Introduction
Religion has always been one of the most important and, at the same time, the most controversial aspects of nations’ development. Historians, theologians, politicians, as well as scholars from other areas, have given prominent attention to the issue of religious effects on the formation and development of countries and relationships between them. Christianity is the religion that has been discussed in this respect more frequently than others due to its spread over many countries and regions. The social and historical influence of Christianity upon Western culture cannot be doubted since the majority of these countries’ people adhere to Christian norms and celebrate Christian traditions.
However, the question of whether American is a Christian nation is not so unambiguous as it may seem at first sight. As Pannenberg (1994) notes, Christianity is only one of the many roots from which Western culture was growing. Indeed, some of the Christian traditions are embedded in the formation and functioning of the USA as a nation. However, one cannot say confidently and definitely that American is a purely Christian nation based on the major premises of this religion.
The Influence of Christianity on Western Culture
While Christianity is not the only crucial factor if impacting Western culture, it is undoubtedly one of the most prominent. People are aware of biblical narratives and Christian customs irrespective of whether they fully follow them or not. Christianity had a stronger effect on the formation of Western culture in the past than during the past few decades. Still, the religious roots of the present-day cultural and social life in Western civilization cannot be denied. More importantly, as Pannenberg (1994) argues, it would have been impossible for the classical antique culture to survive if it had not been embezzled by Christianity.
The most prominent of the initial effects of Christianity on Western culture was the spread of philosophy and literature. Furthermore, this is an example of how Christianity did a favor to antique and medieval teachings by spreading their achievements via Christian schools and monasteries. Thus, although the knowledge and experience did not originate in the Christian tradition, they were passed to the new generations by means of this tradition’s supporters and preachers.
An important point in the analysis of Christianity’s effect on Western culture should be made in its regard to politics. Secularism, or the separation between church and political institutions, is inevitable in modern society, although it was not a common practice in pre-Christian times (Pannenberg, 1994). Unlike the traditions of the ancient Roman Empire, where the emperor was both the political and religious leader, the Christian faith allowed and even encouraged a distinction between the secular and religious. The major idea behind such a principle was that the ultimate reality, which is the kingdom of God, is yet to come, so any attempts to arrange a political order at present are only temporary.
Such a contrast in understanding the discrepancy between secularism and religion makes a considerable difference between Christianity and other religions. It is necessary to emphasize that this attitude does not make the situation simpler for people. On the contrary, it may be difficult for many laymen and politicians alike to understand the principles of government under such circumstances. What is evident, however, is the fact that the social influence of Christianity on Western culture cannot be underestimated.
A valid point on the relationship between the religious and political systems can be made by analyzing the concepts of tolerance and intolerance as rooted in the historical development of religion. For instance, in the Constantinian era, the Christians, who did not support the emperor’s politics, were entirely alienated from the empire. It is impossible to oppose Pannenberg’s (1994) idea that intolerant dogmatism was “the most disastrous sin of traditional Christianity” (para. 9).
Indeed, if historically, those who disagreed with their rulers on some issues had an opportunity to prove the validity of their point rather than be punished for taking a different stand, it would have been possible to avoid numerous instances of violence and prejudice. At the same time, it is valid to view Christian eschatology as a cause of inclination to intolerance, but not as its definite prerequisite.
One of the most significant premises of understanding the tendency to tolerate or not tolerate certain things in Christianity is the belief in the ultimate future as the outcome of Christ’s presence. As Apostle Paul said, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (1 Corinthians 13:9-12). One can interpret this quote in the following way: people’s understanding of God’s prophesy cannot be complete until his kingdom comes, and the real prophecy comes in place.
Christians should understand that they do not hold absolute ownership of the ultimate truth. Instead, they should respect the opinions and views of others since no one knows who will be right in the long run. Therefore, tolerance is not a notion defying the truth, but the truth makes people realize that tolerance is indispensable.
The interpretation of and attitude toward truth in Christianity is one of the main factors of the deteriorating development of Christianity in the West. The most negative issue was the endeavor of the papacy to take over the power in all types of governmental institutions, both civil and religious. Such a tendency, as Pannenberg (1994) remarks, caused redundant divisions and misunderstandings among Christians. Because the church tended to view itself as the only feasible truth, it neglected the conditional nature of the Christian’s existence before the final coming of Christ.
