CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM A MISUNDERSTOOD TEACHING (Santamaria)

CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: A FALSE UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN HISTORY

FOREWORD

This is an old debate. It has some half-truths with it. It seems very attractive when you first hear that America is a “Christian Nation.” But upon further thought, one realizes that it is fraught with difficulties, ambiguities, and intolerance. We write this work to clarify some important issues.

Guillermo Santamaria

NATIONAL CHURCH (WEST) 1833

[This is a letter that was written to Beebe on attempts to form a national church.  It is an excerpt from our coming eBook titled, The Works of Elder Hezekiah West - ed]

RELIGION & POLITICS (BARTON) 1845

[This is an excellent and relevant article on religious liberty published over 100 years ago by Elder Thomas Barton, pastor of the London Tract Old School Baptist Church, a sister church to Welsh Tract Church.  This is an excerpt from our upcoming eBook, "The Works of Elder Thomas Barton. - ed]

CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM (ELDER JOHN CROWLEY) 2024

[We are honored to bring you a short article from Elder John Crowley on this very important and relevant subject - ed]

CAUSES OF CRIME (BEEBE) 1845

[Does this situation sound familiar in the present time? - ed]

GOSPEL AID (BEEBE)

We would like to know on what page of the bible it is recorded that Christ or his apostles ever called upon the rulers of state to make an appropria-tion to aid the prea-ching of the gospel.

This is an early form of Christian Nationalism after the formation of the Republic of the United States.  This position of Beebe's represents our views on the subject - eds.

A PETITION was presented in the Assembly on the 23rd inst., from A. H. Dennis and others of Cayuga County, asking for an appropriation to aid the preaching of the gospel at Sandy Hill, Washington County.

GOD IN THE CONSTITUTION (ELDER FA CHICK)

It is fascinating how little things changed from 1896 America.  Some are still trying to make America into a "Christian Nation" - ed.

BIBLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 3

"The editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, the organ of the Old School Baptists, attacks in no very mild terms or gentle spirit, the recent meeting of Protestants of various denominations in Philadelphia, to oppose the attempts of the Papists of that city to banish the Bible from the common schools. He deems their proceedings fanatical, sympathizes with the Papists in their efforts to discard the bible, and if we comprehend him aright, which is sometimes a matter of difficulty, think that is not a fit book to be read in school, and that the compilations for the use of schools ought to have no religious matter in them. Well, strange things will sometimes occur. A professed Baptist joining with the Papists in preventing the use of the Bible in schools! That interdicted book tells us, in that same day Herod and Pilate were made friends." – Rel. Herald.

THE BIBLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2

Elder Beebe continues in his opposition to the Bible being introduced into public education in the 19th century - ed.

THE BIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Things concerning this issue have not changed much since this article was written in the 19th century - ed.

Is America a "Chrisitian" Nation?

 

150 years ago, a man of God named Gilbert Beebe an Old School Baptist preacher and editor of the Signs of the Time, wrote an article that is very relevant for today.  It is almost like he is speaking as a contemporary.  Back in 1850, there were Christians who wanted the Constitution to reflect a "Christian" perspective.  Read Beebe's words and see if he answers this view - Ed.

INTOLERANCE OF PROTESTANTS WHEN IN POWER...

New Vernon, N. Y., Jan. 15, 1845.

HAVING expressed our views freely in former numbers of this paper, upon the intolerant spirit which is manifested by certain Protestants, in their indefatigable efforts to control and manage all the schools and fountains of mental improvement of our country, and to enforce their sectarian dogmas upon the community, without regard to the consciences, or constitutional rights of those who honestly dissent from their standards of orthodoxy; and also in the extraordinary exertions they have made to get our civil government committed, and our legislatures to so far transcend their constitutional power as to legislate upon the divine law; and having, with all, strongly repudiated the recent unprovoked persecution and slaughter of Catholics, for their religious faith; we have been most unceremoniously denounced by the “Holy Alliance,” as an advocate of the Catholics - a friend of publicans and sinners.