"America and Christianity"

 

Much has changed over the years concerning American thought and Christian Theology. I am writing this treaty well aware I have no degree of expertise to grant credence to the work itself. The opinions expressed in this article and subsequent writings will be based upon over 25 years of pondering around the writings of the Founding Fathers and other related books. To add that, I have lived and experienced life in America since the late 1950s, my particular demographic is the rural Southeastern portion of the United States. 

In the last few years, the term Christian Nationalism has become a catchword one hears sometimes in the media. It seems, as of yet, its meaning really has not been defined. Depending upon who is using the term, it can mean vastly different things. It will not be a term we will use here or try to define in any way. What we are going to examine here is this Nation and the Christian religion and how they relate to each other. We will consider how each has affected the other both in positive and negative ways. Over the years it has become an interest to some whether America is considered a Christian Nation or a Secular for there seems to be evidence for both. That concern has risen in intensity as the Nation has grown over the years. The answer to that question again depends upon who is asking and how the term itself is defined. We will try and define the term Christian Nation in the sense I believe the Founders understood it. Justice Joseph Story (1779-1845) was appointed to the Court by President James Madison. Justice Story is the founder of Harvard Law School and authored the three-volume classic Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States. He is considered by many the Father of American Jurisprudence. 

Chief Justice Joseph Story understood the relationship between America and Christianity in such terms as he expressed saying:  "One of the beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that Christianity is a part of the Common Law. . . . There never has been a period in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying at its foundations. . . . I verily believe Christianity necessary to the support of civil society." -  Joseph Story, Life and Letters of Joseph Story, William W. Story, editor (Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1851), Vol. II, pp. 8, 92. 

Justice Story acknowledged Christianity's great influence upon American law and its great support of American society. Though he acknowledged it as the foundation of American law, he did not imply it was the law itself. American society is a civil society comprised of many varying civil laws instituted to govern many different aspects of our lives. Justice Story's statement in no way infers this nation is governed by religious laws. He is simply stating the understanding of civil government and how we determine what is right and just within our society is undergirded and influenced greatly by the Christian faith. In fact, he saw it as a necessary support for its continuance.  

In a letter to Thomas Jefferson explaining a previously misunderstood statement in reference to "the general principles" President John Adams clarified to Jefferson what he meant by the phrase.

"The general Principles, on which the Fathers Achieved Independence, were the only Principles in which, that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite, and these Principles only could be intended by them in their Address, or by me in my answer. And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all those sects were united: And the general Principles of English and American Liberty, in which all those young men united, and which had United all Parties in America, in majorities sufficient to assert and maintain her Independence.

Now I will avow, that I then believed, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God: and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as human Nature and our terrestrial, mundane System. I could therefore Safely Say, consistently with all my then and present Information, that I believed they would never make Discoveries in contradiction to these general Principles." - John Adams, letter to Thomas Jefferson.

John Adams acknowledged Christianity and its influence as a strong uniting force by which we came together to achieve and were able to maintain our independence. America at the time was comprised of varying opinions of the Christian faith, of which it is difficult for us to even agree today. Whereupon there were several denominations then we have managed to divide into hundreds today. Religious division is a vise of human nature that spreads almost without remedy. In the Christian faith, it produces envy and strife among us, and in the unregenerate member, it can even produce hatred and violence. When taken to this level, it is no different than political divisions which come from the same human vise stirring within our passions. 

The general principles which Adams referenced were the Basics of the Christian faith which all sects (Denominations) held as core tenants of Christianity. Without these to unite such a diverse people, Adams believed our independence and the means to maintain it would not have been possible. It is very important for us to understand the weight of what Adams and Story were saying. It is not difficult for people to come together for a cause and even achieve a high level of success. The longer it takes to achieve success the more difficult the success. However, if achieved, it is extremely difficult to maintain unity in that cause for any length of time. Adams, Story, as well as many of the Founders, understood this, and that is why they were so favorable toward the Christian faith being diffused in American society. 

Even as late as the 1960s the shadow of such understanding is still seen. The United States Supreme Court in 1963, concerning the Case of the School district of Abington Township v. Schempp, stated: "It is true that religion has been closely identified with our history and government. As we said in Engle v. Vitale, "The history of man is inseparable from the history of religion."

"Secularism is unconstitutional . . . . preferring those who do not believe over those who do believe  . . . It is the duty of the government to deter no-belief religions." Some might take issue with the court's reference to 'no-belief religions' however, Wikipedia defines secular religion as "The theory of political religion concerns governmental ideologies whose cultural and political backing is so strong that they are said to attain power equivalent to those of a state religion, with which they often exhibit significant similarities in both theory and practice. In addition to basic forms of politics, like parliament and elections, it also holds an aspect of "sacralization" related to the institutions contained within the regime and also provides the inner measures traditionally considered to be religious territories, such as ethics, values, symbols, myths, rituals, archetypes and for example a national liturgical calendar." 