Conflicts between the state and church have been affecting the development of cultural life for centuries. It seems that instead of trying which of the two entities is more important, they should combine their efforts to create truly powerful nations. The main argument in Pannenberg’s (1994) article is that it is imperative to restore Christian unity not only to encourage the church to adhere to God’s will but also to make the Christian religion’s effect on culture more persuasive. This argument is too significant to overlook or disagree with it. Indeed, the most vital and tragic lessons learned from the past are concerned with people’s disputes arising from the attempts to prove who was right and who was wrong.
The influence of Christianity on Western culture, therefore, was not only positive but also negative. While Christianity taught people to be mutually polite, caring, supportive, and understanding, it also inevitably gave way to the endeavors to be better than others, even if the initial causes of such behavior were righteous. The present task of Christianity is to make people treat each other with more tolerance and amiability. Even though it is not possible to avoid controversy altogether, Christians still should pay an effort to live peacefully and make their communities examples of harmony, agreement, and compromise.
In the process of reaching an agreement, the role of ecumenism should not be underestimated. Christianity does not deny the existence of confessional traditions other than the traditional Roman Catholic one. Instead, it acknowledges the plurality of approaches to the organization of religious precepts on the condition that they do not break the core premises of Christian teaching. In Western culture, people must know that an ecumenical dialogue between different Christian streams exists.
Such an option allows people to understand that even belonging to the same large religious group, they have some freedom of expression related to their national or regional peculiarities and needs. Without unity, the “renaissance” of Christianity’s positive role in Western culture will not be possible (Pannenberg, 1994, para. 16). Ecumenism plays a significant role not only in churches’ authenticity but also in culture in general.
Furthermore, Christian churches should go beyond the ecumenical communication with the same ones and more toward mutually respectful dialogue with non-Christian religions. This would be the most favorable achievement of Christianity and the most productive effect on Western culture. When the relationship between religious organizations reaches the level of tolerance that exists between governmental organizations, it will be possible to speak about the contribution of Christianity to the arrangement of positive links between people from various backgrounds. Hence, the attainment of peaceful coexistence of different views will prove the beneficial impact of Christianity on Western culture much more effectively than the demand for everyone to live by the same rules and refusal to give people freedom of religion.
The Analysis of whether America is a Christian Nation
Why Americans Tend to Consider Their Nation Christian
Having offered an overview of Christianity’s general effect on Western culture, it is viable to focus on the features of the American nation that allow or forbid considering it as a Christian one. Christians have been composing the largest religious group in America since the country was founded. Hence, it is evident that the majority of people consider the USA to be a Christian nation. However, as Straughn and Feld (2010) argue, it is no longer possible to declare with confidence that America is as Christian as it used to be in the cultural and demographic dimensions.
Such an opinion may be explained by a variety of factors. Firstly, increasing numbers of immigrants looking for political shelter in the USA in the past centuries made it impossible for the country to remain more or less homogeneous in terms of nationality and religious beliefs. The diversity of individuals and groups living in the country led to a wide range of religious organizations and trends spreading throughout the country.
Paradoxically, however, such heterogeneity has not changed people’s opinions of America as a Cristian state. The more religious trends emerged, the more united people felt toward their understanding of their nation as a Christian one (Straughn & Feld, 2010). A possible explanation of such a tendency might be the inclination of people living in a country with so many diverse opportunities to seek something that would unite them all. Although the possibility for immigrants to enter the USA has been severely limited within the past few years, the country’s ethnic and religious diversity had been created for many decades and centuries before these limitations. Therefore, the predominant idea of considering America as a Christian nature to unite people spiritually takes its roots from the past.
Secondly, the idea of America as a Christian nation is related to the creation of social identity. Many people need something to make themselves feel confident about their belonging to some small or large group. For the majority of Americans, such a feeling is associated with religion. Thus, by considering themselves as a Christian nation, Americans feel more secure about their identity than they would without such a sense of belonging. People stick to the notions of the initial Christian tradition and strive to associate their lives with it. However, inevitably, the modern state of living, the changing views on fundamental Christian dogmas, and the overall diversity in beliefs make it impossible to agree that America is a Christian nation.
