United States Civil religion

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civil religion important component of public life in america, @ national level celebration of nationalism. sociologists report feast days thanksgiving, veterans day , memorial day. rituals include salutes flag , singing god bless america. soldiers , veterans play central role of standing ready sacrifice lives preserve nation. bellah noted veneration of veterans. historian conrad cherry called memorial day ceremonies modern cult of dead , says affirms civil religious tenets.


american revolution

the american revolution main source of civil religion has shaped patriotism ever since. according sociologist robert bellah:


behind civil religion @ every point lie biblical archetypes: exodus, chosen people, promised land, new jerusalem, , sacrificial death , rebirth. genuinely american , genuinely new. has own prophets , own martyrs, own sacred events , sacred places, own solemn rituals , symbols. concerned america society in accord of god men can make it, , light nations.


albanese argues american revolution main source of non-denominational american civil religion has shaped patriotism , memory , meaning of nation s birth ever since. battles not central (as civil war) rather events , people have been celebrated icons of virtues (or vices). historians have noted, revolution produced moses-like leader (george washington), prophets (thomas jefferson, tom paine) , martyrs (boston massacre, nathan hale), devils (benedict arnold), sacred places (valley forge, bunker hill), rituals (boston tea party), emblems (the new flag), sacred holidays (july 4) , holy scripture every sentence studied , applied in current law cases (the declaration of independence, constitution , bill of rights).


although god not mentioned in constitution of united states of america, mention made of nature s god in opening sentence of declaration of independence.


historiography

in 1960s , 1970s, scholars such robert n. bellah , martin e. marty studied civil religion cultural phenomenon, attempting identify actual tenets of civil religion in united states, or study civil religion phenomenon of cultural anthropology. within american context, marty wrote americans approved of religion in general without being particularly concerned content of faith, , attempted distinguish priestly , prophetic roles within practice of american civil religion, preferred call public theology. in civil religion in america, 1967 essay, bellah wrote civil religion in priestly sense institutionalized collection of sacred beliefs american nation. bellah describes prophetic role of civil religion challenging national self-worship , calling subordination of nation ethical principles transcend in terms of should judged. bellah identified american revolution, civil war, , civil rights movement 3 decisive historical events impacted content , imagery of civil religion in united states.


the application of concept of civil religion united states in large part work of sociologist robert bellah. identified elaborate system of practices , beliefs arising america s unique historic experience , religiosity. civil religion in u.s. protestant brought in catholics , jews after world war ii. having no association religious sect, civil religion used in 1960s justify civil rights legislation. americans ever since colonial era talk of obligation both collective , individual carry out god s on earth. george washington sort of high priest, , documents of founding fathers have been treated sacred texts. civil war, says bellah, came new theme of death, sacrifice , rebirth, expressed through memorial day rituals. unlike france, american civil religion never anticlerical or militantly secular.



the christian flag displayed alongside flag of united states next pulpit in church in california. note eagle , cross finials on flag poles.








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