Jesse Medina

In my previous blog post, I spoke briefly about the relationship between the Church and the State. I’ll dive a little more into that in this post.

I just learned about a Bible that is being put out by Thomas Nelson publishers entitled the American Patriot’s Bible (picture to the right).

Many Christians find the Separation of Church and State clause (if you want to call it that; technically, there is nothing in the constitution about it, but it has become a staple of legislation) to be troubling, the bane of their existence. The reason is fairly simple: it prevents high profile Christians, specifically in political or legislative realms, from doing things in accordance with their faith that might infringe upon the rights of other non-Christians who either have different religious preferences or are agnostic/atheist. Now, this may not seem like a big deal, other than many Christians feel that this is a modern form of persecution – a label that is both inaccurate and highly insulting to those who have suffered under significant and painful persecution, often costing them their lives.

The examples of these situations are plentiful. Without looking up specifics (and in addition to my last blog post), I remember a judge who put up the ten commandments in his courthouse which were subsequently removed. There were also court cases to prevent prayers from being said at public school football games – in Texas, I think. A quick Google search, I’m sure, will turn up plenty of other results.

Needless to say, we are fraught with examples of those who, finding themselves in a position of power, want to spread their faith.

The problem with this is two-fold. First, as American citizens, our freedoms were set up specifically to guard against a wedding of the Church and State – this is evident in the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Far from being an attack against religion, this is indeed a protection of religion; specifically, of our freedom to choose whatever religion we, as a nation of free people, choose to subscribe to. This is not an attack against Jesus or Christianity at all, but a built in wall to keep powerful people or groups from preventing us from worshipping Jesus.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, the Separation of Church and State is good for the Church.  It allows the Church to be the Church as opposed to the director of the State which would give it far too much power.  With that amount of power, almost inevitably the Church turns corruptive and oppressive, spreading the faith by force and through power – a power over others.  Jesus, on the other hand, spread the faith by love, never force, and held a power under others, persuading them to join him through their free will rather than a threat upon their lives. Could the two, theoretically, be wed and remain healthy? Perhaps. But with the risk that it could destroy both, it is better not trying.

There’s a snippet of why the Separation of Church and State is a good thing.

So why did I start this post off talking about the American Patriot’s Bible? Because such a thing not only feeds the idea that America is a “Christian Nation,” but further solidifies the idea for many that America is God’s chosen nation. Reportedly, this bible attempts to demonstrate how we, as Americans, are an extension of the Biblical narrative.

The problems with this are endless.

For one, it undermines the fact that God came not to set up a nation-state on his side (isn’t this, after all, what the disciples kept bugging Jesus about, asking when he was going to overthrow the oppressive Romans and be the Messiah they all expected?), but a people who are set aside for his purposes – regardless of geography, race, etc.  Further, the title itself assumes that allegiance to the flag is synonymous with allegiance to God and such a thing could easily be false and thus dangerous.  God will share his throne with no person and no nation.  It could very well be that, at points in our history, to be a patriot was to be an enemy of God.  No country, no government has ever been in full and complete submission to God at any point in history – what, then, drives us to believe that our own situation is the exception?

Further, what Biblical truths are compromised in the attempt to demonstrate America as direct and intentional extension of God’s plan?  Without reading, it is not hard to assume that the examples could be many.  Regardless, it is well known that assumption is the tyrant of method (thanks, Rybarczyk!) and that any preconceived framework carried into biblical interpretation will color it.

Please, please, do not buy this Bible.  American does not necessarily equate with good and it certainly does not equate with God.

Pledge your allegiance to God, not the stars and stripes.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | America, Bible, God, Politics