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Home , Theocracy, Tyrant

THE AMERICAN

By LIEMAR HENNIG

Some rnontlut ago we had a dtMllUaWn with Dr. Helmig in Kyolo which kuled far into 1M night. I' revolved around UI.4 migioU8 problema oj Ch.e UnUM Statu. on whiM IItJbjtd Dr. HlTlltig had /lOme wry original and int&ruling ideas. In the end, we aIIked him to pili down thelle idea8 on paper, and UI.4 JoUolMng articki4 the ruuU. Dr. Hennig i8 a young German min~ wlw obIained hi.ll tMological training at the univerlritiu oj Ttlbi11{1en, Berlin, Vienna, and and wlw ltaa .inu ~en a pa8tc1r in Germany arid Japan. In UI.4 yearll 1940 to 1941 he did po8lgradua~ work at the U,lwn Theological Seminary in New York and "aade an intensive IItudy oj the religiolU liJe oj America. With tJUl trained eye oj an e:Dpert, he IlaIU thing. which llIOuld never ///rib oUI.4r witora to America; a'lld hia knowledge oj Ellrope aM Japan allowed h·im to make ob8ervatioM and draw concllUioM wl.·ieh lIJould be beyo/Id the line 0/ tJi8io1~ 0/ American students. Dr. Hennig retu1'Iled to Japan just beJore the outbreak oj the Pucifte war. He ill now the pastor 0/ UUI German Erongelieal Oh'urch in Kobe and ·inst·TUCtor 0/ German cultural MllIory at the KaMai Oahuin University. Hia artide duu not deal with the purely migiolU aapeet of the Protestant Ohurch ill America bIll ratJUlr with tlUl problem oj what the Protutant Ohurch hall IIUlalU to the development of America and oj tiUl American mentality.-K.llf.

HE Pilgrim Fathers who arrived in congregational principle of a church free America on the Mayflowe1' in 1620 from . But now the,r were, T had fled their mother country Eng­ in addition, compelled to form a new land because of religious oppression. society, a "body politick." They had intended to sail to Virginia, where the "Virginia Company" was offer­ THE KINGDO:U OF ing them land and religious freedom. But by an accident of navigation the The Pilgrim Fathers' small colony later Mayflower reached the American coast became part of Massachusetts. And it is far to the north of Virginia. So the here that we observe the formation of a Pilgrim Fathers, who had given no theocracy on a large scale, where thought to questions of political adminis­ was the lawgiver and the Bible the 801e tration as long as they had expected to book of statutes. For sixty years onl~' live under the Virginia Company, now church members were given the right of had to form a . They there­ suffrage. The minister was the trained fore entered "together into Il. civil body and consecrated interpreter of God's will, politick, for our better ordering and pres­ and the magistrate was its trained and ervation and furtherance of the ends consecrated administrator; and both were aforesaid." These "ends aforesaid" were: chosen by free election. The village "the glorie of God, and advancemente of church and became identical. the Christian , and honour of our While France suppressed reformation, king and countrie." while Central Europe fought the Thirty Thus it came about that the Pilgrim Years' War, and while in England ref­ Fathers brought to the shores of America ormation and social were not only a democratic church but the successful only after a long struggle in principles of a democratic state. This reorganizing the country, only America happened unintentionally. They had left could offer space in plenty to tr,r out any for America only in order to realize their kind of theocracy. THE AMERICAN THEOCRACY lSI

All through the seventeenth century where others would have 86ttled the case and later, a constant flow of people went in question by war, he is proud of having to America with the hope of establishing done it by paying a certain 8um of . a Kingdom of God there suoh as they Even the Lend-Lease Bill can be traood could not establish at home: Independ­ to this spirit. The acquisition of parts ents, Quakers, , Nonconform.ists, of the British by paying England Congregationalists, Baptists, etc. In time with the delivery of weapons practically they came from all parts of Europe. obviates any argument in the eyes of an All these religious refugees came with the American. H 80mething is paid for­ explicit purpose of establishing the King­ there can no longer be any moral objec­ dom of God in America as they saw it. tion. To the American, money This meant at the same time that, for seem somehow nearer to the Kingdom all of them, rulers were , 8uperiors of God than power politics. Better some were persecutors. This trait has remained dirt attached to money than blood to an American characteristic to this day. human hands. The overwhelming of a Thoee who had left England because of minority by money will evoke only un­ her lack of tolorance were by no means COllvinCing criticism, but the use of force tolerant themselves. In Massaohusetts, arouses the American to the utmost­ the Puritan government was so 8triot when someone else uses it. The American that Roger Willia.ms, the proa.cher of Protestant even has an uneasy conscience religious , could not be tolerated when he U8C8 force himself. there and had to flee. And others who in ~husettadid not enjoy the religious THE GREAT AW.utENOi'G for which they had come to Before the "United States" could Americr. from England, contributed to­ evolve from the colonies, one warda the founding of Rhode Island and more thing was needed: a comprehensive o.neotiout. 