One Lord, One Faith, One Nation?

By Bern Velasco

If you’ve spent any time in a conservative church in America around the 4th of July you’ve probably noticed the sacred connection between our faith and our body politic. Perhaps you've felt the uproar over the United States’ progressive removal of faith symbols from public life or our president's declaration that the U.S. is not a Christian Nation and Congressman Forbes' response.

But before we rush to defend our Christian nation against the pressing forces of secularism we should first define Christian nation. Do we simply mean "A lot of Christians live here"? Do we mean "The US symbolically uses the Bible and other Christian forms on a regular basis"? Or do we mean, "The United States of America has a particular relationship with God similar to Israel in the Old Testament"? I must reject the third, the US has no covenant with God. The second is inevitably reduced to lip-service since the majority of our leaders and nation do not appear to follow Christ. The first is an ever weakening proposition as our younger generations become more secular. Furthermore, is self-identification as a Christian nation even sufficient to warrant that designation?

While we could explore each of these definitions further, it would be more helpful to consider our founding documents themselves and determine if the ideas that constitute our nation are truly Christian. If you examine the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution you will find the official US position is that governments (not the notion of government) are established by men, derive their authority from men, and are man's instrument for order and justice. Contrast this to Romans 13.1-7 where governments (again, governments, not the notion of government) are established by God, derive their authority from God and are God's instrument for order and justice.

While stimulating, the more pressing question pertains to the true Christian Nation. Notice the language of 1 Peter 2.9: "But you [Gentile believers scattered throughout Asia Minor] are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION. According to BDAG, Race [γενος genos] refers to large and small groups with common ancestry and traits. Nation [εθνος ethnos] refers to a body of people united by kinship, culture, and traditions. People [λαος laos] refers to a body of people with a common, specific territory and traditions. Should we not conclude the true Christian nation is the Body of Christ?

Discussion Question: What would we lose if the U.S. were no longer considered a Christian nation? What might be gained?

Bern Velasco is Ryan's buddy from Seminary and the College and Young Adults Pastor of Hessel Church in Sebastopol, CA. On his blog (Everything's Hebel) you can listen to a message delivered on this subject.