Message from the Chair
Bill Brian,
TBC Chair

Is America a “Christian nation”?

Historically, Baptists have never believed that a nation could be Christian. Rather, that every member of the human race, one by one, is either born again into the kingdom of Christ, or remains outside that realm. It has to do with the dignity of every man, created in God’s own image, competent under God to make moral and other life changing choices.

Roger Williams (1604-1683), educated in England, came to America in search of religious liberty and established the first Baptist church in America before 1640 in what is now Providence, Rhode Island.

Williams wrote in 1644, “At present I answer, there is no holy land or city of the Lord, no King of Zion, etc., but the Church of Jesus Christ… .”

About a century and a half later John Leland (1754-1841), an American Baptist preacher, lobbied for a bill of rights that would secure religious liberty for all Americans (the First Amendment) in this then young nation.

Declaring this principle more succinctly, Leland compared the Old Testament nation of Israel to the kingdom of God ushered in by Jesus.

Leland wrote, “The church of Israel took the whole nation and none but that nation: Whereas Christ’s church takes no whole nation, but those who fear God and work righteousness in every nation.”

The Bible itself lays the foundation for this principle of individual persons (not nations) as Christians when in Revelation, chapter 5, verse 9 the Apostle John writes of a vision about Jesus; the risen Lord,

“Worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals: for you were slain, and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (Emphasis added.) And Peter, another of the Apostles of Jesus, writing to the early churches in what is now Asia Minor said,

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9).

Did the United States call itself “a Christian nation” in its early days? No. Article 11 of a treaty ratified by the U.S. Senate and signed by President John Adams in 1797 (mostly referred to as the “Treaty of Tripoli, of Barbary”) declares, in the context of relations with predominately Muslim states:

“As the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of musselmen; and as the said States never have entered in any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”

What difference does all this history make? For one thing it is in opposition to the rewriting of history that a handful of outspoken Americans have recently undertaken to blur the line of separation between church and state.

A damaging result of the notion of a Christian nation is that we find ourselves immersed in a vague civil religion that makes few meaningful demands on its “adherents” and ignores the scriptures that are replete with accountability not of nations, but of individuals for their response to God’s call on their lives.

It is like the often sung “God Bless America,” now more popular than ever. While I appreciate this song as a reminder of God’s blessings conferred on this nation, my sense is that many who voice the “God Bless America” sentiment seldom consider the duty of individual Americans, one-by-one, to be responsible for their own conduct before God.

The civil religion of a “Christian nation” is a watered down, faceless religion. The notion of a Christian nation does not serve the God who plainly stated that each of us must be “born again” (John 3:3) into a relationship with him so that each of us, and all of us, believers, collectively may be a nation of priests, a royal priesthood of Jesus Christ the Savior and King.

In the process, those who are part of that kingdom as well as a part of this great nation are the very best citizens of this nation.

Come to Waco for 2002 BGCT Annual Meeting

This is one convention meeting you do not want to miss. Messengers will receive and vote on the recommendations of the Missions Review & Initiatives Committee which will set the stage for missions action by Texas Baptists in the 21st Century (see page 13).

As quoted in an October 7 Baptist Standard report, commenting on the recommendations, Truett Seminary associate professor of global missions Mike Stroope said, “The amateurization of missions is a real trend. The task of missions is being taken away from professionals and assumed by churches. They are doing it. Let’s help them.”

Plan to attend all sessions of the convention through Tuesday evening.

Robert B. Sloan, Jr. Special Guest Speaker for TBC Breakfast

I look forward with great anticipation to hearing from Baylor President Robert B. Sloan, Jr. during the annual TBC breakfast on Tuesday morning. If you have not placed your order for tickets, do so now before tickets are gone.

Thank you for supporting Texas Baptists Committed and the work of our Baptist General Convention of Texas.

October 2002