8ome. of the 86ttlements religious movement which went beyond ...... UDited under a written con­ the border lines of the thirteen colonies ...... the Fundamental Articles­ and which would help them to experience whioh WM bued OIl the faith that the the fact that they were not so many Bible held b1Ia a perfect rule for the little Kingdoms of God in America. but IOftI'DIDeIlt of aD men in tAwrcA, .., the one great and spiritually independent aDd J-il¥. To tbiI day. a Amen­ American theocracy. In 1733 there be­ ~~b~,~. ~ gan in the Connecticut valley the "Great Methodist will always maintain: "The Awakening" and the travels up and down Church has to be political, for the Bible the country of revivalist preachel'8 like is the perfect rule f~ faith and life. The George Whitefield. Practically every day Church's duty is to criticize the political he preached at another plaee-&Dd the government and to formulate political Americans learned for tho first time to principles." think of America as a whole. It had MONEY VS. BLOOD never happened before that someone had come from Georgia aU the way up to When William Penn, a Quaker and Boston and even farther north to Maine, heDcle a pacifist, opened up the colony of and as far into the interior as Northamp­ PeaDqlvania, he settled the olaims of ton. the 1ndiaDs, Dot by war, but with money. Dollar diplomacy is still to many Arneri­ The "Great Awakening" ended, if a can Protestante an honest way of dealing year can be fixed, in 1760. Sixteen yeal'8 with tricky international problems. The later the War of Independence broke out. strict Puritan regards money as the Its driving forces had, one way or another, honest fruit of toil. In a discU88ion, the passed through the spiritual baptism of American likes to bring forth the argu­ the Great Awakening. ment that his foreign polioy is more Down to the and the erection moral than that of other countries; for, of their state of Utah, most of the Ameri- 182 THE XXth CENTURY can states were founded as new enter­ that America has a duty toward the prises with the purpose of establishing a whole world to save religious freedom. free religious theocracy. Of course, the He may modulate this theme and, if a. founding of the different American states Jew, he may speak not so much about can be described in many terms. But but merely say "religious most of them, especially the first thirteen, freedom" instead of "Christianity," were founded with some strongly ex­ pressed religious tendency. It does not )10RAL G{jIDA...~CE change matters if this tendency was America. had no moral or spiritual separation of church and state, since guidance other than the Church. Ameri­ even this tenet was set as a goal of re­ ca·us came from every part of Europe. ligious, not secular-political, interest. A good many came not because of re­ ligious oppression at home but because of "oppression" on the part of t,heir Now it becomes clear to us why an fathers or teachers. They did not COllle American must be convinced that his into a state with ancient, well-established enemy denies religious freedom and is a social rules, but into a new society. . It is almost hopeless to try to Thus the Church necessarily became the convince an American, even a well­ foremost moral force in "the country. educated American, that people in Europe, This is one of the reasons why American say for instance now in Germany, have is in the first place a moral freely chosen their leaders and enjoy and social movement. Or, if that is freedom of . He will not believe overemphasized, we may say: Amt>rican you, because it is palt of his historical Protestantism always looks to t,he montl and political training that he himself and social inlplicatious of Christianity. stands for a kind of Kingdom of God, Continental European preaching is fal' and that therefore his enemy is an op­ more spiritual. A European attending pressor of all . The reasons for an American church is always sLU'priscd the American Government to pick out an at hearing so much polemics and what enemy are purely political or economic. he would call "political" sermons. He But such reasons a·re never quite sufficient would be surprised n.t the l;'lllall amount for an American to take up nrms. His of Biblical or dogmatic content" But to enemy must necessarily also be the address themselves to the 1110ral neces­ denier of religious freedom. Hence Roose­ sities of the times has always bt>f:ll tho velt was quite consistent when he tried to twO\yed fil'st duty of 111any American convince his countrymen that the Soviet ministers. Whether you listen to the constitution guara.nteed religious liberty average sermon today or read one that is whereas Germany was going to establish two centuries old, you are apt to think a religion with Mein Kampf as the Bihle Is this Christianity? Well, it is, but is and a sword on the aHal'. it not surprisingly close to plain moral­ Here you have the reason why aU ism? propaganda directed at America will fail But don't be surprised. Because of which does not take into consideration its flexibility, American Protestantism tha.t, fundamentally speaking, America is has always been exceedingly well able to still a religious theocracy. Listen to any discover the special moral or social needs successful American speaker. He will of its time: and by this close contact with invariably have two arguments: econom­ in the country it has ics and religion. With his economic always managed to shape the national argument he will prove that America conscience. The moral emphasis had to must help England to control the seven be strong in a cOlmtry in which no other seas, otherwise the American standard of moral force to speak of was in existence. living will be a thing of the past. And It must be added, however, that the with his religious argument he will pr~)"ve division of American Protestantism into THE _UIERICAN THEOCRACY 183 many diJIerent denominations has at all tious objection to combatant participa­ times left sufficient room for purely non­ tion in war; they even succeeded in obtain­ moralistic. genuinely religiou8 preaching. ing a far more libt>ral draft than tha,t of England, a country abounding in The situation in Europe was originally pacifists. For ill America it is possiblc to very similar. From the filth down to the object to participa,tion in war eyen if twelfth century the Church had to be, you do not belong to one of the recognized and was, largely an educational moral­ pacifist organizations or denominations istic institution. The more the state in such as the Q,nakers. Anyone may law­ Europe took over the duty of being the fully pronounce himself a conscientious moral watchman and the conscience of objector. In addition to this, the Chm'ch­ the nation, the more was the Chm'ch es soon formed committecs for the con­ enabled and forced to cling to religion sultation and defense of such conscicn­ itself and to influence consciences through tious objector;:, E\'en the Illany Chnrcheil religion rather than through the su b­ which, according to their official dOgllHl, &titute of morals. America in its mOl'll1­ are nonpal'ifist, have maintained in public religious developmen~ is still where Europe pronolUlcements t.he right of their 1IIe1ll­ was several centuries ago. In other wordS} America is still too close to the bers to decide for themselves, C"ell against the dogma of their respcctin~ fundamental task of forming a new churches. By now all the leading Ameri­ nation, a new society out of the great can ProtestlUlt Churches havc adopted migrations. resolutions which proclaim the right of CO};SO!:E!'TlOlJS OIlJ EC'l'ORS their individual members to register thelll­ selves as con~cientious objectors. Some of my most lively diseussions with .heologians in America centered CIITRCH .