Would a Christian Nation Have Universal Healthcare? Evidence from the General Social Survey

Christian nationalists in the United States call for the government to reflect Christian ideals, but it is unclear how theological interpretations would manifest in governmental policy in areas like healthcare. Given Biblical commands to help the sick, Christian nationalists may support the governmental provision of healthcare. However, scholars have noted a starkly individualistic orientation among Christian nationalists, which may lead to opposition to the government paying for medical care. We examine the effect of Christian nationalist ideology on attitudes about whether the government should help sick people pay their medical bills. Using General Social Survey data ( n = 1846), an ordinal logistic regression analysis reveals that Christian nationalists are more opposed to the government paying for medical bills, instead believing people should help themselves, and this effect is independent of other political and religious orientations. We conclude with a discussion of how our findings elucidate the structural consequences of Christian nationalism.