American Civil Religion

Robert Bellah’s 1967 article, “Civil Religion in America,” formally stated “a sociological theory that a nonsectarian quasi-religious faith exists within the United States with sacred symbols drawn from national history.”  Bellah’s view was that Americans embrace a common “civil religion” with certain “fundamental beliefs, values, holidays, and rituals, parallel to, or independent of their chosen religion.”   The American Revolution is viewed as the major source for the development of our American civil religion, providing us with a Moses (George Washington), prophets (Jefferson and Paine), apostles (Adams and Franklin) and martyrs (Nathan Hale), as well as devils (Benedict Arnold), sacred places (Valley Forge), rituals (military funerals), the flag, sacred holidays (July 4th), and a holy scripture (which includes the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution).  Civil religion (which is a reality, not only in America, but in most nations of the world) can be taken to extremes and eventually destroy the values it has to offer.

Let’s be very clear about what American civil religion is.  It is a “nonsectarian quasi-religious faith.”  It is not Islam, Jewish, Hindu, or Christian.  It is nonsectarian (representative of no particular group).    It is quasi-religious (it only resembles something that is religious).  Civil religion in America is not the Christian religion—it is not the Jewish religion—it is not Islam—it is quasi-religious!  The potential  danger of civil religion is that we make it sectarian and see it as something more than a quasi-religious faith.  When civil religion becomes “my religion” or “our religion" and “not yours,” “not theirs;” when values are no longer shared, and “rights” become only for those of a particular group, democracy ceases to be and civil religion becomes sick. This “sickness” of civil religion, of making it a “Religion” has happened throughout history—it happened less than 100 years ago—and it can happen again.

Another danger of civil religion taken to extremes is when it becomes “authoritarian" or "totalitarian.”  Quakers are conscientious objectors.  Should they be coerced to do that which is forbidden by their conscience and religious persuasion because civil religion gone awry demands it of them?  Jews gather for worship on Saturday, should they be coerced into worshipping on Sunday because civil religion has become the “Religion”  of the land?  The same reasoning fits the current furor over the flag and the national anthem.  Some of the people are just as important as most of the people and each group is “free” in America until civil religion becomes sick.

Civil religion has its place, but it is not my Religion, nor is it the Religion of my Jewish, Hindu, Islamic and Christian brothers and sisters in America.  Do not try to construe my faith to fit the convenience of America’s civil religion. Do not manipulate the Bible to fit American civil religion or to “Make America Great Again.”  It doesn’t jive, the shoe just doesn’t fit, and the founding fathers knew it and insisted that, “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.”