-\~D POLITICS around this point of whether the Chmch JJad to draw the moral implications of Even in 'crsaille,,:, the truc American ita meeuge. I maintained the view of Protestants were looking for the Kingdolll Continental , namely, that the of God, To "make the world safe for Church should stick strictly to itt! busi­ " is a political slogan. but to ness of religious preaching. By doing the avemge American it contains fur 80, the co~~ce of men will inevitably more. Even if he is not an ac-ti,'c be sharpened, 80 that each in his vocation Christian, he has in himself the spiritlla,l may see what he must do as a Christian. heritage of his fathers. Christianity is The Americans, on the other hand, main­ never just a religion, and politics are tained : The Church must tell the people never just politics. One of the strongest what it means to be a Christian. It must objections against Lindbergh has always point out the practical 8.pplications; it been that his program was nihilistic and even has the right to censor the Govern­ pessimistic-because it contained no sort ment. American Protestantism is very of Utopian or theocratic reasoning. Ko consistent in this attitude. Some Church­ wondor, for his father was a Lutheran es maintain their lobbyists in Wash­ Swede, not a Calvinistic theocrat. ington in order to influence Congressmen. In early times, Christianity did not The "Federal Council of Churches of always mean democracy to the American. Christ in America" frequently convokes Fundamentally speaking, theocra,ticthink­ consulting bodies which make direct ing is applicable to "arious kinds of proposals in connection with new govel11ment. Cotton Mather, for instance, or even press the Government for the spiritual guide of early Massa- necessary new laws. . chusett:;, C'!aimed that not democracy but The most exciting exa.mple was the new arL<;tocracv was tbe most Christian form draft la.w, promulga.ted in August lfJ40. of govel'lti'nent. "Democracy," he wrote, The Churches were not only a.ble to .. I do not conserve that God did ordcyne achieve the legal permission of conscien- as a fit goyernment eyther for the church 184 THE XXth CESTURY or commonwealth. If the people be absolutel\" noncontroversial. When he governors, who shall be govemed? As had £inis"hed reading, he said no more. for and , they are But he won. He won with suoh a small both of them clearly approved, and margin that it is a safe assumption to directed in scripture .... Endeavour say that this last speech won over to after a theocracy as near as might be, to his side aU those who were still undecided. that which was the glory of , the This last speech, tbis simple over peculiar people .... Assist the magis­ the radio, was so impressive that the trates in checking the dangerous drift Willkie followers had to admit: it was too towards a democratic organization of late to outdo Roosevelt this time. church and state." There can be little doubt that ROOBe'­ "Vhether aristocl'llcy 01' democracy: velt is well aware of the particular way American Protestantism has always been of American theocratic thinking, and hi~ convinced that the form of its govern­ use of Christian phraseology is a shrewd ment wa.'! the mORt scriptmal form of political method. He never forgets to government possible. remind hi::; country and the world of the faet that the first duty and obligation of HOW TO BECO~IE PRESIDE~""T the Western Hemisphere is always to E,.-en today, conceptions of godliness help God make mankind as decent 8S are of extreme importance in political America. The " manifest destiny" of elections, especially in connection with America to construct a better world has the presidential campaign. During the always been understood as a semireligious months preceding the election in 1940, destiny. And Roosevelt never forgets Willkie managed now and again to be this. Not muoh appeared in the papers photographed shllking hunds with the about the Atlantic meeting between pastor of thc church he visited that Churchill and Roosevelt, and even less particular Sunday during his campaign in the newsreels. But you could certainly travels; and Roosevelt was careful to be read about the "beautiful " they 8e'en in churoh with his mother or his had on board, and you even saw Roosevelt son and to be photographed there as singing "Onwll.rd Christian soldiers." well. Al Smith lost the presidential UEUE~' IN PROGRESS campa.ign against Herbert Hoovor in 1928, and one of the chief reasons for his failure Oneofthe important factors in theshap­ was his handicap of being a Catholic. It ing of American Protestantism was the is an unwritten law in America that the very strong influence of contemporary President has to be a Protestant. thought upon it. As positivistio trends Of course, both 1940 candidates for gained ground in many ohurohee. the doctrine of original sin was pushed more the presidency closed their election 00.10­ paign with speciu.l reference to God. and more into the background. The old Roosevelt, as usual, by far outdid Wendell zeal of thefathers toconvertthe Willkie. For it was on Saturday night, heathen and to erect a Kingdom of God the eve of the election, that he gave his in America gained new impulse through best campaigning speech. In a very few the in the ultimate goodness of words he appealed over the radio to Man. became the leader to a everyone to vote the next day. He better life and a better society. He lost purposely said not a single word in his in importance as a savior. Mankind was own favor and did not ask people to vote no longer oonsidered to be fundamentally for him. But then he ohanged his tone corrupted by original sin. and said in a quiet, fatherly manner: For the lust hundred years, Amerioan "And now may I read you an old prayer Protestantism as a whole-in spite of I found in one of our old prayer books?" lDany exceptions-has believed in prog­ And he read in a calm, solemn voice ress, in the gradual approach of the a prayer whose content was beautiful and Kingdom of God. It is the in8uenoe of THE AlfERICA.