Is America a Christian Nation? It’s hard to think of a more pressing question, or a more loaded question, for our times. Our nation’s unique commitment to disestablishment has forced its citizens to ask hard questions about the role of faith in the public square, sparking over two centuries of thoughtful reflection. The faith (or lack of faith) of certain Founding Fathers is a hot topic. The philosophical role of the Enlightenment gets much attention. Wider questions of Judeo-Christian ethics and their influence on the legal system remain debated by lawyers and historians alike.
One lesser addressed aspect of this discussion: is there any direct aspect of Christian theology, church history, or previous church/state relationships that have influenced the founding of the American project? Are there ideas, values, or presuppositions within the American experiment that can be traced directly back to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth?
The Rev. Dr. Todd Brewer will be joining Pastor Bryan Jarrell and Epiphany Anglican Fellowship on Saturday, October 25th, at 7pm, to explore this very question. Dr. Brewer received his PhD in New Testament Studies from the University of Durham in the UK, comparing the literary structure of the canonical Christian gospels against alternative “gnostic” gospels that followed them. He’ll report to us his studies of the unique values that Christainity proclaimed against its wider Roman cultural context, and in doing so, we’ll find some surprising insights from the past that address a question relevant to our political, social, and everyday life.
The problem with never talking about faith and politics in polite company is twofold: it means that “polite people” aren’t actively discussing the matter with each other, and the only solutions being developed come from “impolite company.” Join us for an evening of faith and politics where we will do our best to ask “Is America a Christian Nation?,” with answers that will invite everyone, regardless of their political persuasion, to deeper consideration.
