How to End Christian Nationalism Conference

MARCH 22nd, 2025

The Rhode Island State Council of Churches is pleased to host Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, as our featured speaker as we work to end Christian Nationalism in Rhode Island and beyond.

Christian nationalism is a cultural framework that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life. But the "Christian" in Christian Nationalism is more about identity than religion and it carries with it assumptions about nativism, white supremacy, authoritarianism, patriarchy, and militarism.

The day’s activities will also include workshops, engaging panel discussions, and lunch catered by Amos House.

— Registration with lunch closes on Monday, March 17th @ noon —

— FINAL REGISTRATION CLOSES ON THURSDAY, MARCH 20TH @ NOON —

Morning Panel

  • Amanda Tyler

    Executive Director, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

  • Rev. Darrell Goodwin

    Executive Conference Minister of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ

  • Angela McParland

    Justice Resource Manager for Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

  • Rev. Sarah Reed Jay

    Senior Pastor, Community Church of Providence

Afternoon Presentations

The Age of Discovery and Christian Nationalism

This offering will explore the relationship between Papal Encyclicals, European Colonization, and their integration into English and American Law.

Dr. Taino Palermo, co-founder of the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights, will lead this session.

Covering School Committees, Trans Rights, DEI, and Book Bans in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is a small state with 34 public school districts, each with its own school committee or school board, and 271 schools. Tracking Christian Nationalist efforts can be challenging - and sadly, it’s not a one-person job.

Steve Ahlquist, an independent reporter with well over a decade of experience writing about politics and social justices, will lead this session.

Made in God’s Image

Christian Nationalism’s role in the persecution of gender diverse individuals is confounding, in no small part because it’s not what scripture leads us to. To the contrary, Jesus led us to understand that the diversity of humankind is absolutely essential to our existence. Let us faithfully explore together how and why this is so.

Rev. DL Helfer, ordained minister and licensed social worker, will lead this session.

Parasites, Patriarchy, and Project 2025

This class will focus on identifying how Project 2025 relies on and extends sexism, patriarchy, and racism in its concepts of the family, distributions of civil rights, and extreme favoring of white, cisgendered men and their heterosexual family structures. It will also ask how our faith traditions and practices can critique Project 2025 and call us to stances and actions of resistance on behalf of women, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC folx - all of whom are deeply loved by the God who created them. 

Rev. Dr. Amy L. Chilton, Senior Minister at Phillips Memorial Baptist Church, will lead this session.

Roger Williams, the Prophet of Religious Liberty

Roger Williams created the first place where religion and the state were separated. Because of him, his colony, Providence Plantations had a completely secular government, and he regarded the idea of a “Christian state” to be blasphemous.

Dr. J. Stanley Lemons, Professor Emeritus of History at Rhode Island College and Historian of the First Baptist Church in America, will lead this session.

Conference Worship Leaders

  • Rev. Canon Dr. Dena Cleaver-Bartholomew

    Canon to the Ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island

  • Rev. Darrell Goodwin

    Executive Conference Minister of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ

  • Daniel Hill

    Director of Music, Community Church of Providence

  • Michelle Hill

    Vocalist, Community Church of Providence

  • Stephen Martorella

    Minister of Music, First Baptist Church

  • Mary Pendergast, RSM

    Sisters of Mercy

  • Bishop Nathan Pipho

    Bishop, New England Synod, ELCA

  • Rev. Lauri Smalls

    Senior Pastor, Union Baptist Church

Additional Resources

Baptist Joint Commission on Religious Liberty

  • Download this pdf or watch this video for a basic overview.

  • Click here for free resources to help lead small group discussions or engage in personal reflection.

  • Click here to view additional resources on the BJC website.