The Court continued: "It might well be said that one's education is not complete without a study of comparative religion of the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization . . . Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment." 

By this late date in American History, the ideal of Christianity being a unifying factor among us has faded from our memory. But the shadow of its influence is still residually resting upon our minds. The Court nonetheless acknowledges the valuable contribution Christianity lends to our society. It is an awareness however that is quickly fading. 

In taking a panoramic view of American history, the Supreme Court of the United Stated surmised in 1892:  "If we pass beyond these matters to a view of American life, as expressed by its laws, its business, its customs, and its society, we find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth. Among other matters, note the following: the form of oath universally prevailing, concluding with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, "In the name of God, amen;" the laws respecting the observance of the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all secular business, and the closing of courts, legislatures, and other similar public assemblies on that day; the churches and church organizations which abound in every city, town, and hamlet; the multitude of charitable organizations existing everywhere under Christian auspices; the gigantic missionary associations, with general support, and aiming to establish Christian missions in every quarter of the globe. These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation." - Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 U.S. 457 (1892)

More than 120 years have since passed the rendering of this opinion. It is quite obvious it would not be the opinion of the current Court. Neither is this opinion to be limited to the American Courts of today, it is also the quickly growing non-opinion of the general population. A few years ago President Obama wisely stated:  "Given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers." - President Barack Obama, June 28, 2006. 

President Obama was highly criticized by many for the statement, however, the statement could not have been more true. As the leader of a very large and diverse nation, it was a wise observation on his part. What he was seeing in the American populous was quite different from the view being seen by leaders in decades past. It is difficult for us to comprehend the danger of sectarianism being greater today than during the Civil War, but certainly since. It seems President Obama understood what the Supreme Court of the United States was articulating in 1892 through the Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States. This Nation truly was a Christian Nation in the sense of its customs and manners. This is seen and demonstrated through its history in all the organic utterances found in every sphere of our society. 

However, there is also a sense in which the United States is not a Christian Nation and never has been. It has always been a nation of immigrants, to be a citizen of this country it has never been required for anyone to profess the Christian religion. Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Atheist, (all) were welcomed and accepted into American Society. One was simply expected to embrace our culture, obey our laws, and be a positive influence on society. This did not always work its way out perfectly as prejudices are simply lodged as one of the permanent vices of the human heart. American law, however, limited its adverse effects by lending protection and freedom to its society. Certainly, any non-Christian arriving in the United States was confronted with this organic Christian culture that has pervaded so much of our History. The immigrant's introduction to this culture to the extent true Christianity prevailed, could be nothing but positive. 

There is a phrase quoted that is lifted from the Treaty of Tripoli and sometimes attributed to John Adams since he was President during the signing. It is often presented stating, "As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion." It makes it appear Adams is talking out of both sides of his mouth, but context is important. First, Adams is not making a statement concerning his view on American Christianity, he is giving his affirmation to a treaty being drawn up and agreed upon in an effort to bring closure to the growing hostility between America and Muslim states concerning pirating and the selling of hostages of American citizens. The full text of the statement reads, Article 11 "As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen [Muslims] and as the said States [America] have never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries." 

That particular article of the treaty may have been written by Joel Barlow (one of the American negotiators) and is strangely missing from its Arabic counterpart, which seems to defeat its actual purpose. The phrase was not repeated in other treaties with other powers in the region, and the treaty itself was superseded by another treaty in 1805. So the particular statement itself is quite a mystery.  However, it is used by groups and individuals that are hostile to religion as a means to undergird and belittle Christian influence in America. The statement itself in the treaty in no sense was intended to belittle Christianity or distance it from American culture. It was simply stating to Muslim powers the fact the American government was not or ever had been a Christian State such as the Muslim mind would understand or perceive it. They would have been familiar with the Christian State governments of Europe and the Christian Crusades of history. The American government was uniquely something very different, though as Adams believed and Story articulated, Christianity was essential to its existence and organically expressed in its culture, it was not legally and Constitutionally a Christian State.    

Those organic utterances of the past are but mere whispers today if they are even heard at all. Those general principles that in the beginning united us have loosened their grip and we have freed ourselves from them. The increasing dangers of sectarianism that President Obama warned us about are daily taking root and growing in our society. We cannot lay the blame for this social degrading upon the government, in a free system such as ours, government is simply a reflection of what we are as a people. If indeed our Founders were right and our success as a society rested upon and has been maintained by the principles of Christianity, must we not conclude something happened to that Christianity? In our next visit, we will continue to examine where we have been, what we are, and how we got here.

May God bless,

David