Moscow event teaches resistance to rising authoritarianism through unity in community
News Story By Tracy Simmons | FāVS News
Moscow residents gathered Saturday to unite against Christian nationalism, the third such community-building event in seven months.
Titled, “United in Community,” the sold-out event’s aim was to bring people together to discuss democracy and the community’s future.
“After the first two gatherings, organizers received emails and comments asking ‘what can we do?'” said Joann Muneta, chair of the Latah County Human Rights Task Force.
Saturday’s event aimed to answer that question.
“So I want us to kind of dig in and try to see if we can understand this phenomenon (Christian nationalism), and particularly in the American context, and most importantly, equip you with some strategies to resist it while building the inclusive democracy,” said Political Strategist Scot Nakagawa, who keynoted the event.
Nakagawa, who lives in Oregon, co-founded the 22nd Century Initiative, a national strategy center working to resist authoritarianism.
He emphasized that Moscow’s efforts have significance beyond the city’s limits.
“I think that it does have really broad national implications, and what you do here will be resonant throughout the country,” he said.
Moscow is home to Christ Church, whose members own about 20% of downtown Moscow’s buildings and operate various businesses locally, ranging from construction to restaurants. The church, led by Pastor Doug Wilson, is widely recognized as a significant force within the Christian nationalist movement in the United States.
Nakagawa noted that Christ Church and its affiliated congregations represent only 5% of Moscow’s population, yet wield disproportionate influence.
“…There is this kind of message about minority rule that I think is really resonant with most people in the United States,” he said, adding that many local businesses have been displaced as the church bought buildings and made them unavailable to other enterprises.
While Moscow’s situation may seem unique, Nakagawa argued it reflects broader trends occurring worldwide.
He framed the rise of Christian nationalism as part of a global phenomenon affecting multiple religions, not just an isolated American issue. He cited what scholars call the “multiple modernities crisis” — the collision between ancient faith traditions and the dislocating forces of globalization, digital information systems and rapid cultural change.
These forces, he said, are causing people to feel culturally displaced while driving economic insecurity and inequality worldwide.
“Digital technology has shattered traditional gatekeepers of religious knowledge. Anyone now with a smartphone can claim prophetic authority,” Nakagawa explained, noting how this democratization of religious interpretation has also unleashed authoritarian voices.
He described theocratic movements as offering “promises of restored order” and “easy answers and divine protection” to people whose traditional communities feel under assault from rapid economic change.
Nakagawa outlined several strategies for how to fight theocracy in Moscow. He advocated for building coalitions across ideological differences, and creating unlikely alliances around shared democratic values.
He also stressed the importance of local electoral engagement.
“Run candidates for school boards, state legislatures and courts and particularly for small offices,” he said, noting that people in those positions “can drive transparency and public participation in a way that could restore or build trust in those institutions by making them accountable.”
After the keynote, attendees heard from local organizations who are committed to supporting an inclusive region. They were also given a list of these organizations; about 30 groups were listed.
The Rev. Mary Jane Miles from the Nez Perce Tribe, and a Presbyterian pastor, addressed the gathering about overcoming division through understanding rather than contempt.
Miles, who recently stepped down from the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee after turning 85, shared her perspective on battling hatred with a different approach.
“Contempt is no match for love,” she said.
Miles emphasized that practicing kindness can become transformative.
“It’s hard to be nice if I hate you, but once you get into the practice of being nice, it grows on you,” she told the audience.
She also highlighted gratitude as a powerful tool for change.
“Gratitude is a contempt killer. The key to being nicer and happier is gratitude,” she said.
Miles connected this message to the broader American promise, saying, “We are always promised life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I love that pursuit of happiness, and that’s what we are doing here. We want to go back to the pursuit of happiness and have a happy life together with each other.”
After hearing from Miles and other supporters, attendees dispersed into breakout sessions, including “addressing theocracy,” “supporting public schools,” and “finding common ground.” FāVS was not permitted to attend these sessions, so that guests could have privacy.
Dale Gentry, who helped organize the event, said the hope was that through these breakouts, the community could come up with next steps.
United in Community was organized by the Latah County Human Rights Task Force and the United Church of Moscow. Saturday’s event was a follow up to the United Against Hate Summit in September 2024 and a presentation on Religious Extremism in December 2024.
