PATRIOTISM AND THE DECLINE OF A CHRISTIAN NATION - Part V
It was in our country the movement was launched to end slavery, much of it promoted by our Congregational minsters of New England thundering forth for abolition. It was here colleges for education of women were founded by the dozens, most of them church colleges including Congregationalism’s own Smith, Wellesley and Mt. Holyoke.
Women’s Suffrage was first won here – not in Africa or Asia, or Iran or Saudi Arabia or Egypt – much of it with strong support from Congregationalists. Congregationalists ordained their first woman minister in 1853, not 1953, but 1853.
Unquestionably, Christianity has been extremely influential throughout American history. But officially established it is not. We speak of the Church of England but speak of the churches (plural) and synagogues, and mosques of America.
What then does it mean to speak of the decline of a Christian America? It means the decline of moral power and influence on the general culture. It means the erosion of integrity on Wall Street, the evaporation of responsibility in Congress, the arrogant, blatant failure of corporations designated as “too large to fail.”
But fail they have. And not only our nation, but the whole world Is paying the price for their greed and corruption. As Winston Churchill once said, “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings, the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” So now by necessity we are sharing in the miseries. Or as Norman Mailer put it whimsically, “The function of socialism is to raise suffering to a higher level.”
As patriotic Christians in America we need to do what we can to promote good laws, good order, peace, education, equal opportunity, creativity and accountability in government and honesty, integrity and fair play in business. How we long for an America more just and gentle.
Patriotism does not mean we assert the perfection and moral superiority of America. Nor does it mean we affirm the “divine right” of one political party or one religion over another. Rather, it means we reaffirm with our founding fathers the rights of liberty, life, equality, the pursuit of happiness and the commitment to government of the people by the people and for the people.
