“We Hold These Truths”—Responsible Christian Patriotism
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Two hundred fifty years after the words of the United States Declaration of Independence made a greater noise than “the shot heard round the world,” America stands at a reflective moment.
Blessed with a melting pot of optimistic people, great achievements, prosperity, and progress, America 250 is caught in a maelstrom of centrifugal forces—polarization, leftism, globalism, multiculturalist mass immigration—tearing at the fabric of the body politic. Together, these forces produce an existential nihilism and exhausted fatalism that attacks the American Creed, demeans American identity, and buries pursuit of the American Dream in a chaos of victimhood, destruction of free speech, and cynicism.
Now, a new threat is emerging, a strange philosophic and operational affiliation of leftism, a culturally Marxist, anti-American, power-driven pseudo-religion, and Islamism, an extremist, radicalized, domination-driven political ideology masquerading as religion. The new leftist/Islamist alliance promotes values and ideas inimical to free, open, pluralistic society and to a constitutional republic. Both are united by one aim: destroying the institutions of Western civilization. This is something Americans should note, for the culture of death promoted by both “Isms” holds a record of destroying everything it touches.
So, what are America’s prospects for another 250 years, of being the “the last best hope on earth”?
“We Hold These Truths”—Responsible Christian Patriotism calls for a renewal of commitment to the foundational ideals, the self-evident truths—equality, God-given unalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness—that enabled the United States of America, this Great Experiment in self-government, to thrive.
The U.S. Constitution proclaimed the American mission statement: “to form a more perfect Union.” This we can do with the time-tested ideals upon which the country was built, grew, flourished, and can flourish again.
Our challenge for the next 250 years is to develop our ability to be worthy citizens of a worthy nation. We exalt God who gives us truth, life, and liberty. We don't hate; we help. We defend good and as necessary fight evil, but we always strive for peace. We cultivate the character necessary for self-government. The American way of life can still be something special through which we strive to improve, “to form a more perfect Union.”
The promise of America is more about possibility than perfection. That possibility remains real, provided its foundational principles remain respected and realized. The best stewardship of a “city on a hill” celebrates faith, family, and freedom, and offers a compelling moral vision to a people hungry to progress if no longer through the wilderness than through time and space. For as long as “we hold these truths” the United States of America will offer Americans and the world a beacon of freedom and peace.
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About the Book
In an enlightening and highly informative text, former university and mission agency president, Rex Rogers, has gone back to his roots as a college professor and instructed us in a better understanding of what it means to be a Christian and an American patriot. Responsible Christian patriotism is not only possible but needed in America today. As true Christian patriots, we should strive to bring glory to God through our relationship with Christ.
-Kevin F. Sims, Ph.D., Sr. Professor of Political Science, Cedarville University
Centrifugal forces—leftism, globalism, Islamism, mass immigration— are tearing the American fabric.
E pluribus unum is polarized by ideologies promoting moral relativism and bias against Judeo-Christian values. Progressives, MAGA, and media shout their opponents are existential threats to democracy.
At 250, America suffers an identity crisis, unable to define what it means to be an American. Can an America divided against itself survive?
“We Hold These Truths”—Responsible Christian Patriotism answers with a resounding, yes, calling the American people back to our founding ideals—reaffirming this nation’s transcendent self-evident truths—all are created equal, all are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The exceptional ideals and system of government of America’s founding resulted in freedom and flourishing like no other civilization in history. They must be embraced and taught. Civics must be reinstituted in American schools. American patriotism must be celebrated and expressed, for in this we share a confidence in the poetry and promise of America’s moral vision.
“We Hold These Truths”—Responsible Christian Patriotism offers a patriotism that is legitimate, valuable, and enjoyable. It’s a patriotism that cultivates the kind of character—virtue—that can sustain freedom and self-government.
About the Author
DR. REX M. ROGERS, former president of both Cornerstone University and SAT-7 USA, is the author and voice of the podcast, Discerning What Is Best with Dr Rex M Rogers, applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life. www.rexmrogers.com.