God Bless America

President Barack Obama said in Turkey: "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

It has recently become popular for conservative Christian academics to belittle the singing of “God Bless America.” I have been in a meeting recently and heard of other events in which, when explaining their participation in public forums, declare their refusal to sing the song. The basis for the objection is their perception of a sense of superiority on the part of American Christians when entering into mission activities as well as an allegation of the religious right worshipping the GOP. I recognize the validity of both complaints. I also, as a devotee of St. Augustine and his foundational book The City of God, recognize that the city of God is not constrained by the city of man. God does not need the USA to achieve His purposes.

Having said that, I am concerned that our Christian academia is being too shrewd for its own good. Christ did command us to make disciples of all nations. During the development of Western Civilization, the Church did make disciples of the west. Western Civilization, since Constantine, has been overwhelmingly influenced by Christianity, so much so that up until the French Revolution, the time period has been referred to as Christendom. America has been especially blessed in its place in history as having been overwhelmingly influence by Christendom. Our founders readily recognized that America was a Christian nation. U.S. Supreme Court opinions recognize the country’s Christian heritage.

What is wrong with singing “God bless America?” Can it be wrong to pray that God would protect our land? Can it be wrong to pray that God would maintain the success the Church has had in making America, at least in part, a disciple? If missions are the driving concern for Christian academia, it strikes me that Christian academia is like the greedy dog, which with a bone sees its reflection in a lake. Not being content with the bone it already has opens its mouth to take the bone from the dog it sees as its reflection. In doing so, it loses what it already has and does not gain anything new.

Certainly, God has all things in control. If He has told us that He has all authority in heaven and on earth and that we should make disciples of all nations, this will come about. It just seems to me that His people are not obeying His plan very well if we are willing to portray an attitude in which we do not encourage the keeping of what the Church has been given. Certainly, our leaders recognize our ambivalence.