One Nation Under God: A survey and analysis of the God’s Not Dead film series and their sought contributions to the rise of Christian nationalism from 2014 to 2024

The God’s Not Dead film series is more than just faith-based entertainment—it is a battle cry. Over the past decade, the franchise has transformed from a simple tale of campus religious persecution into a full-fledged manifesto for Christian nationalism, urging believers to reclaim America through political action. This paper critically examines how the films construct a siege mentality, stoking fears of a secular takeover while positioning conservative Christians as the last defenders of the nation’s moral and spiritual fabric. Through historical analysis and discourse critique, I explore how God’s Not Dead strategically aligns its messaging with pivotal cultural flashpoints—Trumpism, education battles, and pandemic-era governance—to mobilize its audience. Ultimately, this paper argues that the franchise is not just reflecting Christian nationalist sentiment but actively shaping it, weaponizing nostalgia, faith, and fear to turn religious conviction into a political movement with tangible electoral consequences.