The Church in the Public Square in a Pluralistic Society Continuing the Discussion by James K. Gruetzner

David Adams, Assoc. Exegetical Professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, recently developed some theses on American Civil Religion. They were originally delivered in Part IV of a presentation at the Joint Faculty/Council of Presidents meeting in St. Louis on March 1, 2002. The entire paper can be accessed at the following web address: http://det.csl.edu/faculty/adams/presentations/civilevents.pdf

This response is not intended to be a lengthy discussion of his entire paper, nor even of Part IV. It is intended to encourage thought and discussion of the theses presented by Prof. Adams and the presuppositions upon which they are based. Prof. Adams' theses are numbered and italicized. My expanded theses are labeled with the corresponding number followed by a letter.

Thesis 1. American Civil Religion is the state religion of the United States of America. Thesis 1A: American Civil Religion is not a religion in the traditional sense of being a way to become right with God. Thesis 1B: American Civil Religion is better described as a combination of (1) A mode of behavior concerning religious matters; and (2) the recognition capable to natural man that God exists (Ps.19, Rom.1:20). Thesis 1C: American Civil Religion is therefore part of the Kingdom of the Left Hand. Thesis 1D: Miscategorizing American Civil Religion as a religion in the traditional sense inevitably will lead to false conclusions.

Thesis 2. American Civil Religion is now irreducibly polytheistic. Thesis 2A. Because American Civil Religion is not a religion in the traditional sense, traditional sense words like "polytheistic" can be categorical errors and misleading. Thesis 2B. "Polytheistic" does not describe American Civil Religion, since polytheism avers that there are a plurality of gods. American Civil Religion does not do this, for it generally holds to one God, while allowing for many different beliefs about God. The motto is not "In Gods We Trust" (plural) but the specifically singular "In God We Trust." Thesis 2C. American Civil Religion is incapable of describing the character of God. Thesis 2D. A polytheistic religious expression would be allowed within American Civil Religion.

Thesis 3. American Civil Religious events bridge the gap between worship and civic events. Thesis 3A. By definition, American Civil Religion events are always civil events. Thesis 3B. American Civil Religion events may or may not allow for worship in the Christian Sense Thesis 3C. When a Christian gives witness to Christ during an American Civil Religion event, Christ is presence is shown to the world. Thesis 3D. When a Christian fails to give witness to Christ during an American Civil Religion event, the Great Commission is ignored or believed to be not applicable. Thesis 3E. The commands of Jesus Christ to be a light to the world and the salt of the earth indicate His desire that Christians give witness to Christ during American Civil Religion events. Thesis 3F. "Pray without ceasing" is not negated by the presence of American Civil Religion.

Thesis 4. American Civil Religious Events are themselves a spectrum of activities. Thesis 4A. American Civil Religion events encompass a large area of activities. Thesis 4B. Events within American Civil Religion do not fall along a single axis, often can not be put into any order along any single axis. Thesis 5. Both the mission of the Church and the obligation to work for the welfare of our neighbor require the Church to be engaged with the broader society.

Thesis 6. The limits and form Church's engagement with the world are shaped by the mission imperative and the necessity of faithfulness to the teachings of the Word of God.

Thesis 7. To the extent that a Civil Religious Event is an event involving Christians of different confessions, participation in the event must be governed by the same principles that govern our interaction with other Christian church bodies. Thesis 7A. American Civil Religion event interactions are not interactions with other other church bodies, but are participations in civic life. Thesis 7B. American Civil Religion events, properly speaking, are not religious events but civic events. They must be treated that way.

Thesis 8. To the extent that a Civil Religious Event is an event involving participants from non-Christian faith groups, participation in the event must be shaped by the requirements of the First Commandment. Thesis 8A. American Civil Religion event interactions are not interactions with other non-Christian faith groups, but are participations in civic life. Thesis 8B. American Civil Religion events, properly speaking, are not religious events but civic events. The must be treated that way.

Thesis 9. To the extent that a Civil Religious Event is primarily civil in nature, participation in the event must be shaped by an appreciation of the tension between the interests of the Church and the state. Thesis 9A. Since an American Civil Religion event is civil in nature, participation in the event must be shaped by an appreciation of the tension between the interests of the Church and the state. Thesis 9B. Christian participation in an American Civil Religion event can make the event a Christian event for those Christians participating.

Thesis 10. Sometimes it is necessary to restrict our own freedom as Christians for the sake of others, and at other times to forgive those who err, and to do both for the sake of the unity of the Church and the mission of the Gospel. Thesis 10A. When the organizers of an American Civil Religion event attempt to restrict the Christian witness of Christian participants, it is no longer properly considered an American Civil Religion event, but an event of an established church. Thesis 10B. Christian Citizens of the United States have a civic duty to work to maintain American Civil Religion a part of the Kingdom of the Left Hand and not an established church. Thesis 10C. The scriptures do not tell Christians specifically how to relate to American Civil Religion. Different Christians will react in different ways based upon their different situations. In all cases, Christians should presume that other Christians are acting faithfully.

Copyright, 2002, James K. Gruetzner This document may be freely distributed via electronic or printed means, provided it is distributed exactly as written, and this copyright notice is preserved intact. David Adams retains the copyright to citations from his paper, which are included here under the fair use provisions of U.S. copyright laws