Church vs State

In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine symbolically wedded the Pope when the Emperor made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Hundreds of years later, the United States Constitution legally divorced this church and state marriage. This romance, however, never actually ceased. It is alive and well even to this day - maybe especially in this day. Politicians and priests and preachers and presidents continue to woo each other in hopes of reconciling this nefarious union. With persistent caresses these lovers of an official religion for America - fundamentalist Christianity - pursue the task without ceasing.

Whenever God and country have a love affair many are jilted. The result of such a love affair is called "civil religion." It is called civil religion because most people participate and the line which separates church and state becomes blurred. It is a religion with its own language and belief system. It has its holy shrines, sacred days, priests, preachers, and special hymns.

American civil religion mixes elements of American patriotism with ingredients from the Judeo-Christian tradition to form a religion of nationalism. This is never more apparent than during Forth of July week each year. The flag becomes more important than the Christian cross and the Bible.

In the United States, nationalism is mixed and mingled with religious symbols. Loyalty to God and loyalty to country blend together. The distinctions between them blur so that disrespect for the flag becomes disrespect for God. Likewise, criticism of the government becomes sinful.

Civil religion actually becomes worship of country and culture. Civil religion consists of a blend of patriotic religion and Christianity. Like any other religion it demands commitment and loyalty from the faithful, therefore, national worship services, such as the Fourth of July, are to be attended. Sermons and hymns remind the faithful that good patriots are expected to give unwavering support to the country and to the president without questioning his actions and activities. War is waged against our enemies in the name of God and country.

Christian fundamentalists usually regard our nation to be a sacred land that God mandated into existence. The flag is also understood to be a sacred object worthy of worship.

Civil religion in the United States wraps the Bible in the stars and stripes and confuses the gospel of Jesus with the gospel of democracy and capitalism. It preaches a gospel that the United States and our economic system are preferred by God. When in truth, civil religion is nothing less than idolatry.

Hello! Anyone out there??

This article was first published in the Gainesville Times in June 2003