A Christian nation

At times, the question has been raised as to whether we are a “Christian nation.” It’s likely that many of our own citizens, as well as foreigners, don’t see us as Christians based on their observation of the large numbers of non-Christians in our melting pot, our on-going racial prejudices, the immorality emphasized in many of our R-rated movie films and TV shows, the selfcenteredness of so many of our corporate and political leaders, etc.

However, there’s good reason to proudly state that in spite of our myriad shortcomings, we are indeed mainly a Christian nation. That reference in no way is meant to imply exclusivity or to suggest that other religious beliefs are inferior.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center reported that 70.6% of the American population identifies itself as Christian. In that context, it’s altogether reasonable to refer to our multicultural country as a predominantly “Christian nation.” It’s important to note that, without exception, the Founding Fathers of our United States were Christians, or Deists (one who believes in a “hands-off” creator). There were no atheists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc. among them.

In writing to a friend in 1819 our third president and primary author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, called the teachings of Jesus the “outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man.’” Jefferson would likely agree with the renowned religious studies scholar, Huston Smith, that “If we take the world’s enduring religions at their best, we discover the distilled wisdom of the human race.”

Our country is in the midst of a major transition of governmental power. Let us hope that our new leaders, and each of us, will accept the challenge to be more Christ-like displaying the distilled wisdom of what we know is the best for our families and those on the margins of our society. Peter Murray Brookfield