God bless America. It’s a song, it’s an anthem, and it bears the hopes of many Christian Americans today. Like the man who built his house in the sand, we (Americans) have built our hope for salvation on a “in God we trust” government; and like the house in the sand, are learning that our foundation is not solid. Our faith in the sand is crumbling before us. So we sing “God bless America” a little louder. We raise our hands as we pray for God to bless our nation. We take His name in vain as we charge to take the freedom of others in the name of the freedom we have been “blessed” with. I must have missed the passage in the Bible that talks about America being God’s chosen nation. Although those are my words, I believe that they are the words Shane Claiborne, the author of Jesus for President would say about Christians in America. In fact, he said it in more words throughout his entire novel. At some point, American Christians began worshipping the red, white, and blue instead of the King of Kings. With a unique twist and meticulous framework, Claiborne lays out the journey of the Christian starting before Christians even …show more content…
There was an ignited passion for Jesus and his ministry among the people. The Romans were not pleased and began murdering Christians left and right. This changed when Constantine adopted Christianity as the official religion of Rome. Quickly, Christianity became popular; dimming the once so ignited passion for God. The more Christianity became kosher, the more the early Christians fell into love with the state. Maybe the separation of church and state is not such a bad thing. Fast forward to present day. Claiborne believes that we, America, are the new Rome. Our empire has become a facet of love in our religion. We are comfortable, fed, and safe. Our armies, houses, pantries, and wallets are bigger and better than the rest. Is it really a blessing from
From 300-600 CE The Roman Empire allowed new religions to be formed and universalized. The Religion that was associated with The Roman empire was Christianity. Christianity became the religion of Rome because of a man named Constantine who allowed Christianity to spread and flow throughout the empire create a harmony throughout the people. Constantine allowed for the Roman officials to adopt Christianity and this led to the building of the Constantinople. Christianity had basilicas which were opulent churches that were open to all which meant any person could go there allowing Christianity to be very universal. Christianity was also very appealing because the worshiped deity walked on land with the people. Christianity split and became the Roman Catholic church which consisted
“Land of the free and the home of the brave.” This line has represented the United States for decades. These words were captured in The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key and since 1913, the United States has adopted The Star-Spangled Banner as its national anthem. We have used the Red, White, and Blue as one of our nation’s symbols. It has fifty stars, to represent the number of states we have in our Union. The military pledges its allegiance to the flag and the country which it represents at all costs. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave, and we are proud to show it.
What is an American? After reading these two passages, I would have to say that we are a people that religion is not really a big thing.
Dark and terrible as is this picture, I hold it to be strictly true of the overwhelming mass of professed Christians in America. They strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Could anything be more true of our churches? They would be shocked at the proposition of fellowshipping a sheep-stealer, and at the same time they hug to their communion a man-stealer, and brand me with being an infidel, if I find fault with them for it. (Douglass, 328.)
The Star Spangled Banner is currently America’s National Anthem which says a lot about its importance. During the time that this song was written, America was at war with the British in 1812 at the Battle of Baltimore. Francis Scott Key wrote this song after seeing the American flag still standing after the battle in which the British had failed. The inspiration this song brings to the United States proves it to be extremely patriotic and nationalistic. The first verse of the song is what most Americans are familiar with. The Star Spangled Banner provides a visual image of the war and how the flag symbolized America’s independence from Britain. I believe that Francis Scott Key was trying to communicate the importance of America’s independence through symbolism, and provide a sense of nationalism by using description of the war that America had won. The American Flag symbolizes freedom that was fought for while trying to gain independence. It states in the Star Spangled banner that America is “Land of the free and home of the brave”. This signifies nationalism in the sense that in the battle for our independence, we fought for a country that we believed in and
New brands of distinctly American Christianity began developing early in the country’s history. Before the revolution, George Whitefield set the stage for American religious movements. The most important factor that helped launch these movements was the American Revolution. The country was ripe with conversation and action on a new understanding of freedom. The revolution “expanded the circle of people who considered themselves capable of thinking for themselves about issues of … equality, sovereignty, and representation” (6). The country was beginning to move toward an understanding of strength lying in the common people, and the people’s ability to make their own personal decisions on issues of leadership and authority. There was a common belief that class structure was the major societal problem. The revolution created the an open environment that pushed equality of the individual, allowing political and religious beliefs to flourish and grow without being held in check by authoritarian leaders.
