But Damon T. Berry, an assistant professor of religious studies at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.,  says the links between white nationalists and religion — especially Christianity — were there.

In his new book, “Blood & Faith: Christianity in American White Nationalism,” Berry traces how white nationalists — who believe whites are superior to other races and promote a whites-only vision of America — have cherry-picked Scripture to craft their exclusive ideology. He spoke about the book and the rise of Christian white supremacists with Religion News Service.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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