobering and urgent.