Neglect the “Nations of the World” and instead focus on the “Nation of God”. Christians path in life can be boiled down to giving their full allegiance to the Kingdom of God. In doing so they need to denounce the coercive and violent ideologies of the natural world. Translating this to the Christian call to action, we must follow the Kingdom of God in transforming the world, rather than using politics as a means towards such a transformation. This is based upon his destroying of the notion that America is a Christian Nation: “What gives this understanding of the kingdom of God such strong emotional force is the long standing myth that America is a 'Christian nation. ' From the start, Americans have been inclined to believe that God’s will was manifested in the founding of our country and is yet manifested in the global activity of our nation. Throughout our history, most Americans have confidently assumed our nation’s causes and wars were righteous and just and that God was 'on our side. ' In our minds, and often in our churches, the cross and the national flag have gone hand in hand. Consequently, the conservative church has, to a large extent at least, tended to view itself as the religious guardian of all that is godly in our culture. America is a holy city 'set on a hill, ' and the church’s job is to keep it shining” (Reknew). Remove the temptation and allegiance to the natural world and it can and will distract
Eck, Diana L. A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Now Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Print
Christianity developed with Jesus of Nazareth (6 BCE- 29 CE). He was born during the reign of Augustus Caesar. He practiced Christianity from 26 CE to 29 CE. He was the Son of God and the Redeemer of all Mankind. The Romans viewed him as someone “rocking the boat” with what was already a nation of the religiously obsessed. Eventually h...
The Roman Empire will always be known as one of the largest, most influential, and most powerful civilizations in history. Ancient Rome gave the world many things essential to our daily lives even today from concrete to sewage systems. Because of the magnitude of Ancient Rome, it’s collapse was a watershed moment in the history of the world. The primary cause of Rome’s fall is widely debated but what is clear is that there were many factors, internal and external, that eventually caused Rome to collapse. The factors which were the most impactful to Rome’s downfall were the rise of Christianity, overexpansion and a failing economy. The diverse impact of these three causes were combined too much for the empire to overcome and Rome fell in 476
Christianity took hold on the ancient world because it was spread exceptionally fast. Missionary journeys were made every set of to three years and teach people Christianity (Document F). Roman judges held trials for reported Christians, and executed them because they admitted that they were Christian. The trials were held to execute Christians so the Roman religion would continue to flourish and so Christian citizens won’t be more powerful than the government (Documents F and G). This shows that Christianity was gaining a lot of members, really fast, in comparison to the government.
...o captivating. Additionally, it does make an extensive number of appearances at various ceremonies and great events, such as the opening ceremonies of sporting events and national holidays such as Independence and Memorial Day. However, “The Star Spangled Banner” embodies a much broader and more abstruse, cryptic connotation. It illustrates America’s attitude of perseverance when facing seemingly indomitable adversities or unachievable ambitions. It represents America’s unfaltering faith, traditional values, and ethical laws that have come to characterize America’s individuality. It signifies America’s past, a historic reminder that unites the people and instills, in their hearts, a profound sense of patriotism and glory. Most of all, “The Star Spangled Banner” symbolizes the truth of what America truly means–“the land of the free and the home of the brave”.
According to Johnathonocross.com, “It is clearly designed to inspire feelings of devotion to a country that is “under God” (and by including this phrase, it also encourages religious belief). Children have little if any grasp on what their country does or intends to do both domestically and internationally.” If we can’t feel free of commitment while being Atheist or even Muslim, we won’t feel free to do anything out of what most Americans believe is being American.
•The execution of “this Christ” suppressed the “dangerous religious movement” of the Christians for a time, but then it quickly broke out again, first in Judea, but then spreading rapidly as far as Rome
Christianity, originally, was thought of as an outsider religion, and wasn’t accepted by most Romans. The Romans could learn to live with other religions, but not when they were harmful to public order. At one point, Romans viewed it to be just that. Christians tended ...