The Right Kind of Children: Christian Nationalism, Religiosity, and Support for Selective Versus General Pronatalism

ABSTRACT Declining American birth rates are a growing national concern, especially among the Christian right. I propose that support for “general pronatalism” (policies that encourage more Americans to have children) and “selective pronatalism” (policies that encourage only certain Americans to have children to preserve demographic dominance) are distinct in their religious antecedents. I use recent nationally representative survey data with an experimental component to test my expectations. Regression models show general pronatalism is predicted by religious commitment and insecure masculinity, whereas selective pronatalism is predicted by Christian nationalism, insecure masculinity, and belief in replacement theory. A wording experiment affirms these distinct religious influences: Religious commitment predicts only general pronatalism; Christian nationalism only selective pronatalism. Moreover, interactions show Christian nationalism's association with selective pronatalism is strongest among those who are less religious. Overall, general pronatalism reflects a stronger attachment to conventional religion, whereas selective pronatalism is more strongly related to secularized ethno‐traditionalism.