On this Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful that America is not a Christian nation. Parker Palmer, a best selling author, regularly dispenses incredible wisdom in his writings. In a Huffington Post Thanksgiving article, Palmer shares why he is “grateful that America is not and cannot be a Christian nation.” More specifically, he argues that historical and present-day reality clearly show that America is not a Christian nation:
- Lack of a government established church
- Disconnect between clear teachings of Jesus and political actions
- Dominant civil religion emphasizes consumerism
- American exceptionalism
So What?
If you are an American, then I encourage you to join me in giving thanks for being a part of a nation that is not now, has never been, and hopefully never will become a Christian nation. Palmer rightly notes one of the many blessings this reality affords:
America’s freedom of religion, and freedom from religion, offers every wisdom tradition an opportunity to address our soul-deep needs: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, secular humanism, agnosticism and atheism among others.
Will you be giving thanks today that America is not a Christian nation? Why or why not?