The American religious community is diverse and significantly reflects many aspects of contemporary society. Since the nineteenth century, America’s religious diversity has increasingly been evolving, leading to increased religious pluralism and loss of religious zeal. Despite America’s vast religious diversity, the Christian religion is the most widely practiced in America. Although many people will argue that America is not a Christian nation, many aspects of contemporary America show that its foundation is based on a rich, biblical heritage.
Firstly, many government documents demonstrate that America is a Christian nation. For instance, the Declaration of Independence demonstrates America’s biblical heritage as it acknowledges the existence of a sovereign Creator (Hughes, 2021). In the last chapter of the document, the authors state that the people had “a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence.” The latter passage indicates that they relied on a divine providence to draft the Declaration and establish the foundations of a new government. Further, throughout the entire document, the authors mention God four times. Their conviction and dedication to the biblical principles compelled them to risk their lives to separate from England, which earned America independence. Therefore, the Declaration of Independence demonstrates America’s rich biblical heritage and that it has been a Christian nation.
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Subsequently, the Congressional act that passed adding "In God, We Trust" to coins also demonstrates America’s Christian foundation. Congress passed the proposition on March 3, 1865, and it illustrates the need of the founders of America to ensure the nation continues to rely on God and prayer (Lienesch, 2019). After enacting the act, several congressional acts have reaffirmed the act by overwhelming votes in 2002, 2006, and 2011. As such, the congress acknowledged America's Christian foundation and the need to preserve the biblical heritage.
Still, many argue that America is not a Christian nation. In particular, many support their assertion by citing the absence of formal ties between the institutional government and the Church (Americans United, n.d.). For instance, the First Amendment does not allow people to make laws in respecting the establishment of any particular religion. In that instance, therefore they argue that America was not a Christian nation at that particular time.
Overall, government documents, congressional acts, and the founding leaders of America clearly illustrate that America is a Christian nation. The evidence that supports the assertion are many and established compared to the opposing arguments. The historical records, therefore, show that the nation had a Christian emphasis. Christianity is truly an integral part of the success of contemporary America.
References
Americans United. (n.d.). Is America a Christian Nation? https://www.au.org/resources/publications/is-america-a-christian-nation .
Hughes, A. (2021, March 11). Amanda Hughes . Constituting America. https://constitutingamerica.org/90day-dcin-endowed-by-their-creator-the-declaration-of-independence-and-unalienable-rights-guest-essayist-gary-porter/.
Lienesch, M. (2019). "In God We Trust:" The US National Motto and the Contested Concept of Civil Religion. Religions , 10 (5), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10050340
