Thread by @kkdumez

Back in 1983, George Marsden, Nathan Hatch, and Mark Noll warned conservative evangelicals against embracing the myth of Christian America. To do so weakend their public witness & paradoxically contributed to the secularization of Am society. 1/7
patheos.com/blogs/anxiousb…

Misperceptions of the past are stumbling blocks to effective Christian witness. "Positive Christian action does not grow out of distortions or half-truths," they contended. "Such errors lead rather to false militance, to unrealistic standards for American public life today... 2/

...and to romanticized visions about the heights from which we have fallen." Perhaps more perniciously, a mythical view of "Christian America" discouraged "a biblical analysis of our position today." 3/7

By conflating a certain understanding of Am history with scriptural revelation, proponents of "Christian America" risked idolizing the nation and succumbing to an "irresistible temptaton to national self-righteousness." 4/7

They also sacrificed any ability to offer a scriptural critique of the cultural values they themselves embraced. This leads to secularization--for "uncritically patriotic Christians" are no longer able to articulate a prophetic critique of their own culture. 5/7

What is a Chr understanding of the nation? Rejecting any notion that the US is God's chosen nation. God's people are strangers & pilgrims. A nation's righteousness should not be judged by religious professions but by the extent justice for the oppressed is realized in society. 6/

Pretty sure none of these guys were influenced by CRT, by the way. 7/7

Also, @robertpjones and I will be discussing these issues and more this evening, together with @AmandaTylerBJC. Tune in and join in the conversation:

https://twitter.com/robertpjones/status/1410607090003968008?s=20