tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564473.post7847092468473908642..comments2024-01-15T05:32:24.873-05:00Comments on The Jon Rowe Archives: Jonathan Rowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04079637406589278386noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564473.post-34333505731994823402007-10-14T23:34:00.000-04:002007-10-14T23:34:00.000-04:00It is a vast overstatement to say that the Foundin...It is a vast overstatement to say that the Founding "lacks a political theology." Even if we would assume that Locke as well as all of the major Founders were secret atheists, the Founding was a matter of their public actions and statements, not their private views or intentions. The Founders appealed to the will of the Almighty. Even Thomas Paine claimed divine endorsement.<BR/><BR/>This political theology was not well-formed. The 'major' Founders who commented or wrote on theological matters were not very impressive in that respect. But their political theology was well suited to a liberal and diverse people, in part because it was vague and ill-developed. (e.g. "For myself, I fully and conscientiously believe that it is the will of the Almighty that there should be a diversity of religious opinions among us." - Paine, Common Sense).<BR/><BR/>The notion of American Exceptionalism cannot be disentangled from theology (however vague). Manifest Destiny arose later, rooted in the same political theology. The Battle Hymn of the Republic was a remarkable expression of it (full of Christian language, but using that language to describe an army and a cause).<BR/><BR/>As for Christianity, it is changed, reshaped by liberalism, by empiricism, by American political theology. Scripture is re-interpreted; ethical lines are re-drawn. But that has happened many times over two millenia. An incarnate God must speak to each age and will speak in the language and principles of the time and place. The dying god of the Divine Right of Kings is resurrected as the Providential guide of liberty.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165084874363214919noreply@blogger.com