~ THEOCRACY 186 a Jean Jacques Rousseau, painted over over by love and harmony. You can with American Protestant colors and ac­ still hear 'Emerson thoughts preached commodated to the "American dream." from thousands of pulpits in America. Eighteenth-century deism convinced He may have corrupted the Christian poople in America that somehow they had message-and American theology is only to assist God in His . And gradnally becoming aware of this-yet was it a mere coincidence? The belief in the fact remains that he is the symbol of the unchallenged sovereignty of the King the change from Puritanism to nineteenth­ of England waned, and the War of In­ century naturalism, a naturalism which dependence was fought. The English did not divorce Christianity and modern king lost his colony, but the Kingdom of sentiment. Emerson made Christianity God in America became even better the religion of even the modern American. established in the idea.is and hearts of the Whether it was still genuine Christianity people. American Protestantism, in con­ or simply transcendentalism is not to be trast to the King of England, allowed its decided here. What is important is that faithful to share in God's management of the American continued in his intention the world. The American was proud to of being Christian. know that God expected and was de­ NrEBUHR AND THE "SOCIAL GOSPEL" pending on the co-operation of America. When we turn to modern American F.~[ERSON'S PHILOSOPHY Protestantism, we hear the name of Wherf'aii the discoverv of the "laws of Reinhold Niebuhr as that of a theo­ r\ature" and the "right; of Man" as well logical leader. Today this name is known as nineteenth-century naturalism brought to every intellectual in America, and in forth a rise of anti-Christian positivism years to come it will be one of the sym­ in Europe, the American development had bolic names in the history of American a different accentuation. Here again, thought. Aside from his theological lec­ Protestantism tookthelead. The preacher tures, he has been asked to speak by , although he re­ colleges and universities all over the signed from the ministry in order to live country. I have heard him in a theo­ the quiet life of a genuine poet of Nature logical class in the morning and discussing and Man, always remained convinced that present-day politics with an opponent in he was the true interpreter of Jesus. the New York town hall and over a For was not Jesus God, having become national radio hookup in the evening. immanent, dwelling in Nature, the per­ Born in the Middle West as the son of fect revelation of the all in the one? And a Lutheran pastor who had come from is not God realized through us, as He Germany, Niebuhr grew up in an entirely wa.s in .Jesus? Is not, the reasoning German-speaking environment. He stud­ could go on, a harmonious democratic ied theology for some time in Germany society the manifestation of the Kingdom and speaks German fluently, although of God? To fulfill the laws of Nature with a typical American accent. At the thus became identical with being a "good beginning of his career and particularly Christian." during the twenties, he adhered to the Emerson's transcendentalism enabled "social gospel" and won national fame as a hero of this doctrine, a pacifist, and all America to 800 to this day in every law of Nature, in all our actions, part of a liberal. the spiritual world which became most The "social gospel" originated before apparent in Jesus. Emerson succeeded the Great War. It was then the most in the eyes of many in harmonizing the modern of the different movements in Christian gospel with the new naturalistic American Protestantism. As the Church­ sentiment. And he may be called the es in America had always considered the father of the modern American faith in practical applications of Christianity, they tlte gradual approach of a world reigned now turned social, in other words, they 186 THE XXth CENTtJ~Y discovered the necessity of reforming state of mind whieh almost no preacher society in order t.o reform Man. Sin was will be nble to hake. Tho preacher of no longer a personal problem, uut a such a congregation is accepted simply as social evil or at least the product of a pleasant und intcresting stimulus. social evil. 11 society was reformed, Man would follow naturally, Looking PROillBlTION :\1\D THE "y" back today, Nicbuhr sa,ys that the "sodu,) The "social go pel" was lal'gely re­ gospel" reduced Je us to the stature of a sponsible for the idea that America could leader of a. proletllriun re\-olt against the he converted by enforcing prohibition. rich. Of course, thcro were a IRo other rc(\ "OilS for its introduction. But no other 1H1­ SOCIALIST PHF.ACHERS tion Ul the world could ever han helil,wd The Chmches, becomillg socia.l-millded, in being able to abolish evil by aboli~h­ d.id cverything t.o create a "new envi\'Oll­ ing the usc of alcohol. Tills was typically ment,' t~) uplift )18n. Today yOIl will "social gospel"-minded: Change thc forllls hnnlly fuul IIny active church in Ame:'rica. of present-day tiociety, and you will change ;\Ian. To thi~ day the Chureh­ whic·h ha- not, ill its uaseme:'nt 01' else­ where. its oeial ccnter. It is an accepted ('- are the strongholds of a limite:'d pnl­ nue now even in Epi. copaHan churches to hiuition in sCn'ml of the states. ha,ve rcgtllar dnl1ce:'s for the yOUllg peoplo Another evidence of this type of :\IIH'ri­ -though not" of cour 0, in the church clln Clu-istinnity is the \~'lC'A. the Yuung >:Hnctlla,ry it:-;e:'lf, 111 t he basement of the Men's ClU'istian A ociation, and the Cf,r­ H,ivt'l~ide Church ill ~e\\' York there arc responding Y\\C'A for womcn. The "Y' finc bowling I\lIf'Y~ recreation room", is the only movement in Am !'iea which ping,pong tahlf's. ctc. And there is cer­ reaUv co\'ers the whole COlUltl'\'. The tain'" no church without it,; women': be t ~ place to sta\7 when tJ'a \-~Iing is 1I11xijiary and a kitchen to prepare food u ually the ·Y. 'In many town~ tll(~ for social gatherings. All these things central YMCA is a >:kyscrapcr whie" I dIer...; can be regarded us the bourgeois ('on­ anything f\'Om room Hnd board t.. ev(!