Tag Archives: state religion

Citizenship, Not Worship

Christians have a mixed relationship with nationhood.

Some of the first Christians, in the days of the Roman empire, were persecuted by the Roman government. Their leader was accused of seeking to bring in another kingdom. Even though Jesus said his kingdom was “not of this world,” the Romans were skittish about any kind of movement that might threaten their hold on Palestine, where the first Christians appeared. The Jewish people had always been restive under Roman rule.

Eventually, the religion of Jesus conquered the Roman world, not militarily but with its message of love and care for all, even enemies, over selfishness and material gain. Loving your enemies is a terrible weapon against them.

The breakup of central power as tribes from beyond the empire broke through to settled areas brought more challenges. Christians had to wrestle with varying amounts of power and what to do with it.

As Christianity became a majority religion, its leaders began a struggle, still with us, as to how important political power would be to the religion. In Europe, varying groups committed horrendous crimes against each other supposedly for the cause of their particular brand of “Christianity.”

The discovery of new continents gave dissenting religious groups places of refuge. Perhaps the numbers and variety of the dissenters is what led eventually, though not evenly, to our much praised “freedom of religion” in the United States.

Surprisingly, the number of Christian groups in the new country mushroomed for several centuries, despite the absence of a state religion. Could it be that giving freedom to believers for their own religious directions actually made Christianity stronger? Perhaps it freed them from political power struggles.

New challenges of war and the struggles of people in countries formerly governed by absolute rulers led to new ways of thinking. American Christians, having become more numerous as a result of their freedom to believe without government oversight, greatly influenced the country as it grew in both population and in size.

However, the success of religious groups in the United States may have led to a possible loss of influence. As Christianity became, practically speaking, a sort of “state” religion, perhaps its members became more like members of European established churches. Christianity may have lost some of its vitality, just as established European churches did.

At any rate, supposing any country, including the United States, is a “Christian” nation, or ever has been or ever could be, tempts us with a weakened Christianity. We tend to worship America instead of Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t need nationalistic trappings. Indeed, movements which lead in that direction only weaken the Christian message.

Mandatory Christianity

When I began my education in a typical public school of the time, at least for the southern U.S., Bible reading was often a part of the school day’s beginning. I can’t say I remember much about those readings or whatever comments the reader, usually the teacher, might have made.

My family was actively engaged in a local church. The church became a major part of both my religious and social life as I grew. My Christian faith developed within my family and that local church. Evangelism in the community was carried out by individuals reaching out to friends and neighbors, as were welfare activities as well, such as food pantries open to all.

Personally, I’ve concluded that making the Bible a mandatory part of the school curriculum would result in a watered-down kind of religion, not at all helpful in spreading the good news of Jesus.

I remember several years in Muslim majority countries, where Islam was a part of national life. In some cases, no other religion was allowed. Religious observance appeared to me to be a rote exercise, without much personal meaning.

Those experiences turned me off from supporting any kind of state religion. The U.S. Constitution’s prohibition of a state-sponsored church is, in my opinion, one of its wisest sections. I think it’s also one reason Christianity, being chosen voluntarily, has seen seasons of great growth throughout the centuries.

I believe Christians should have the right to worship in any country. I also believe in freedom of worship for all recognized religions in the United States. That means also that no religion is officially favored.

If you want to ensure that Christianity or any religion loses its vibrancy, make it a state religion.

Is Jesus in My Politics?

The short answer for a Christian is: “Yes, of course Jesus influences my politics, the same way Jesus influences how I interact with family or my neighbors or my fellow workers.” Presumably, if I’m attempting to live as a follower of Christ, the teachings of Jesus guide me in all parts of my life. This would include my political life as well.

Thankfully, the U.S. Constitution gives me the right to worship God as I see fit, even to ignore religion if I so choose. It gives that same right to all Americans.

The Constitution’s protection of the right of Americans to believe and worship as they see fit, however, was revolutionary at the time. In the Europe from which most of the American founders descended, a state church was a given. Perhaps because they saw how religious wars had devastated large parts of Europe in the recent past, the founders wisely decided to avoid such conflict by opting out of a state religion.

The majority of early Americans were influenced by churches, however, even those not active in one. Certainly, the country’s day to day life was influenced by what people thought was Christian. (Surely, though, any country that was truly “Christian” would not have allowed slavery.)

The United States stayed more religiously attuned long after Europe had become more secular. Eventually, however, secular trends reached more and more Americans. Christian worship lessened, even though many who did not regularly worship would call themselves “Christian” in a cultural sense. Active church membership, however, has decidedly declined.

Any group who has been in a majority tend to be alarmed when their group diminishes, whether religious, political, or even believers in small town life. In addition, of course, political movements now concern fundamental issues like marriage and abortion. People who considered themselves Christian because of culture may not consider themselves as such in terms of traditional beliefs on these issues.

The question is not whether those actively involved in trying to live as Jesus taught should be concerned. Certainly they should be. The question is how they will respond to their concerns. America is not changing because it is no longer “Christian.” It is changing because those calling themselves Christians are being challenged to actually live as followers of Christ.