Are we a Christian nation? Some say “yes” including views on the conservative side of this issue? I and many others say that we are not. This is just one of the divisions in our nation that are found in our national conversation so let’s address it and see the central ethical importance of LIBERTY. LIBERTY entails the responsible use of freedom and the rule of law without depriving someone else of their freedom.
One point of view rests in the history that we were founded as a Christian nation. Ken Blinco in an article in The Portland Sun on April 12, 2018 provides a basis for the fact that history says that we have deep roots in Christianity.
His salient points include the following. “95 percent of the 200 Founding Fathers were practicing Christians and exercised their faith in public office, and at home. And the other 5 percent acknowledged God and the Bible as divine truth. In 1774, the first official act in the first Continental Congress was to open in prayer, which ended in these words: “the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Savior. Amen.” In 1854, the House Judiciary Committee said: “In this age, there is no substitute for Christianity. That was the religion of the founders of the republic, and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants. In 1892 the Supreme Court conducted an exhaustive examination of America’s heritage, starting with Columbus, and then cited 87 precedents to conclude that this is a Christian nation.” There you have it!
But let’ continue on with our history lesson to discover why America is not a Christian nation.
We need to look no further than the First Amendment of the Constitution which “guarantees freedoms concerning expression, assembly and the right to petition. It forbids Congress from both promoting one religion over others and also restricting an individual’s religious practices.”
Focus please on the word LIBERTY for that is the ethical linchpin.
I think that someone who achieved a balance between “Christian Nation” and the “Mandates” to support religious pluralism is Bill Fox in an article in the September 25, 2012 edition of Forbes. He wrote: “America wasn’t found as a Christian nation and many of our beloved Forefathers sadly were not, yet America was largely comprised of Believers. LIBERTY allows us to worship freely or not at all per conscience. America was never meant to be theocratic or homogenous religiously, but Christianity has always been indelible to our social fabric. The Founders even non-Believers, considered that a blessing.”
But I want to offer a personal perspective on our social fabric as a nation made up of many different religions which leads us to the mottos of “One Out of Many” and “One Nation Under God.” A personal perspective is needed if we will embrace the many religions that make up our nation.
I often have said that to be the Spiritual Leader of a very religiously diverse school community has been a blessing and changed by religious DNA. We had most religious groups present at our school as well as the conservative and liberal wings of each group as well. For example, you have conservative and liberal Episcopalians. I have also indicated that I have been influenced by Dr. Diana Eck of the Harvard Pluralism Project.” Her mantra is “be clear about what you believe, and you will be able to embrace all religious diversity.” But she never says how this occurs in real life. The word embrace must be forged with LIBERTY to support all. I can only say what that embrace has meant for me.
As I mentioned I was the spiritual leader of a school community and led first by my deep beliefs in Christianity. But LIBERTY of religious expression means that in communicating and relating to others I was always thinking about how something that was said or done would affect Christians, Jews, and Muslims and their divisions in their ranks. It just became a natural part of who I was. I didn’t think about it. It just happened.
I would add another phrase to that which Dr. Eck proposed about the religious pluralism of our nation and those who wish that it was just one way, a religious confirmation bias of a single religion. We have been given the guideline that in order to provide protection for all in this unsettled world, “If you see something, do something.” I want to turn that phrase around to read as follows to embrace religious pluralism, “If you do something, see something or someone and how your words and actions might impact them particularly those different from us.” It can become automatic. I view it as a gift and certainly believe that Jesus would want me to see the world this way. We need to be more sensitive to what surrounds us to embrace the moment. It can be something missing that is important to us to see and hear.
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