­ . equonces of t,ho 'social gospel." The ning school, SpOl·t" uf any I,inrl. s0cial "social gospel" it:-clf meant far morC': it gathering;;, C'lubs, dance;.:. nnd outings. meant the explicit application of tlw The :!\ew York .. Y" has its own f'lpetric .' rID on on thc ~IOlll1t, of Biblical leach­ plflnt, find \\,11('n New York wa:" without ing, to 1D0del'll 'ocioty. electricity owing to a trike. the "y" No wonder that many followers of this was illuminatcd as u lin!. movoment turned pacifi t or 'ociulist. TlI J,; D/O 0 F J>ROSPEJUTY 1. ntil three years ago, :!\ieuuhr was n. mombm' of the:' ~ocia.list Part.\'. Other The Ureat War cUd not shattel' thi'i ruinisters turned Marxist in' mder to uf'lief in the gl'lull.1a.1 approach t',n the reforlU the world t ha.t it might be saved ultiml:lte goal, the Kingdom of (:nu 1)11 fOl' Chri ·t. And it is It peculiarity of earth. On the contrary, did not hiiltor.\' Amcrican Protcstnnti.. 1l1 that such prcach­ prove that, in ,pite of French and En~­ ers were tolerated. l nder cel-t~'lin cir­ lish treachery at Ver'SuiUes-whidl \\ as cumstances, a rich hourgeois congt'egation deeply resented by American Prott· 'Llnt, UlI\Y rea(lily call us its mini tel' a socialist. i m-"'the march is going on"? 'rhi. Tho members of such a congregation will was the timo whcn American l'1'Ot(':-IlIlIt­ regard themselvel'l as good Christiam for ism stretched its tentacles all ow'.. the tho very fact that they consent to listen world, when reports were poul'in/o( in a,gain and again to talk which is contl'llry from everywherc, especially from the t.o their own conccption of Hfe. And mi "ioll fields, t.o the effect that the this particular fecling of personal good­ whole world wa tUl'uillg tQ the ideals of noss saves them fJ'om the di comfort of democracy and C'hl'istianitv. The AIll('ri­ fooling had. This tend" to create a can was only too ready t.o regard thi· a THE AMERICAN THEOCRACY 187 a gradual approach towards a Christian no longer an active, efficient co-worker w~rld order. Thus the "social gospel," towards the coming of the "Kingdom"? the belief in gradual progress toward a It must not be forgotten that the new world order based on goodwill, paci­ American Churches have inherent in them fism, and social justice, had its heyda:r a tremendous amount of evangelicism, of in the twenties. spiritual revivalism, and of prayer. The But when, starting in ) 929, the de­ American is perhaps the most uninhibited pression swept the country, when the praying Christian in the world. I have banks closed down, when prosperity was attended scores of evening services which gone, sermons rejoicing over the gradual were conducted not by the pastor but progress of mankind rang false, and even simpl)" by college and university students. the continuous appeal not to cast away They were the same )'oung people you hope in mankind lost its relevanoy. had met the day before at the university We may subdivide this crisis into two dance, those same glamour girls who stages. The first stage was between have sueh conservative parents. Now. 1930 and 1937;38. During this time the at these services, a girl would pray freely problems at home took first place in before all the other students, and a boy everybody's mind. The average church­ would speak about his experiences with goer became somewhat weary of listening Christ. The speeches are often purely to politico-eoonomic sermons proclaiming pantheistic, they a.re "Emerson," they love and goodwill. He longcd for some­ could be Buddhist or anything else. thing else. It is fine to listen to the That does not matter much. Christianity assmances that the Kingdom of God is in America is just "religion." If only just arOlwd the corncr, if you have you talk religion. you are a Christian. money enough in your pockot and a cal' And this undogmatic form of Christianity in which to go to church. Going to gives every student the possibility of church after a week of hard work makes gaining some contact \\;th Christianity you feel good, it gives you some "vision." and t.he Church. The function of the Church in America is often described in the words: "To give ENTER THJ,: CHOrR the people some vision," that is, some One of the most important changes in belicf that all their routine and 80 often present-day American Protestantism is mcaningless work has some ultimate the switch to liturgy. People had sense in that it will produce a better, become weary of listening to sermons hnppier world. about the Kingdom of God being perfect if only the crisis were over. The FEELIKOS OF DEPRESSION' first step away was a complete revision Such sermons become somewhat prob­ of the whole service of worship. Around 'lematic if you are no longer able to take 1930 the service of the nonliturgical part in this progress, if you are out of churches was built up around a leeture­ work. What, then, are you looking for like sermon and a paid quartet of singers. m church, what is the minister supposed The higher the singers were paid, the to say to 8uoh people? Only "nice" better the churoh. The economic crisis people go to church. If I have no job, caused this concert-like institution to be I do Dot feel I belong to the "nice" abandoned. To replace tho quartet, prac­ people. I might add here that the tically every church organized its church American loves to put at least a nice, choir. Let us look at this choir: two ori8p dollar bill in the collection plate. and two in a long file, it always enters He knows that all churches are supported the church behind the congregation and by the free contributions of voluntary walks down the aisle singing the first members. It gives him the fooling: God verse, the pastor in front. M08t of the is depending on me, on my free gift. not ohurches without a good place to seat on taxes. But hoW'does he feel, if he is the choir even rebuilt their interiors. 188 THE XXt,h CENTURY

