A lot of effort has been expended in the past 30 years by some Christians trying to make the case that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. Feeling that they’ve proven their claim, mostly through historical research and analysis, they are advocating for a return to what they believe are the country’s legitimate fundamental Christian roots.
While we don’t subscribe to this thinking, we wouldn’t have any problem supporting measures that would have the United States identified by the rest of the world as a nation that personifies Jesus Christ. But accomplishing this would mean that we go in a completely different direction than that being pursued by the conservative Christian Political Right in America today.
The current focus of the Christian Right is to advance the Kingdom of God by winning elections and gaining political power. But this doesn’t do anything to change the hearts of men. You can’t legislate hope. You cannot legislate mercy. Nor love. Nor compassion.
Powerful political Christians on television news broadcasts sound every bit like their non-Christian counterparts.The country isn’t better off because we have Christian politicians in government. The country will be better off when the Christians in government act according to the true character and nature of Jesus Christ.
A main argument posed by political Christian conservatives is the concern that if they let go of their stubborn grip on government policy-making, our country (without their antagonism) will fall into moral ruin and our children will be gobbled up by a secular humanistic society.
But is this any different, or not analogous, to the structure of the government in Jesus’ time? The Romans, left to their own devices, would have completely ravished Jewish culture and religion. Any thought that was un-Roman was a dangerous thought in the Empire.
Jesus had children – the children of Israel – but was He worried about the government’s influence on them? Was Jesus trying to change the laws and policies of Rome in order to secure a sound and moral upbringing for them? Not at all! Jesus sent His children out as “lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10)
Instead of the tough, proud reputation that Christian conservatives would want for America, a nation professing to be Christian should exude meekness and humbleness. Instead of an America that is tough on crime, to the point of using the death penalty, a Christian America would be known for its success in rehabilitating criminals and returning them to society as productive lawful citizens. Instead of a nation with the world’s strictest laws criminalizing abortion, America – known worldwide as a Christian nation – would be heralded for having the lowest rate of abortion due to a system of well-supported, caring crisis pregnancy centers. Instead of an America which diligently polices and fortifies its borders and is relentless in tracking down, imprisoning, and deporting illegal aliens, the words written on the Statue of Liberty would be lifted up as the nation’s ideal.
The title, “America: A Christian Nation” with the subtitle “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,” represents the true nature of Jesus Christ better than a thousand Ten Commandment plaques hanging on the walls of a thousand county courthouses or a million public school children reciting a rote prayer every morning in their classrooms.
A Christian Nation that personifies Jesus Christ would be known world-wide for its efforts and success in making the lives of the “least of these” better. (Matthew 25:40-45)
Catholic Apostolic Group 