Difference between revisions of "Christian Nation"
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Countries with an official religion are not necessarily theocratic or Christian Nations (not in way Fundamentalists describe a theocratic nation). It only means that the governments recognize the church as their religion, yet some of these countries recognize religious freedom. | Countries with an official religion are not necessarily theocratic or Christian Nations (not in way Fundamentalists describe a theocratic nation). It only means that the governments recognize the church as their religion, yet some of these countries recognize religious freedom. | ||
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====References==== | ====References==== | ||
Revision as of 22:57, May 22, 2017
Christian Nation is a concept held among some Fundamentalists that the United States was founded as a "Christian Nation," then lost its way, and now should be restored to its original character. The idea has become a favorite attack theme for liberals and secularists who claim that the political Right plans to impose Christianity upon on America.
The "Christian Nation" theme is not mainstream conservatism. President Ronald Reagan wrote to Norman Lear in 1984 to say that he was "not aware of any 'Christian Nation movement' and I certainly do not support the notion."[1]
Many of the founding fathers were theists rather than Christians. They also were generally opposed to government sponsored religion. Peterson states Jefferson was a theist "whose God was the Creator of the universe ... all the evidences of nature testified to His perfection; and man could rely on the harmony and beneficence of His work."[2]
Jefferson was firmly anticlerical, writing in "every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty ... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon."[3] Jefferson once supported banning clergy from public office but later relented.[4] In 1777, he drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Ratified in 1786, it prohibted mandatory attendance or contributions to any state-sanctioned religious establishment illegal and declared that men "shall be free to profess ... their opinions in matters of religion."[5] The Statute is one of only three accomplishments he chose to have inscribed in the epitaph on his gravestone.[6][7]
Mainstream conservatives usually speak in terms of Judeo-Christian ethics and values, of America having a Christian heritage, or that the founding fathers were, in the main, Christian men. Mainstream conservatives view both the Old Testament and the New Testament as co-equal contributors to American heritage.
Christian Heritage
Prior to(and during) the American Revolution, the involvement of preachers was well known.(See Black Robed Regiment) After the revolution, the involvement of the clergy did not end. It was common for election day sermons to occur.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
State Church
Countries with an official religion are not necessarily theocratic or Christian Nations (not in way Fundamentalists describe a theocratic nation). It only means that the governments recognize the church as their religion, yet some of these countries recognize religious freedom.
References
- ↑ Ronald Reagan, Reagan: A Life in Letters, ed. by Kiron K. Skinner (2004) p. 642, Norman Lear was a Hollywood producer and an important organizer of secularism.
- ↑ Peterson, Merrill D. (1970). Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation; a Biography. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-500054-2. , ch. 2 [e-book].
- ↑ Wood, Gordon S (2010). Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-503914-6. , p. 577.
- ↑ (2006) in Finkelman, Paul: The Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties A-F Index. Taylor & Francis Group. ISBN 978-1-135-94704-0. , p. 921.
- ↑ (2006) The Essential Jefferson. Hackett Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60384-378-2. Yarbrough, 2006, p. 28.
- ↑ Peterson, 2003, p. 315.
- ↑ W. W. Hening, ed., Statutes at Large of Virginia, vol. 12 (1823): 84–86.
- ↑ A Sermon, Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. Governour; the Honourable the Council, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 28, 1788. Being the Day of General Election, By David Parsons
- ↑ A Sermon Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq: Governour, the Honourable the Senate, and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, October 25, 1780. Being the Day of the Commencement of the Constitution, and Inauguration of the New Government, by Samuel Cooper
- ↑ A Sermon Preached Before the Honorable Council, and the Honorable House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, at Boston, May 26, 1779. Being the Anniversary for the Election of the Honorable Council., by Samuel Stillman
- ↑ A Sermon, Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. Governour; His Honor Samuel Adams Esq. Lieutenant-Governour; the Honourable the Council, and the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 25, 1791. Being the Day of General Election., By Chandler Robbins
- ↑ A Sermon Preached Before His Excellency Samuel Adams, Esq., Governour: His Honor Moses Gill, Esq., Lieutenant-governour: the Honourable the Council, Senate, and House of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 25, 1796. Being the Day of General Election, by Jonathan French
- ↑ A sermon, preached before His Excellency Samuel Huntington, Esq. L.L.D. governor, and the Honorable the General Assembly of the state of Connecticut : convened at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 10th, 1792, by Timothy Stone
- ↑ The duty of praying for all that are in authority, illustrated : a sermon preached before His Excellency Oliver Wolcott, and the honourable legislature of the state of Connecticut, at the general election, May 4, 1825, by Daniel Dow
- ↑ A sermon, preached before His Honor Oliver Wolcott, Esq. L.L.D. lieutenant-governor and commander in chief, and the Honorable the General Assembly of the state of Connecticut, convened at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 12th, 1796, by John Marsh
- ↑ David Barton