If only this were a Christian nation
Amid this Easter time, one wonders what it would be like if this was a Christian nation in practice rather than only in rhetoric.
Today’s claim of America’s founding on Christian principles overlooks its early history. As Christian historian Diane Butler Bass observed, “No American colony modeled either Christian charity or Christian morals in any believable fashion.” One just must look at the way native peoples, slaves and women were treated. From the beginning bitter discrimination existed based upon ethnic, cultural, religious, and economic status.
The founding Fathers certainly did not have a Christian nation in mind when working on the Constitution. Most were “deists” believing in a benevolent God somewhat active in the world, but “moral and rational men” having to act upon it. They rejected the Anglican and Catholic fealty to king and pope and were suspicious of most of the many religious sects that sought tolerance in the new world with their own strict views.
Ms. Bass contends that although America was not founded as a Christian nation, the bible and Protestant concepts of individual freedom and rejection of restrictive authority pervades through the centuries. Today’s religious outrage, though, often looks like the Old Testament’s rigid tribal confrontations and legalistic behavior. Many politicians today seem to resemble the Pharisees Jesus condemned as hypocrites. We ponder what this country would look like if the New Testament’s words and admonitions were really followed by those who profess to be Christians.
The two great commandments of the New Testament from Jesus Christ are to love God and love your neighbor. These are easy to say but harder to put into daily words and actions. Loving God is trusting in his goodness and love. As psychologist Bob Schuchts says, the fruits of that trust are light and love, peace and joy, strength and understanding and the belief that trying to lead a good life can free us from all our fears and give us hope.
Loving your neighbor is often more challenging, both on a personal and a societal level. Paul writes in Ephesians that to be a Christian requires,” You walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility, gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” Forgiving each other, loving even your enemies, praying for one another, serving the least among us (widows, orphans, the poor, the marginalized) are all part of the call.
Humility, tolerance, honesty, peace, unity, charity do not seem to be the dominant feature of today’s politically charged world. The freedom to display the opposite of these appears to have become increasingly important.
If only we were a Christian nation, there might be some hope for a change in words and deeds. The words of Christ in the Gospel of John do resonate: “If you live according to my teaching, you are truly my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
Jim Croteau is a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Tallahassee, FL.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: If only this were a Christian nation
