God and America’s Wars
Chapter One
The Religious Roots of America and Her Wars
The “Old” World Soil
Most
people reading this will identify the nation of the United States of America
with the term “America”. But the name “America” is much older than the U. S. A.
That term for all of the lands opened by Spain and Portugal’s voyages of
discovery was in use centuries before the “Founders” of the United States of
America conceived of our new nation. The religious roots of America and her
wars are entwined in those centuries. Other soil for these roots involve
British political and religious history. Another set of factors is the
international relations within Europe at the time.
After
Columbus’ sailed across the Atlantic in 1492, the pope divided responsibility
for “America” between Spain and Portugal. England, which soon there after,
declared her religious independence from Rome, was not inclined to accept the
pope’s decision. English monarchs after Henry the 8th. did not see
the pope as the “Vicar of Christ” rather they called him, “The ‘Whore’ of
‘Babylon’” and identified him with “The Anti-Christ”
Spain,
Portugal and France were England’s rival powers in Europe and in the grab for
lands in the “New World”. The fact is all of these rivals were Catholic while
England was protestant. England, especially after Spain attempted to mount an
invasion with her “Armada”, felt she was being out-flanked. So the English
throne took an interest the colonization of America to counter-balance the
power of her European rivals.
The
other soil for America’s religious roots are found deep in British political
and religious history. After Henry the 8th. replaced the pope’s
leadership of the English church with his own, he did not define the nature of
the English church. Mary, “Queen of Scots” even tried to reconnect the English
Church with Rome. It did not work for most English citizens saw being Catholic
as being disloyal to God, their monarch and the English nation. Even if most of
the English accepted that their nation should be protestant that did not settle
the question of what kind of worship and theology should prevail. The English
Civil War may have been provoked by Charles I’s personality, but it was largely
religious issues, which fueled it.
Whether or not the
worship-leader should wear priestly robes and other vestments or an academic
robe or no distinctive garb at all, was one hotly debated question. Another
issue is whether worship should be an enactment of the sacrifice of God’s Son,
Jesus Christ with the transubstantiation of the communion wine and bread into
the blood and body of Jesus centered around an altar or the “Lord’s Supper”
memorialized around a table. Should communion be an occasional event with most
services centered around the “Word” from the pulpit was also a topic of
contention. Lastly was the issue of how much control individuals and
congregations should have over their religious life and how much national
uniformity should be enforced.
Some issues, which
seem to be only political, have religious roots. One question involves the
relative power of the British Parliament and her monarch. If England’s anointed
monarch rules by “Divine Right” why does he or she need the cooperation of the
people representative? Answering that question wrong cost Charles I his head!
Since the bulk of
settlers which came to the thirteen colonies, which would form the core the
United States of America came from the British Isles this issues formed the
religious roots of the new republic.
“New World” Plantations
Jamestown
Planting the Flag for the Faith and King
The
international situation in which England found herself being “Out Flanked” by
hostile Catholic nations pressed British into action. After failing at Roan-oak
Island, to establish a permanent settlement, English Protestants planted a flag
for King James and a church for their faith in Virginia.
A “Calling” to Bring the Light of the Gospel to the Natives Who Lived in Darkness
One
of the stated motives for the establishment of Jamestown was bring the light of
the gospel to the natives who lived in darkness. Efforts were made without much
success
Separating Church and State
Much
later in the history of Virginia, there was a move to allow more religious
freedom for Baptists. To some degree, that involved the disestablishment of The
Church of England.
Plymouth
An Errand into the Wilderness
The
Congregationists who landed on Plymouth Rock saw their task in the new world of
creating a pure society and church which would serve a an example to the “Old”
England and be imported back to the home country,
Remaining
English and Faithful
The
Pilgrims, which had spent years in Holland to the point that their children
were becoming Dutch wanted to remain both English and faithful to their
non-conforming and separatist faith
Fighting the Unredeemable Natives
Relations
with the natives degenerated in war. So many Northern American Settlers decided
Indians were like the Canaanites in the Old Testament “Promised Land” and
should be wiped out
Boston
A “City on a Hill”; A Puritan Endeavor
I think John Winthrop
words speak for thenselves. “For we must consider that we
shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. *
(Bold type and italics added by the author of this book) So that if we shall
deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to
withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word
through the world.”
“Thus stands
the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with Him for this
work. We have taken out a commission. The Lord hath given us leave to draw
our own articles. We have professed to enterprise these and those accounts,
upon these and those ends. We have hereupon besought Him of favor and blessing.
Now if the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring us in peace to the place
we desire, then hath He ratified this covenant and sealed our commission, and
will expect a strict performance of the articles contained in it; but if
we shall neglect the observation of these articles which are the ends we
have propounded, and, dissembling with our God, shall fall to embrace this
present world and prosecute our carnal intentions, seeking great things for
ourselves and our posterity, the Lord will surely break out in wrath
against us, and be revenged of such a people, and make us know the price of the
breach of such a covenant.”
“Now the only
way to avoid this shipwreck, and to provide for our posterity, is to follow the
counsel of Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God.
For this end, we must be knit together, in this work, as one man. We must
entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge
ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of others’ necessities. We
must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience
and liberality.”
“If our hearts
shall turn away, so that we will not obey, but shall be seduced, and worship
other Gods, our pleasure and profits, and serve them; it is propounded unto
us this day, we shall surely perish out of the good land whither we pass
over this vast sea to possess it.”
“Therefore let us choose life,
that we and our
seed may live,
by obeying His
voice and cleaving to Him,
For He is our
life and our prosperity.”
It has been almost
four centuries since these words were spoken aboard the flagship of a fleet of
Puritan immigrants. But they are still true in this pastor’s mind.
Providence
A Haven for Religious Liberty
As
other plantations enforced religious conformity, Providence in today’s Rhode
Island, welcomed all
Maryland
Refuge for Catholics
As Roman Catholics were being
persecuted in England they went to Maryland
Philadelphia
Quakers and Germans
Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania were the home of Quakers and
Germans
Delaware
A Place for Swedes: Lutherans
All
of these religious motivations formed some of the foundation for the American
Revolution.
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