The singers are clad in robes, black or 1etP0II8 back to an Almon medieval emphaaill on the baaio sinluln_ of man •••• A firmer faith blue, the girls with some sort of univer­ in God a--I on much lea faith in hia fellow sity cape. The choir also cloees the serv­ men ...• The man in the pew la not likely to ice by walking back through the whole read [thia book] but he wiU hear about it frOID the pulpit for yean to come. church; and it may even sing the last verse of the last hymn from somewhere The "American dream" is shattered, far away behind the doors, while the not only at home, but all over the world. congregation just sits and listens quietly. "Sin rediscovered" is definitely the best All this is, of COUJ"8e, intended to give the expression for this change. "1 confess whole worship both a festive and a medi­ that between Versailles and Munich 1 tative atmosphere. underwent a conversion which involved rejection of almost all the liberal theo­ lAwJing in the liturgical movement in logical ideas with which 1 first ventured America are the Lutheran churches. forth." These words of Reinhold Niebuhr Lutheranism has gradually gained a foot­ are representative for many: liberal opti­ hold among Americans of non-German mism about the goodness of Man has be­ and non-Scandinavian descent. The come untenable. Although America still Great War was a handicap to the Luther­ believed herself to have remained funda­ an Church with its cloee connection to mentally & Christian nation, she had dis­ the German element in the country, but covered that something was wrong with at the same time it brought advantages the world. nobody could have thought of at that time. Many left the Lutherans because The time was ripe for the influx of they were afraid of not being able to postwar Continental theology. This theol­ gain a social position as such. But ogy was the result of the spiritual col­ thoee who stayed became more loyal to lapse in postwar Continental Europe, their church than anyone else. In which had completely lost its former faith America a Lutheran is always called a in the goodness of God-made Man. It "staunch Lutheran." But the most im­ had rediscovered sin. America gradual­ portant ,point is that they had to be ly became ready to listen to this new extremely careful not to have political emphasis. Strange to say, the confron­ sermons. The result was that even in tation with disturbing European problems America the Lutherans did not loee their had brought about a much more serious dogmatism. And if, at 'least in the eyes study of Continental theology. The of the general public, that was a handicap change was tremendous. American Prot­ some time ago, today it is an asset. If estantism, at least 8S regards theology, you want to hear a religious sermon, go turned from England to the Continent. to a. Lutheran church. And people no And this Continental theology happens longer want the preacher to repeat what to be written in German. the politician said the day before. One might even predict that during this war "THE DEVIL IS ON THE OTBEB SIDE" tho Lutheran churches in America will gain ground, because the trend in America Niebuhr is different from the modern is away from the semipolitical sermon Continental theologian in one respect: he and towards liturgical worship. still that the C'hristian has tho actual political duty of making direct SIN REDISCOVERED political applications, to say what is right and what is wrong, although he must On March 24, 1941, Time, under the bear in mind that hit> judgment is subject heading "Sin Rediscovered," had the to his own or his country's self-righteous­ following to say about Reinhold Niebuhr's ness. He tries to combine the "American new book The Nature and Destiny of Man: dream" with Continental theology: he still [Thia book] put8 Bin right back in the llpotlight ...• tries to convince his listeners that Ameri­ Itll significance: that America'lI moat influential theologian ill reversing the optimilltio and ration­ can politics are, even if only indirectly, alistio trend of Christian to lead his related to Christian principles, whereas THE AllERICAN THEOCIUCY 189 the devil is on the other side of the ocean. where economic opportunity is not the He preaches that America has remained legal monopoly of those national groupe more closely related to the will of God which through accident or prior aggres­ than the rest of the world, with England sion have obtained control of the bounties eeco~d. But his is no longer the old of nature." Other solutions suggested American positivi8m. On the contrary, were: state planning, wider use of oon­ it takes into account the depravity of sumers' and producers' co-operatins, etc. Man. Yet in a way this new trend may Such and similar moves by the Churches make American theocrats still more Ameri­ should not be underestimated. They can. For, after acknowledging the fact represent official or semiofficial pronounce­ that all mankind is inevitably sinful, they ments of the Churches, and they show may become convinced that theirs is the the trend which, even if UD8uooeeaful for reepoDllibility of checking the sinfulness the time being, will come to the fore of other nations. again and influence American opinion The old world conception of a Christian and politics. evolution with the gradual approach of How do Americans who have this feel­ the Kingdom of God on earth, won by ing of a world-wid~ Christian responsibility the efforts of a basically good manJrind, try to educate youth! I once stayed in is torn to pieces. But-and here comes a camp where boy and girl students, the curious influence of "American dream" picked from the country's beat institu­ Christianity-the Americans reason: there tions of learning, were assembled without may be sin on both sides, but the fact respect for nation, race, or creed. Among remains that on our side of the ocean others I met a Chinese student, the there is more willingness to bring justice daughter of an Episcopal bishop in to the world. And therefore, even as Shanghai, the daughter of a doctor who sinful Christians, we have to be loyal not had worked in the mission field in India, only politically but also spiritually to and a Japanese student who was going the "manifest American destiny" of sav­ to enter his country's diplomatic service. ing the world. Thus the whole "social In the summer of 1941, it meant a great gospel" haa enUn'ed the system of Niebuhr deal to ask me, a German, to speak in and his followers through the back door front of the whole camp about Christian­ again. ity in present-day Germany. For by that EABNEST 8EEKKR8 time it had become part of the official propaganda to say that "Christianity in But, apart