West Virginia Council of Churches

American Christian or Christian in America?

Faithfully Following Jesus in a Time of Idolatry and Division

What does it mean to be a faithful Christian in America today?

As our nation marks more than 250 years of its democratic experiment, churches across the country are wrestling with difficult questions about faith, identity, patriotism, and public life. Christians rightly seek to love both God and neighbor while participating faithfully in civic life—but what happens when allegiance to nation begins to compete with allegiance to Christ?

The 145th Annual Assembly of the West Virginia Council of Churches invites clergy, church leaders, and interested laypersons from every Christian tradition to explore one of the most important challenges facing the Church today: Christian Nationalism.

Our keynote presenter, Rev. Beau Underwood, pastor, writer, and co-author of Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism, will guide participants through an engaging and thought-provoking day of learning, reflection, and conversation. Drawing from history, theology, and contemporary public life, Underwood will help us distinguish authentic Christian witness from the false promises of Christian Nationalism while equipping the Church to offer a hopeful and faithful alternative.

Throughout the day, participants will explore:

Session 1: The Hidden History of Christian Nationalism
Session 2: Where Caesar Has Replaced God Today
Session 3: Strengthening Both Church and Democracy

Rather than focusing on partisan politics, this Assembly invites participants to engage Scripture, Christian tradition, and ecumenical dialogue as we seek to discern what faithful discipleship looks like in an increasingly polarized society.

The day will also include worship, the presentation of the Mary Virginia DeRoo Award, opportunities for fellowship with Christians from across West Virginia, and thoughtful discussion about how the Church can bear witness to the Gospel with humility, courage, and hope.

Whether you are a pastor, church leader, student, or layperson, you are invited to join us for this timely conversation as we seek to answer an important question:

How can the Church remain faithful to Jesus while serving the common good in a democratic society?

We hope you will join us as we gather to learn, worship, and recommit ourselves to being disciples whose first allegiance is always to the Kingdom of God.

Featured Speaker

Rev. Beau Underwood serves as Senior Minister of Allisonville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a contributing editor to Word&Way. He holds graduate degrees in religion and public policy from the University of Chicago and is currently a doctoral candidate in public affairs at the University of Missouri. A respected writer on religion and public life, he is the co-author of Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism and has written extensively on faith, democracy, and civic engagement.