Vashti, Esther, and the “no” and “yes” to Christian nationalism

This article examines Vashti and Esther together as a model for responding to dangerous power. I explore Christian nationalism formation as a destructive power in the United States and its far-reaching impact. To demonstrate the model’s potential, I survey Black women’s responses to Christian nationalism using Vashti and Esther’s “no” and “yes” as the framework. I argue both responses are valuable and sometimes necessary to survive and flourish in the face of white Christian nationalism.