If we pass beyond these matters to a view of American life, as expressed by its laws, its business, its customs, and its society, we find every where a clear recognition of the same truth. Among other matters, note the following: the form of oath universally prevailing, concluding with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, "In the name of God, amen;" the laws respecting the observance of the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all secular business, and the closing of courts, legislatures, and other similar public assemblies on that day; the churches and church organizations which abound in every city, town, and hamlet; the multitude of charitable organizations existing every where under Christian auspices; the gigantic missionary associations, with general support, and aiming to establish Christian missions in every quarter of the globe. These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation. In the face of all these, shall it be believed that a Congress of the United States intended to make it a misdemeanor for a church of this country to contract for the services of a Christian minister residing in another nation?
We also need to ask "to what end" or "to what effect". i.e. how does the character of the nation thus defined have a material impact on people.
So for example we may ask the same sort of questions about "Is America a Football Nation"? "Is America a Baseball Nation" and so on. 40% of people claim football as their favorite sport. If we were to have a war of footballing countries versus soccer countries, we would be in camp football. The Puritans played tennis, soccer, bowling, among other sports.
There is a different set of sports that qualify for scholarships in Division 1 colleges.
The national pass time of a nation's people contributes to it's character.
All this is to say, then what?
What if a citizen has no interest at all in football, or in any sport.
What organs of state should uphold footballing virtues.
Should school children in Philadelphia be required to sing "Fly Eagles Fly" before class each morning.
Or should people be left free to pursue whatever sport they like, and the community and the state supports life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I found your article somewhat puzzling. As far as I can understand the Bible, salvation through faith in Christ is an individual thing. I see nothing anywhere in the Bible about any Christian nation. Psalm 2 shows the nations and kings of the earth rising up in rebellion against God. All of the instructions in the New Testament are for the behavior of individuals and individuals within the churches.
You started out with a Supreme Court decision of 1892 affirming that America was a Christian country. To me, that is completely irrelevant to the question of whether America is or is not Christian nation today. America is a radically different country now from what it was then, when Christian influence was unquestionably much stronger than it is now.
The Supreme Court in our own day legitimized abortion and also gay marriage, which – to my mind at least – have nothing whatever to do with Scriptural Christianity. Also, in the Dred Scott case of 1857 the Supreme Court decreed that Blacks were property and strengthened the institution of slavery.
Referring to Romans 13: to argue that every nation is Christian, because they are all under the authority of Christ, could also be used to argue that every individual on the planet is Christian, because we are all under the authority of Christ. But some are under his authority to salvation, others to eternal damnation.
About God ordaining the powers, we read in the prophets that God also ordained the Assyrians and the Babylonians and raised them up as instruments of wrath and destruction . Because they were under the authority of God does not mean they were Jewish.
There was a strong Christian viewpoint prevalent in America's founding, but that was a long time ago and America has changed in many ways since Alexis de Tocqueville - but we will be held accountable as individuals and Christ said, "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few there be that find it."
What evidence do you see in America today that the government, academia, the entertainment industries, and many people in their ordinary lives have any regard for Christ? Whatever America used to be is now irrelevant.
I found your article somewhat puzzling. As far as I can understand the Bible, salvation through faith in Christ is an individual thing. I see nothing anywhere in the Bible about any Christian nation. Psalm 2 shows the nations and kings of the earth rising up in rebellion against God. All of the instructions in the New Testament are for the behavior of individuals and individuals within the churches.
You started out with a Supreme Court decision of 1892 affirming that America was a Christian country. To me, that is completely irrelevant to the question of whether America is or is not Christian nation today. America is a radically different country now from what it was then, when Christian influence was unquestionably much stronger than it is now.
The Supreme Court in our own day legitimized abortion and also gay marriage, which – to my mind at least – have nothing whatever to do with Scriptural Christianity. Also, in the Dred Scott case of 1857 the Supreme Court decreed that Blacks were property and strengthened the institution of slavery.
Referring to Romans 13: to argue that every nation is Christian, because they are all under the authority of Christ, could also be used to argue that every individual on the planet is Christian, because we are all under the authority of Christ. But some are under his authority to salvation, others to eternal damnation.
About God ordaining the powers, we read in the prophets that God also ordained the Assyrians and the Babylonians and raised them up as instruments of wrath and destruction . Because they were under the authority of God does not mean they were Jewish.
