Martin Luther King III Says Christian Nationalism Is Dividing Society, Calls on Churches to Unite
Martin Luther King III and his wife Arndrea Waters King spoke at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Salt Lake City on October 17, 2026, warning that Christian nationalism conflicts with the teachings of Jesus Christ and risks deepening social division. King urged faith leaders to use their influence to bring people together rather than fracture communities.
Martin Luther King III and his wife Arndrea Waters King addressed the G20 Interfaith Forum in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 17, 2026, calling Christian nationalism a threat to social unity and a departure from the core message of Jesus Christ.
King said the movement is "not good" for the country and called on churches and faith institutions to take responsibility for confronting difficult conversations about race, history, and justice. He warned that failing to do so risks repeating past societal failures.
Arndrea Waters King, who spent years monitoring far-right extremist organizations including the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi groups in the 1990s, said Christian nationalism often serves as a foundational philosophy for such groups. She described the ideology as troubling because it appears to exclude others, which she said conflicts with the voice of Christ.
The couple's remarks come as public awareness of the term "Christian nationalism" has grown significantly. A May 2026 survey found that approximately 59 percent of U.S. adults reported having heard or read about the topic.
King said faith leadership should be used to pull people together, not create further fractures. He called on churches to avoid the exclusionary path and instead engage directly with the hard questions facing American society.
The G20 Interfaith Forum brings together religious leaders and civil society representatives from around the world to address global challenges through the lens of faith and shared values.
