Christian Identity's New Role On The Extreme Right

Image of Aryan Nations compound being demolished.
The Aryan Nations compound in Idaho was demolished after being sold off in the early 2000s. During the late 20th century, the Aryan Nations served as one of the most important Christian Identity and neo-Nazi networks in the United States. Since the Aryan Nations’ decline, Christian Identity has become more decentralized and transformed into a diffuse ideology rather than a consolidated movement.

With its ideology linked to numerous domestic terrorist attacks in the late 20th century, Christian Identity (CI) has significantly influenced the development of American far-right extremism. As an antisemitic and racist belief system, Christian Identity provides religious justification for violence and domestic terrorism. Although the traditional CI movement has declined, Christian Identity has risen in importance as a radicalizing and mobilizing force within existing neofascist accelerationist communities. After examining the Christian Identity movement’s history, belief system, rhetoric, decline, and resurgent presence on Telegram, this paper will evaluate the current state of the modern CI movement.

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