Why America Is Not a Christian Nation
Whereas it is pleasant for many Americans to think that their nation is a Christian one, it is quite an arguable statement. The analysis of some Biblical verses can help defend this point. The first verse in this respect will be “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16). As can be inferred from the USA’s history, the country has neglected this teaching for a long time, the abolition of slavery having been proclaimed only a century and several decades ago.
The desire of those more powerful and wealthy to exploit the weaker and poor ones cannot be considered as a manifestation of Christianity. Even Jesus treated his apostles and all the people with equality and always shared his food and other things with them. How can Americans consider their nation a Christian one, then, if it has such a lengthy history of humiliation and oppression?
Even at present, it is not possible to say that the words of Peter can be applied to American society. The excessive wealth of some individuals or corporations leads to their treatment of others as inferior and not worthy. Thus, it is not admissible to speak of Americans living as servants of God. Freedom and its various dimensions, such as wealth, social status, and things one can afford with these, are indeed frequently employed by some Americans as a cover-up for destructive and malicious actions. Hence, this is the first indication of America’s not being a Christian nation.
Another quite controversial subject related to America’s Christianity is the current state of changing attitudes toward homosexual relationships. It is mentioned in the Bible that “neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality <…> inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9). Meanwhile, the USA has generally approved homosexual relationships, and the majority of states allow homosexual marriages.
Since the Bible considers such relationships as sinful, one cannot say that the nation supporting them is a Christian one. The world’s present-day views have diverged from the classical teachings of the Bible. However, if such a state of affairs can be explained by biological and social alterations over time, one cannot justify such a position from the religious point of view.
One more issue that suggests an element of doubt about America’s Christianity is the relationships between relatives, especially between different generations. The statement “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” is not true about many Americans (1 Timothy 5:8). Instead of looking after one’s elderly parents, American citizens frequently send them to nursing homes. Rather than supporting one’s children after divorce, fathers frequently neglect this responsibility and leave it up to mothers to make sure that children are properly fed and dressed.
People seem to have lost the feeling of gratitude to those who raised them and the sense of accountability for those whom they have given life. While more remotely, the notion of abortions can also be considered as a violation of the mentioned Bible rule to look after one’s relatives. Women who have become pregnant but decided to kill the unborn baby should be viewed as unbelievers under the stated premise. Therefore, the unwillingness of many Americans to bear responsibility for their less capable close people does not allow naming this nation Christian.
Finally, one should discuss America’s tendency to military actions in relation to the analysis of the nation’s Christianity. It is mentioned in the Bible, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:1-2). Two conclusions can be drawn from this verse: firstly, Americans have engaged in wars with other nations throughout history due to the willingness to possess more than they already have.
Secondly, their faith is not strong enough to make them obtain what they need by means of prayer and goodwill. It is obvious that sometimes, the USA had to participate in military actions because it needed to protect its territory and people. However, sometimes, the nation had been involved in wars because of the desire to obtain more than it had. The second part of James’s teaching concerns the strength of one’s faith and the tendency to rely on God in one’s wishes, which Americans frequently lack. Hence, this is yet another indication of the impossibility to call America a Christian nation.
Conclusion
The influence of Christianity on Western culture in general and American one, in particular, cannot be doubted. However, when considering whether America is a truly Christian nation, many doubts emerge. People have lost the feeling of responsibility for their actions, they do not respect the basic teaching of the Bible, and they no longer know the measure of good or bad, as well as the limit to their desires. Pannenberg’s (1994) argument concerning the necessity to restore Christian unity is a valid one. Indeed, it is crucial to reviving this religion’s positive effect on people in order to make the nation more humane.
However, at the present point, it is impossible to state that America is of a Christian nature due to a number of disagreements and violations of the Bible that prevail in society. Americans need to return to the fundamental dogmas of Christianity not only to make their nation more secure but also to make their country a better place for everyone.
References
Pannenberg, W. (1994). Christianity and the West. First Things. Web.
Straughn, J. B., & Feld, S. L. (2010). America as a “Christian nation”? Understanding religious boundaries of national identity in the United States. Sociology of Religion, 71(3), 280–306. Web.