Democritization of American Christianity

Recently i wrote a rather short critique of CH. 4 of Nathan O. Hatch's book Democratization of American Christianity for my restoration history class. . . SO. . . Here she be. . .


Democratization of American Christianity


While I found this article to be extremely helpful in adding to my understanding of the early trends of not only the beginnings of the restoration movement, but to the early American church as a whole- it did raise some concerns on my part. The early thrust of the restoration movement seems to me to simply have picked up on the ideals of the current political movement of their day.

The main concern of mine is the fact that the early history of the American church was steeped in rugged individualism. This individualism is at the very heart of American culture and has done nothing but grow over the last two hundred years. There were many good and beneficial things coming out of this attitude- for one the discovering of America, also the revolution, the settling of the frontier (if you can call that a good thing considering the atrocities that were committed in the name of “manifest destiny“) and innumerable advancements in all areas of the world in which we now live. Indeed we are very indebted to this philosophy of life that is still held as a heroic lifestyle, however, there have also been some consequences, the magnitude of which has not completely been realized as of yet.

In my opinion this article highlights simply the rebellious nature of the ‘founding fathers’ of the Restoration Movement. Our author notes in the opening line that these religious movements and our government all “took root in the same soil”# stating simply that the ideals that pushed Americans west, and created this democracy, all grew out of this same idealism. He states, “Scholars have generally viewed stones beliefs as the product of the rough and tumble context of the frontier and of the rampant emotionalism of the Great Revival.”# We should of course be thankful to this idealism for its rebellion against un-biblical and tyrannical forms of church leadership at the time, and for the founding of great religious movements. However, this attitude brought about some rather questionable conclusions. An example at first glance would be their opposition and overthrowing of church leadership, “placing laity and clergy on equal footing and to exalt the conscience of the individual over the collective will of any congregation or church organization”#. This tenet among others, while freeing the individual to challenge hazardous and unbiblical ideals, chips away at the authority of the church and of church government. Potentially creating a form of ‘feel good’ congregation, immune to church discipline and organization. They called for an “abolition of organization restraints of any kind” and to “impose any form of government upon the church . . . Should be justly abandoned by every child of gospel liberty.”# This ideal to me stinks of nothing more than a desire to rule oneself - free from the accountability and directing of the body of Christ. This may however not be the case and simply our authors misconception that he portrays in this article.

I do believe that some of the ideals that our fathers here rallied around set up for us this belief of the ‘Divinity of Democracy’. Holding the idea that our government now forces on others, that the philosophy of democracy as we have it is an institution and an inerrant gospel that must be realized by all in order to a humane, Christ honoring individual or government. This ideal has led to preachers, evangelist, and missionaries tacking on the system of democracy to the message of Christ. Causing many eastern non-Christians to associate Christianity with the west and democracy, thus wholly opposing both systems. This rallying around democracy and pushing of this form of government as part of Christianity has been a detriment to the ‘power-under’ mindset of the kingdom of God.(See Gregory A. Boyd The Myth of a Christian Nation) it seems to me that ‘No Creed But Christ’ may have also picked up the preaching of democracy as well. This however is not saying that we should pick some other governmental system to model our communities by, but to simply be different than the nations we see around us. Choosing only to live and preach that which we see being lived and preached by Christ and the apostles.