Enjoying America for What It Is

by Gideon Strauss

On this Monday evening Angela and I – South African Canadians – will be going to stand on the Colorado Avenue bridge in Pasadena with a couple of friends – Brits – to watch the Fourth of July fireworks explode in bright color and somewhat too bright sound. All four of us are on the cusp of applying for permanent residency in the United States of America. All four of us are in this country because of a sense of God calling us here. All four of us love America. But America is not a first love for any one of us.

I want to make the case for loving America – in a well-ordered way. Not with the fervor of a first love, not as the most important thing in our lives; that love is reserved for Jesus. Not with the misguided desire for an American utopia that immigrants like us so often feel, fiercely hoping that, as Randy Newman sings in “Sail away,” in America, “everybody is as happy as a man can be.” That hope is reserved for God’s world to come. But to love America: not in a Manichean way to mistake it for Babylon the Great; not hating it as the Great Satan; not nurturing bitterness toward it like a spurned lover or a disabused child.

I want to make the case for loving America as an ordinary country. Not just-another-country: America is blessed with better-than-most laws and governments and for the time being has greater-than-most international responsibilities. But America is not a unique or even a special country with regard to its relationship with God. America is not to God as Israel was to God from Abraham to Jesus, and it is not to God as the church is to God now. I like how Jonathan Merritt caught this nuance, Friday past:

“The difference [between] believing America is exceptional and American exceptionalism is significant. Believing America is exceptional recognizes our blessings—like every good and perfect gift—come from God. It emphasizes God's grace rather than America's greatness. The latter assumes our nation has claimed favored status with God and often yields a don't-you-wish-you-were-like-us attitude.

“Why is this important? Accepting that America is exceptional due to God's unmerited favor breeds the virtues of gratitude and humility. But a belief that America is the recipient of divine favoritism, on the other hand, breeds arrogance and triumphalism …”

In a way, I am making the case that the Fourth of July must be understood in terms of Easter. The world was born anew on Easter Day, as Jesus Christ came forth from the tomb, having worked the salvation of the world. The Fourth of July celebrates the founding of America, and that is worth celebrating. The Fourth of July matters, but it does not matter more than Easter. In the deepest sense, were it not for Easter, nothing would matter; because of Easter, everything matters – and so, because of Easter, the Fourth of July matters.

Because of Easter, it is possible to insist again that neither a tree nor an art work needs justification. As Hans Rookmaaker taught us, trees and art works matter because this is a world that God created and in which God delights, in its mere createdness. Neither trees nor art deserves our worship; both trees and art demand our cultivating efforts rather than neglect or exploitation. And in the same sense that a tree or an art work needs no justification, America needs no justification. It is a political community for the common good: a republic. Not the New Jerusalem, nor the Whore Babylon. The Fourth of July is a good day to celebrate this republic, and, without too much fuss, to remind ourselves that this republic is a sphere of political vocation for its citizens, that this is a community in which many Christians are called to contribute towards public justice. It is wonderful to live in a nation under law, in which the whims of princes are replaced with the deliberations of representative assemblies, in which the liberties of personal conscience and common worship can thrive, and in which the energies of enterprise and association has been released in so many remarkable ways by a stable and enabling political order.

And so, this evening, as we enjoy the fireworks we will say a prayer of thanks to God for the good that America has done and does for its citizens and neighbors, and ask the Spirit to continue to work common grace into this nation, that it may reform its ills and understand itself ever more clearly as one nation among many … so that also this nation shall steadily incline towards the light and its citizens and governments towards the brightness of the rising of the world to come, as Isaiah promises.

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In your opinion, how ought we observe the founding of America?
How will your community observe the holiday today in a way that signifies your allegiance to America as secondary to Jesus as King?

Comments

Kenneth Ethan Frantz

One of my favorite teachers and I have had this little talk. He was a man of god and I respected his view point, but I'm still willing to throw out there that despite what my pastor (who is also a man of god) most of the founding fathers were deists.

Also, when I read authors like Shane Claiborne and Greg Boyd, and see how we have become complacent I can't help think "What went wrong?"

I am fine with loving this country, but what if this government were to fall? Would you still be able to serve YWYH with out the freedom that this country provides? Isn't that a question worth asking?

What if there was a draft, and you felt led to be missionary to the country this republic was fighting? Who would you choose your savior Jesus or the USA? Of course who's to say that taking place in this worlds conflicts instead of preaching the gospel to ever one(even those who hate us) isn't wrong?

I hope who ever reads this comment sees this as a humble reply with honest question, and as blatant disrespect.

Jeff Romack

Thanks, Gideon, for these thoughts. The best I've read this 4th of July. That it often or nearly always takes a non-American such as yourself to gain this perspective on the relationship of one's commitment to Christ and the United States says quite a lot about how American Christians understand themselves and the biblical story. It is more than concerning that so many seem more formed by the American story than by God's and, in fact, interpret the second by the first.

Steve

Thanks for the perspective. However, please take this as a kind reply.

Why start a July 4 celebrations by first remembering that it is not Easter? Do you start Thanksgiving dinner by remembering it's not communion Sunday? Yes, there are more important days...so what? Why celebrate by minimizing? I feel sorry for the straw man that was bludgeoned in this article.

One can certainly make the case "for loving America as an ordinary country" but isn't this a terribly unhealthy perspective? It does not recognize America as ordinary; it demands ordinariness. I hope Mr. Strauss does not make the case for loving his wife as an "ordinary" woman...or a baby as an ordinary child...or a Krispy Kreme doughnut as an ordinary lump of dough. Mr. Strauss must, someday, face the savant. The genius baby. While not perfect...while not Israel...while not heaven itself...America was that genius baby. Light a sparkler...and enjoy it for what it is...not for what it is not.

