This paper examines anti-evolutionism in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, and the Southern Baptist Convention, three major denominations that actively opposed theories of evolution circa 1920 in the United States of America. Although extensive research has focused on the fundamentalist/modernist debate, very few have explained why some denominations criticized evolution while others supported or remained silent. This paper explores the theological, political, and economic background that gave rise to denominational anti-evolutionism in the 1920s through examining extant literature and denominational periodicals. The findings suggest that while the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod opposed evolution for theological reasons, the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America criticized evolution with nationalistic intents and the Southern Baptist Convention did so for its fundraising campaign.