There was a strong Christian viewpoint prevalent in America's founding, but that was a long time ago and America has changed in many ways since Alexis de Tocqueville - but we will be held accountable as individuals and Christ said, "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few there be that find it."
What evidence do you see in America today that the government, academia, the entertainment industries, and many people in their ordinary lives have any regard for Christ? Whatever America used to be is now irrelevant.
A somewhat whimsical take on this, if you will.
We also need to ask "to what end" or "to what effect". i.e. how does the character of the nation thus defined have a material impact on people.
So for example we may ask the same sort of questions about "Is America a Football Nation"? "Is America a Baseball Nation" and so on. 40% of people claim football as their favorite sport. If we were to have a war of footballing countries versus soccer countries, we would be in camp football. The Puritans played tennis, soccer, bowling, among other sports.
There is a different set of sports that qualify for scholarships in Division 1 colleges.
The national pass time of a nation's people contributes to it's character.
All this is to say, then what?
What if a citizen has no interest at all in football, or in any sport.
What organs of state should uphold footballing virtues.
Should school children in Philadelphia be required to sing "Fly Eagles Fly" before class each morning.
Or should people be left free to pursue whatever sport they like, and the community and the state supports life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I found your article somewhat puzzling. As far as I can understand the Bible, salvation through faith in Christ is an individual thing. I see nothing anywhere in the Bible about any Christian nation. Psalm 2 shows the nations and kings of the earth rising up in rebellion against God. All of the instructions in the New Testament are for the behavior of individuals and individuals within the churches.
You started out with a Supreme Court decision of 1892 affirming that America was a Christian country. To me, that is completely irrelevant to the question of whether America is or is not Christian nation today. America is a radically different country now from what it was then, when Christian influence was unquestionably much stronger than it is now.
The Supreme Court in our own day legitimized abortion and also gay marriage, which – to my mind at least – have nothing whatever to do with Scriptural Christianity. Also, in the Dred Scott case of 1857 the Supreme Court decreed that Blacks were property and strengthened the institution of slavery.
Referring to Romans 13: to argue that every nation is Christian, because they are all under the authority of Christ, could also be used to argue that every individual on the planet is Christian, because we are all under the authority of Christ. But some are under his authority to salvation, others to eternal damnation.
About God ordaining the powers, we read in the prophets that God also ordained the Assyrians and the Babylonians and raised them up as instruments of wrath and destruction . Because they were under the authority of God does not mean they were Jewish.
There was a strong Christian viewpoint prevalent in America's founding, but that was a long time ago and America has changed in many ways since Alexis de Tocqueville - but we will be held accountable as individuals and Christ said, "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few there be that find it."
What evidence do you see in America today that the government, academia, the entertainment industries, and many people in their ordinary lives have any regard for Christ? Whatever America used to be is now irrelevant.
I found your article somewhat puzzling. As far as I can understand the Bible, salvation through faith in Christ is an individual thing. I see nothing anywhere in the Bible about any Christian nation. Psalm 2 shows the nations and kings of the earth rising up in rebellion against God. All of the instructions in the New Testament are for the behavior of individuals and individuals within the churches.
You started out with a Supreme Court decision of 1892 affirming that America was a Christian country. To me, that is completely irrelevant to the question of whether America is or is not Christian nation today. America is a radically different country now from what it was then, when Christian influence was unquestionably much stronger than it is now.
The Supreme Court in our own day legitimized abortion and also gay marriage, which – to my mind at least – have nothing whatever to do with Scriptural Christianity. Also, in the Dred Scott case of 1857 the Supreme Court decreed that Blacks were property and strengthened the institution of slavery.
Referring to Romans 13: to argue that every nation is Christian, because they are all under the authority of Christ, could also be used to argue that every individual on the planet is Christian, because we are all under the authority of Christ. But some are under his authority to salvation, others to eternal damnation.
About God ordaining the powers, we read in the prophets that God also ordained the Assyrians and the Babylonians and raised them up as instruments of wrath and destruction . Because they were under the authority of God does not mean they were Jewish.
There was a strong Christian viewpoint prevalent in America's founding, but that was a long time ago and America has changed in many ways since Alexis de Tocqueville - but we will be held accountable as individuals and Christ said, "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few there be that find it."
What evidence do you see in America today that the government, academia, the entertainment industries, and many people in their ordinary lives have any regard for Christ? Whatever America used to be is now irrelevant.