The Apostasy of the American “Civil Religion”
Mel Reeves posits Reverend Wright’s liberation creed against the American “civil religion” which for all intents and purposes eviscerates Jesus’ message of universal peace and replaces the suffering on the cross with the glory of the flag. From a Christian context, replacing God with Mammon and Caesar, whether in Roman times or today, inverts Christ’s message where the meek shall inherit the earth and the rich would have as difficult time entering the kingdom of God as a camel through the eye of a needle. See the entire thesis here. Here’s Mel’s conclusion:
Ultimately what has some folks so up in arms is not that Dr. Wright was angry and seemingly hostile as many would have us believe but, rather, the implications of what he said. What Dr. Wright did more than anything was to challenge all the accepted illusions that allow citizens of all colors, sex and ethnicity to wrap themselves in a fake patriotism buttressed by a made-up religion, which prevents them from looking critically at their country and its policies.
By their fruits ye shall know them…
Even before I read the entire essay I love it. Thanks for your timely post, which happens to be my first visit. Yes, we have to talk about this thing of “civil religion” both for the benefit of our Muslim friends in the world who can’t distinguish Christianity from The United States of America and what we have done so often in the name of The Almighty, but for Americans themselves. Why don’t they teach this in school?
Thank you for boldly declaring against a mighty current, “Wright is right”. See my own post today, “What black Americans have Taught us all”.
John Paul Todd
e4unity.wordpress.com