from those who more or less Germany is being killed." To speak identify democracy and Christianity or about the work of the churches in Ger­ who at least maintain that the American many was in itBelf counter to the Govern­ ideals "are more Christian, however bad ment's propaganda, which claimed that they may be," there are whole denomina­ the churches over there had been closed tions and many who oppose and that therefore it was justified to help any form of Christianized self-righteous­ them by means of war to open again. ness. And between these two groupe are These campe were typical of American thoso who, since the end of the Great theocratic thought. For the harmony War, have been united in the task of between China, India, Germany, South defining something like a world organized America, Japan, Egypt, France, etc., according to Christian principles, even if besides the many Americans, existed only this means opposition to their own because everyone had come with the ex­ government. plicit purpose of enjoying the fellowship At the North American Ecumenical of the camp. And this meant that this Conference (June 1941), attended by fellowship was there because everybody more than thirty denominations of the was in the first place willing to adapt Western Hemisphere, proposals of the himself to the American way of living following type were made: "A world and thinking and speaking. The Amari- 190 THE }LXI,h CEr\TURY cans present went to great lengths in Student Body and asking everyone to theil' willingness to appreciate what the stop going to that place until the owner others had to contribute; yet the whole had agreed to give his employees better atmosphere was very much detached wages. The matter was explained in from reality. Everybody agreed that the detail, comparisons with similar places Japanese was a very good fellow. But being given. Only after having succeeded ~omehow the reality of these foreign in this matter, did the Student Body lift cOlmtries did not count. the ban. The next step may easily be somewhat a!" follows: the American goes home and ADl\IDoTJSTRATIOS, XOT GOVERNMENT says: "Haven't I seen that all nations This kind of social warfare, supported can live together in harmony if they are in mallY cases by churches, had made like us Americans? If the whole world the Americans feel until recently that wel'e likc we were at camp, if the people they did not need a· governm.ent to inter­ of other nation joined such a brother­ fere in such matters, but that all the" hoOl!. everything would be fine." From needed was an administration. Howeve~, this it is only oue more step to continue: this attitude is gradually becoming ob­ "WeLl then, it is my duty as an American solet.e, if it is not already a thing of the to help these nations to be as we are, past. For the first time in American e"en if it meaus war in ord('r to chang! hi"tory, the "third term" issue changed their ." the whole situlltion. The former con­ tinual change in the administration was S'fRLKES ASD THE CHljRCH olle reason why something like the con­ (lne Sunday morning I went to ;1 ception of a "Father State" could never lIC'gro church in Ha.rlem, Kew York. In emerge. The typical American did not thc overcrowded chw'eh I had to stand, want the government to assume any the only white man among some two kind of spiritual leadership. He was thousand negroes. In his sermon the basically opposed to relief. to public work pastor denounced the politics of Roose­ projects. His whole conception of the velt: "They say we are fighting to government being onl~r the administration make the world safe for democracy. of secular affairs and having only to pro­ They told us so lao t time. But we say: tect the pursuit of economic welfare by Fir t give us democru.cy at home! Give the indepcntlent individual seemed. to equal rights to the negro." And he "lent crumble under the impact of Roosevelt's on to tell the congregation that they had "Now Dea!." This was why million" won the strike against the bus company. ",em opposed to the third term. They The hus line passing through Harlem had did not favor Willkie, but they were refused to employ negroes, even as me­ against anytlting with the flavor of a chanics in the gar·age. 'Vho had organ­ lasting system. There is no doubt that iz.ed the strike? This vel'y church. And the coming America will concern herself it had succeeded. The preacher did not not only with the administration of eco­ mention or did not know that the strike nomics and politics but with the very had heen supported by white theological life of the people. And this will greatly !"tudents. Then, after having touched change the picture. politics and economics, the preacher 'Vhen the draft Inw was passed, theo­ ('hanged over to evangelistic preaching of logical students, pastors, and laymen the revivalist type. walked into prison all over America. Another instance: On Broadway, New Why? The theologians (lid not have to York, was a little restaurant which was serve in the army, for aU pastors are much frequented by students of theology automatically exempt from serv­ living across the street. One day there ice. And besides, could they not have was a notice on the blackboard of the registered as conscientious objectorsl At Theological Seminary, put up by the the Union Theological Seminary, out of THE AMERICAN THEOCRACY lt1 some twenty or thirty who opposed the very few of the Protestant denominations law originally, eight a.ctually took the count ohildren in their church member­ -consequences and let themselves be led ship. 24.96 per cent of the Catholic off to prison. They opposed the law as membership are children, and only 5 per osuch. They were opposed to the fact oent of the Protestant. Moreover, Cathol­ that in America it should become possible icism is supposed to have on its rolls for the state to decide over the individual. practically every baptized Catholic. It Some of them were not even pacifists. would, therefore, be more accurate to say 'They would have gone to war voluntarily, that 21 million Americans are Roman if necessity arose. But they denied the Catholics, whereas 40 million have de­ administration the right to pass such a clared themselves active supporting mem­ law at all. The government should be bers in Protestant churches. The rest, forced to remain purely