The Christian Identity Movement and Crises of Authority: Complicating Notions of Sincere Belief in the Michigan Prison System

In 2023, the Michigan Department of Corrections became the first state agency mandated to recognize the Christian Identity movement as a protected religious group entitled to hold group services within its facilities. The recognition of the controversial white-racial theology animates a number of issues concerning religious sincerity and governance in the prison context. This presentation focuses on the dynamic tensions between external authorities (in the form of the courts and prison officials) and internal authorities (in the form of long-believing inmates and religious leaders) in determining sincere adherence. Pulling from court and church records, as well as extensive interviews with incarcerated adherents, this presentation combines historical analysis and contemporary evidence to argue that while Identity Christians can be sincere believers, their recognition complicates the boundary between racial extremism and religious pluralism in prisons.