The second verse of the Anthem does not back up the first speaker's sectarian claim that the US is a "Christian nation"; rather it reflects the Civil Religion that is the historic compromise between God and government in the USA and that has roots in the Deism of the Founding Fathers. The attempt to remake the American Revolution in the image of Protestant theology never fully succeeded.
Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, most people can identify Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. By their views, these two signers may be accurately described as "Deists." It is the deists that we remember. How many people today would be able to identify, however, the remaining 54 signers, not to mention their views? A little investigation could yield some startling results.
Hardly any of the Founding Fathers were Deists. Almost all of them were Protestants, and one was Catholic.
About 15 years ago, I took a college course on Christianity and the American Religion. We learned quite a few things about the role American Protestant Christianity played in laying the cultural and political groundwork for the American Revolution, and for encouraging support for the Revolution. During the war years, quasi-political sermons aimed at convincing people to join the Revolution were common, and some preachers believed (or wanted their flocks to believe) that the Revolutionary War was nothing less than the great conflict that would lead to the Battle of Armageddon -- King George was identified as none other than the Antichrist. Such views were not at all rare among the colonists rising up against Britain.
In short, there has been a nearly successful attempt to remake the American Revolution in the image of secularist, deist Enlightenment philosophy. But while the actual conflict was unfold, and during the years after independence was secured, the distance between the American Revolution and Protestant theology was never that great.
4 comments:
The second verse of the Anthem does not back up the first speaker's sectarian claim that the US is a "Christian nation"; rather it reflects the Civil Religion that is the historic compromise between God and government in the USA and that has roots in the Deism of the Founding Fathers. The attempt to remake the American Revolution in the image of Protestant theology never fully succeeded.
Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, most people can identify Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. By their views, these two signers may be accurately described as "Deists." It is the deists that we remember. How many people today would be able to identify, however, the remaining 54 signers, not to mention their views? A little investigation could yield some startling results.
Hardly any of the Founding Fathers were Deists. Almost all of them were Protestants, and one was Catholic.
About 15 years ago, I took a college course on Christianity and the American Religion. We learned quite a few things about the role American Protestant Christianity played in laying the cultural and political groundwork for the American Revolution, and for encouraging support for the Revolution. During the war years, quasi-political sermons aimed at convincing people to join the Revolution were common, and some preachers believed (or wanted their flocks to believe) that the Revolutionary War was nothing less than the great conflict that would lead to the Battle of Armageddon -- King George was identified as none other than the Antichrist. Such views were not at all rare among the colonists rising up against Britain.
In short, there has been a nearly successful attempt to remake the American Revolution in the image of secularist, deist Enlightenment philosophy. But while the actual conflict was unfold, and during the years after independence was secured, the distance between the American Revolution and Protestant theology was never that great.
There were four verses originally in our national anthem; the former marine in that great video you linked sings the first and the last.
1st verse: "Does the banner still wave?"
2nd verse: "Yes!"
3rd verse: "Boo to England!"
4th verse: "And the banner will always wave!"
The third verse is never sung at official functions, thank goodness.
Post a Comment