Jeff Nelson

Gideon, Thank you for a clear perspective on thanking the creator for the creation! In this culture we seem to want to bypass the creator. Americas freedom of religion is a hallmark of inclusiveness and could be why immigrants, such as yourself and your friends still come to this country and yet what some want to impose is a freedom from religion, and that is a little more of an exclusive club. Freedom from religion is not really a freedom; it is something others want to impose on the whole for the common good. But should we relinquish our God given freedoms for the so called common good of man? Real Freedom does not impose on us it sets us free. Freedom is not exclusive it is for everyone or it’s for no one.

We all owe a debt to our Country and fellow countrymen; we are standing on the shoulders of the men and woman who have paid a price with their sweat and sometimes with their blood for our freedoms. But those freedoms did not come to us by a state proclamation or a federal mandate but by God breathed inalienable rights that are not subject to mans cultural and politically correct whims.

One of my ancestors who is in the painting above standing next to John Adams is Roger Sherman who came from a long line of God fearing men and women who immigrated to Watertown Massachusetts in 1630 from England. By the wills I've read of my ancestors dating as far back as the 1500s I can tell you they were certainly not deists, they professed Jesus Christ as their Savior and fully recognized that without the Resurrection of Christ that Christianity were fruitless. My ancestor Rev. John Sherman who was educated at the University of Cambridge in England and immigrated to America in 1630 had a fruitful career as a minister in Massachusetts and his testimony is on his grave stone which is undeniably Christ centered.

There are those who wish to rewrite history and erase the truth and there are those who willingly follow along but if you study for yourself you will learn the truth about our forefathers and their belief in the God of the bible that cared for them and loved them.

Happy Independence Day!

Kenneth Ethan Frantz

http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html#Jefferson

Lynne

Good points to be pondered here from everyone.

-Kenneth, I assume (and hope) you meant "NOT as blatant disrespect".

-Steve, I think maybe you misunderstood Gideon's intent re: "ordinary country" Reading the context I believe you two are in agreement that America is a wonderful country - blessed by God. GS just doesn't want us to think we are God's chosen exclusive and elite country. God has blessed us and will continue to bless us if / as we follow Him, but He will also bless other countries if they follow Him, which is why Easter is important. I don't think Gideon is saying 4th of July is not important - but is saying "Let's remember to reflect back on the thing that enabled us to be blessed in the first place, perhaps akin to thanking your mother on your birthday since you wouldn't've had a birthday without her. The USA may be a genius baby - but we couldn't be that without the Resurrection - which enabled us to have a heritage of forefathers steeped in Scripture (Kenneth - whether all of them were Christians is not so much the point. The documents were written by people who had been taught to think Biblically because the Scriptures were believed to be the basis of knowledge. The government was built on Scriptural principals.)

A friend sent me a link which speaks to this issue very well:

http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2011/06/thoughts-on-christian-patrioti.php

God bless each of us - and God bless America! LDY

Lynne

This is a rebuttal to the link Kenneth posted - (article from mb dojo)

I think it is fair to say there are many thinking people who disagree - let the facts speak: http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5243

Ruth Tice

I totally agree with Gidon's Statement below...

“The difference [between] believing America is exceptional and American exceptionalism is significant. Believing America is exceptional recognizes our blessings—like every good and perfect gift—come from God. It emphasizes God's grace rather than America's greatness. The latter assumes our nation has claimed favored status with God and often yields a don't-you-wish-you-were-like-us attitude.

“Why is this important? Accepting that America is exceptional due to God's unmerited favor breeds the virtues of gratitude and humility. But a belief that America is the recipient of divine favoritism, on the other hand, breeds arrogance and triumphalism …”

We have much to be greatful for! Freedom is NOT free and many payed with lives and their fortunes ensure that for us. We must recognize and honor our founding fathers not for their greatness but for there humility and their willingness to serve as Christ did Selflessly. A prime example was George Washington Who thru hardship and adversity as well as success and fame...Continually humbled himself, and looked for Gods provision and his guidance throught out his life time.( Compair that to the leaders of the French Revolution.)

We should feel Honored to be be here. Not entiled. It is time to look beyond ourselves and into our world... to reach out in love and service because we are blessed. To realize we have an opportunity in this life to reach out to others with a cup of water in Jesus name. And to always remember this is NOT our home, we are aliens in residence for a brief time. This is just the first letter, in the first word of a story that will last for eternity.If we keep our eyes on Eternity, on the tasks we are called to in this life and use what we have to build that kingdom we will honor the memoires of those who founded this country. America is a great place to camp, to pitch our temporay tents, We must always remember "to whom much has been given much will be required!"

IAN MCKELLAR

A great article, thanks.

In Old Testament times Israel struggled with feeling arrogant and triumphal, instead of feeling gratitude and humble.That is why the OT prophets had to bring correction.James 4:6 is a good summary, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Grace from God, if correctly perceived and received, produces gratitude and humility in the recipient;these are two very attractive and life changing qualities. Whereas an arrogant and triumphal spirit produces a separation and a I'm-better than-you attitude.The first helps to build the beloved community, the second breaks community down. South Africans struggled with these same elitist attitudes ( I'm also a South African living abroad).

The USA has a great future in God, but there is also a danger that pride has caused blindness and hard times will follow. "For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate sin", Psalm 36:2. The United States is a great country, God's people need to show the way forward. I used to think that judgement would be good for the USA, but I have come to see that this would be a disaster for many. Too many. Please hear what God is saying and make your position of strength and prominence count for the Kingdom sake. God bless America !

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