Oklahoma Republicans pass controversial "Christ is King" resolution

Democrats slammed the symbolic resolution as a gateway to Christian Nationalism

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In a pathetic attempt to merge church and state, Oklahoma Republicans have passed a resolution proclaiming that “Christ is King” by a 71-16 vote.

With all kinds of caveats meant to stave off lawsuits, insisting this is merely honoring Christians rather than establishing a theocracy, House Concurrent Resolution 1013 says the phrase “Christ is King” represents “the sovereignty of Jesus Christ as a source of hope, unity, and moral guidance.” The bill was introduced and voted on in a span of two days. Every Republican in attendance voted for it while every Democrat opposed it.

“It’s just a very warm, inspirational way to honor Christ and to recognize His role and the foundation of the nation and the important role that He plays in the hearts of Oklahomans all over,” said Senator Shane Jett, R-Shawnee.

State Senator Shane Jett is a co-author of the resolution and said this isn’t a bill or law, just a proclamation “honoring the role of faith in the history and culture of Oklahoma.”

While Democrats didn’t have the votes to stop the resolution from passing, they used their debate time to point out that Christianity, specifically in Oklahoma, has often been a force for evil.

For example, the first clause of the resolution says “the State of Oklahoma has a rich history rooted in faith, resilience, and a commitment to values that uplift its people.” Rep. Andy Fugate asked the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jim Olsen, if he was aware of what Christian schools did to Native American children at their boarding schools.

Olsen’s response? Nope.

“Are you aware of the religious schools that were taxpayer funded in the territorial days of Oklahoma and the atrocities that were perpetrated upon Indian children, tribal children in the name of Jesus?,” said Representative Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City.

“I wasn’t aware of that, I’m not sure how that relates to the resolution though,” said Representative Jim Olsen, R-Roland.

He wasn’t alone in explaining the discrepancy between what the resolution says and the founding ideals of this country. Rep. Michelle McCane, an atheist, pointed out that she would have “gladly” voted for a resolution honoring Christians in the state, but “that is not what this resolution says.”

She also quoted the Bible for her Republican colleagues: Romans 13 says “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities… Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

“I do appreciate that your god, apparently, placed me here,” she said sarcastically, before reminding her colleagues how church/state separation works.

“I would happily vote for a resolution acknowledging the contributions of Christianity and Christians in Oklahoma, that is not what this resolution says,” McCane said. “This puts one deity over all others and is exclusionary, even among Christians. I don’t believe the government should exclude anyone. Moreover, the bible states those in government were placed there by God and goes on to say the people must obey the government. That would include following the Constitution which requires separation of church and state. This resolution is not about reflecting the values stated in the bible, it is about prioritizing one subsect of Christianity over others, and all other religions, and Oklahomans who are not religious. This is a waste of taxpayer dollars, a waste of time for our legal staff to write it up, and worthy of reporting to DOGE.”

(Quick note: The sarcasm that McCane spoke with doesn’t come across in that press release, especially in the final line. You do not have to treat DOGE like it’s a legitimate agency dedicated to eradicating wasteful spending. It’s nothing more than a way for right-wing trolls to decimate the work of the federal government.)

The most fierce pushback came from Rep. Mickey Dollens, who spoke with the confidence of someone who’s been fighting these battles for a while now—because he has been. He made the link between this resolution and Christian Nationalism, making clear this bill elevated religion over non-religion and Christianity over other religions.

“I want to amplify the voices of Christians who recognize this resolution as rooted in Christian Nationalism which is not a religion but a political ideology rooted in power, control, and exclusion,” Dollens said. “I want to amplify the voices of all Oklahomans with different religious beliefs, as well as atheists and agnostics. What we are doing here today elevates one religion over another. It sends a message to all other religions recognized by the IRS that they are not as important as Christians. We are not a theocracy, but that is where we are headed with legislation such as this. This is the opposite of religious freedom. The only way to protect that freedom is to uphold the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. Our founding fathers were intentional with their language in not naming a specific deity, and this resolution is disrespectful to them, the constitution, and Oklahomans of all religious faiths.”

Perhaps the most damning statement from Dollens came when he asked Olsen if he would support a similar resolution saying “Allah is Supreme.” (Because, after all, the bill isn’t about promoting religion, right?)

Olsen’s response? A long pause. Followed by “That’s not addressed in this resolution, so I’ll decline to answer that one.”

Oklahoma Republican State Rep. Jim Olsen

The leader of the Oklahoma House Democrats, Rep. Cyndi Munson, said in a statement that all of this was a complete waste of time. Instead of helping the people in the state, the Republicans, as they always do, promoted their preferred religion with a symbolic gesture that helps nobody.

“We spent over an hour on the House Floor today and did not solve a single problem for everyday Oklahomans,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. “We did not help ease financial burdens for working families, we did not do anything to help Oklahomans who need housing and healthcare. What the Republican supermajority did today was politicize personal, deeply-held religious beliefs. This resolution does not solve problems, it’s pandering. Oklahomans want us focused on improving our state and focused on the issues that will do that.”

While she’s not wrong about the pandering, she’s also missing the point of why Republicans do shit like this. It’s not just because they want to declare their faith’s supremacy. It’s because they want to lay the groundwork for future bills that rely on the faulty premise that we live in a “Christian nation.” Just like a Giant Christian Cross on public property can be declared legal if it was erected several decades ago, this kind of resolution—the one that’s just a proclamation—can eventually be used to justify things like using the Bible as a textbook in public schools. (Hell, you don’t even have to wait for that one. It’s literally what the Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has done by demanding every classroom have a copy of the Trump Bible.)

That’s why it’s so importantly to speak out forcefully against these kinds of bills. Even if Republicans have the numbers, it’s important to go on record and declare why what they’re doing is unconstitutional and unethical.

This legislative season, we’ve already seen Montana try (and fail) to pass a resolution declaring “Christ is King.” North Dakota tried (and failed) to pass a resolution acknowledging the “Kingship of Jesus Christ.” Now Oklahoma Republicans are on the verge of passing this joke of a bill because the alternative might be doing something useful with their power and they have no desire to do that.

It should be noted that while the resolution is obviously part of an effort to advance Christian Nationalism, the phrase “Christ is King” has been used by a number of right-wing extremists online as shorthand for their white supremacist, antisemitic views.

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