It's a rare feat for a sitting member of Congress to land a book on the New York Times bestseller list. But Representative Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, has done just that with his new work, No Prophets, which debuted at No. 6 on the hardcover nonfiction list this week. The timing could not be more critical.
Huffman's book is a sharp, deeply reported indictment of Christian nationalism, which he calls "America's most dangerous political movement." More striking, he argues that under the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, this movement has effectively seized control of the House of Representatives, creating what Huffman describes as a "shadow theocracy" inside the Capitol.
This is not your father's Moral Majority. Huffman draws a clear line between the old religious right, which sought to influence policy through democratic means, and today's Christian nationalists, who aim to dismantle democratic institutions altogether. Their goals, as Huffman lays out, are stark: establish the United States as a Christian nation, make Christianity the official state religion, tear down the wall separating church and state, and replace the Constitution with the Bible as the nation's governing document. Speaker Johnson has openly called for "biblically-sanctioned government."
The evidence of this influence is everywhere, according to Huffman. The "Appeal to Heaven" flag, a symbol of Christian nationalism, flies outside numerous congressional offices. Ministers roam the hallways, dropping in to pray with members. Daily prayer breakfasts are held for Christians only. Lobbyists intercept lawmakers to hand out invitations to Bible studies. Johnson himself has reopened a private prayer chapel near his office, saying he goes there to "seek the Lord's guidance," and in his first TV interview as Speaker, he told Fox News' Sean Hannity: "Go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it. That's my worldview."
Perhaps the most consequential revelation in No Prophets is the link Huffman makes between Christian nationalism and the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He argues that the insurrection was not merely a political protest but a fundamentalist religious revival. Christian nationalists were among the key organizers, bused to Washington and leading the march on the Capitol. Many blew shofars, carried large wooden crosses, raised their hands in prayer, and waved the "Appeal to Heaven" flag. One Capitol Police officer testified about rioters carrying a sign that read: "Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my president."
Yet, the House Select Committee investigating January 6, despite appointing a task force to examine the role of religion, omitted any mention of Christian nationalism in its final 845-page report. Huffman reveals for the first time that Vice-Chair Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, vetoed the inclusion of such findings. Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, admitted to Huffman that "right-wing Christian extremists actually had a lot to do with it," but the report's silence has left a critical gap in the public record.
Huffman does point to some pushback. In 2018, he and Representative Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, launched the Freethought Caucus, a bipartisan group dedicated to defending church-state separation. What began with a handful of members has grown to 33, surpassing the size of the House Freedom Caucus. The group's mission, in Huffman's words, is "defending religious freedom, resisting theocracy, and advancing our nation's core values, including civil rights, pluralism, rule of law, academic freedom, and the defense of science."
The stakes could not be higher. As Democrats rebuild their faith outreach to counter this rise, Huffman's book serves as a stark warning. It is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of American democracy. Every member of Congress should take note: the battle over the soul of the nation is being fought right now, in the halls of power.
