Congressman Jared Huffman is releasing a new book titled “No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism,” in which he argues that a theocratic political movement rooted in Christian nationalism represents a major danger to the United States. Huffman contends that the country has overlooked this threat and that the movement has grown more powerful following recent political developments.
Huffman’s personal journey toward secularism began during his college years at UC Santa Barbara, when the death of his father prompted him to reconsider his religious upbringing in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an offshoot branch of Mormonism. He eventually concluded that the supernatural elements of his faith no longer aligned with his worldview and adopted humanism as his philosophical framework, which he describes as emphasizing moral and ethical living based on science, facts, and reason rather than religious doctrine.
For many years, Huffman maintained his secular beliefs privately while serving in Congress. In 2013, during his first day in office, he participated in a Bible-holding photo opportunity for his swearing-in ceremony, an experience he later described as leaving him feeling inauthentic. Following the death of his mother and amid concerns about rising religious extremism in government, Huffman made his non-belief public in 2017, despite warnings from advisers that doing so could damage his political career. He received support from fellow lawmakers including House minority leader Nancy Pelosi and founded the Congressional Freethought Caucus with Congressman Jamie Raskin.
Huffman argues that Christian privilege—a cultural protection that shields domestic religious movements from scrutiny applied to minority and foreign faiths—has allowed Christian nationalism to flourish unchecked. He points to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot as a demonstration of this phenomenon, noting that religious elements of the attack received limited attention from members of Congress and were notably absent from the final report of the House January 6 select committee.
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