an administration. not counting and about 8 per cent 'They were opposed to the formation of of people with absolutely no religioUB something like a compact body called interests, is Protestant in its inclination "state" which would in the end perhaps without keeping up active relationship to have its own WeltansclUluung. the church. These people, however, oc­ casionally go to church and in many ONE PROTESTANT BODY? cases have their children baptized and It is difficult to predict how Protes­ send them to Sunday school. -tantism in America will change during The bulk of American universities and and after this war. It may even happen colleges, and especia.lly of the classic will that the postwar days see much American institutions of learning, are closer contact between the different de­ nominations. During the last twenty either Protestant Church institutions or were of such origin. Even if today they years, many denominations have already in­ united. This process will be speeded up. are in many cases no longer direct stitutions of the Churches, they maintain Many movements within the Churches are some Church relationship; and a good. promoting these counections. Similar to many, like Haf\Tard, Yale, and Princeton, the different orders in the , have theological seminaries which are Protestantism in America will continue h.-nown all over the country as part of the will to have diverse sections. But these universities or closely connected with be considered more and more as parts of them. There are regulations as to what one working body. The churches consult, Church affiliations the university pres­ for instance, with the other denominations ident mUBt have. Columbia University, before a new church is built so as to for instance-having like the others its avoid the old type of- unplanned evange­ own university church with its university lization. This development will be en­ chaplain-has the regulation that the hanced by economic necessity. The funds president must be a presbyter in the of a good many institutions will dwindle Episcopal Church. because of the present inflation. Large individual donations will become fewer When you enter church on Sund~y because of growing . Such fac­ morning, a respected member of the con­ tors will knit American Protestantism gregation will show you to your seat. closer together. And with a growing After service, he may invite you to oome secular American JVelta.nschauung, the to the men's supper on Thursday evening. churches themselves will become stronger Because the church depends on the com­ in their religious emphasis. ing generation, the laymen are eager to interest the young folks in it. They PROTESTANT CHURCH ~1EMBERSHIP invite groups now and then to their Out of 132 million Americans, Roman privn,te homes, they arrange meetings Catholicism claims close to 21 million, even for those between seventeen and American Protestantism 40 million mem­ twenty-five years of age. The fact that .bers. It must be remembered that only the American churohes are visited not 192 THE XXt.b CENTURY only by elderly people and young children and races of this melting-pot of America_ is to a large degree due to the laymen's The C'hurches give the sense of belonging active co-operation. By this the minister together spiritually, of having 80mething is influenced on his part. He has 8S to live for, of a common responsibility. co-workers the elders, the Sunday-school No other movement brings into contact, teachers, the group leaders, and the 80 many different strata of society. Other­ "minister for ," who movements serve only one special in­ plans the whole program of social-religious terest, as, for instance, the Unions. The­ activities. There are dangers inherent in largest of them, the American this dependence of the church on ita of Labor, has less members than the­ members. The minister may feel preaaed Lutheran Church, not counting other­ to please his members even if it means denominations. not speaking out the truth too bluntly. American Protestantism is the one­ THE END OF THEOCRACY? molding principle which unites all Ameri­ Whoever went to America, from the ca. It takes into its care Man as a whole, days of the MayftotlJer down to recent with his body, , and spirit. There times, did 80 with the hope of a new life are the non-Christians, but they do not in body and in spirit. The American have any common expression of their­ continent is the common ground on which thought. The Roman Catholic Church all build, from whatever country they call be regarded &8 one member of the­ come. And because they have nothing Christian Church. Call America a great else in common, no common heritage, family with different members in it, and vcry little common history, and because you may say that the uniting spirit is the the history of Amcrica is not the history CODBCiOUSDe88 of being both American and of their own grandparents, they love Christian. America, the big continent with its rail­ In the future, the churches may grad­ roads and its highways, all the more ually lose their importance as sO<'id intensely. Besides this "America," they centers. A new American movement Jllay have only one other thing which unites give genuine expression to the "manifest them all: the hope of a new spiritual life. America,n dcstiny." This may enable­ The hope is symbomed by Christianity the American to see in the churches 8Ome­ and its impact on American thought. thing he needs and cannot find clsewhere. Seen with European eyes, there is The more America develope her expres­ amazingly little else outside of the church sions of national life, the more the churches­ which is capable of giving any compre­ will become genuine places of religion. hensive spiritual and practical leadership. They will become tree from the obligation Whether a boy looks for good companion­ of being the preachers of moralism and' ship or a man for ideals . This war and according to which to form ... its consequences may make­ community life or to bring ~ American Protestantism up his children, he will find ~ more consciou8 of the it in the first place in the I, fact that the Kingdom of local church, the YMCA, the God did not originate in summer camp. No other [ America and, moreover.. movement combines prac­ that it has not been­ tically all cln,sses, languages, realized there.