Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
The American Christian Mythology

The American Christian Mythology

Last updated on: July 1, 2021 at 8:53 am by C. Don Jones

The American Christian Mythology 2021-07-01T08:53:20-06:00 C. Don Jones

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Progress is the American mythical value. Our most cherished belief is that we are improving. It is what we want to hear. Like a patient whose condition is dire, we want to hear the doctor say we are getting better. It is an important part of who we suppose ourselves to be. We will lie to the dying person. Progress, we say, is even a Christin virtue. Many people who read my blog will proudly claim the title “Progressive Christian.” But progress is not a certainty. It is only a possibility. To ignore this fact, is to indulge in mythology and fantasy.

The American Conservative Myth

Social and economic conservatives in America are as likely to fall for this myth as any one. Conservatives opposes “Black Lives Matter” and Critical Race Theory because they want to believe the messages of both are wrong. “We had the Civil Rights Movement.” Move on! Or “we elected a Black President.” Move on! “You can’t call me a racist!” We know the arguments against these claims. But we should remember that Conservatism in America comes from the Liberal Tradition of Western Europe. (Many conservatives balk when I tell them this) Therefore, conservatives see America as progressing.

America is the wealthiest nation in the world. Strict capitalist policy has given rise to major strides in technological advancement. Industrialization overcame the agrarian economy of the South. Therefore, capitalist policies eventually would have freed the slaves without the American Civil War.

The conservative argues America’s social, scientific, and technological progress are found in free market economics and the values of family, the work ethic, and minimal government management. The seed of this progress was planted by America’s founders. Just stick with what works.

The American Prophets

American Christianity tells its’ story using stories from the Hebrew Bible. American history is told in terms of the Exodus from Egypt and the Conquest of Joshua. The New World became a Land of Promise. Salvation is primarily a personal matter. Religion itself is private up to a point.

America has prophets to warn us when we are losing our progress. The Civil Rights movement uses the story of Moses delivering the Israelites. But the words and activism of the clergy involved are more in the tradition of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jonah, and Micah.

Prophets are also found among the tent preachers and evangelists who warn the country of the danger of divine wrath from the dire sins of substance abuse, sexual immorality, abortion, and certain ideological positions. The Antichrist will be a feminist, a globalist, a socialist, a Muslim, a homosexual, and a cheerleader for anti-Americanism. Religious freedom is important while religious tolerance is condemned. Progress is approved but only within certain parameters.

Progress But Not Too Much

What happens we recognize social ills as the fruit of bad roots? We look for solutions that are radical. One cannot go back in time to persuade our ancestors not to begin enslaving Africans. We have to acknowledge that racism did not originate with black slavery. Enslaving black Africans was due to racist assumptions of Europeans. This is where Critical Race Theory and the Black Lives Matter movement are essential. We can’t change the past. Nor can we move on. Yet, the racism that existed prior to slavery continued after the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified.

Opposition to these essentials results in justification for racism in the past and in the present. America’s most recent flirtation with racist authoritarianism is the result of this opposition. Self-justification is the resulting sin of the American Christian Progressive Myth. We claim progress. Yet, we are concerned about the assumptions being questioned. And we fear where the change leads. White progressives have reservations too. These reservations keep white liberal Christians from standing for racial justice, reparations, and police reform.

The Radical American Solution

Stop arguing both sides. Oppose the desire to self-justify. Learn American History that doesn’t have to do with one of the major wars. Read the history of the American Labor movement. Stop being afraid of what might happen.

A fellow student in college was a white South African. It was April 1994. The first free elections in South Africa were taking place. Apartheid was ending. The student (in Biblical studies) sat in class fuming while the rest of us were excited. He said, “Name one African country that is not a hundred years behind!” The answer was simple – South Africa. His fear was the future we were celebrating.

Faith is radical. We do not have faith in what we know is going to happen. It does not take much faith to play it safe. Grace lets go of privilege. But these qualities are required to face up to racist assumptions to make a future that is progressive. We cannot merely identify as progressive.

Barack Obama

Biblical Interpretation

Progressive Christianity

Racism

Resentment

Previous Post

June 28, 2021

Hail Mary: Saving Paradise By Technology

Next Post

July 5, 2021 Violent Self-Righteousness From The Pulpits

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Addiction Advent Afghanistan Anxiety Ascension Sunday Baptism Barack Obama Biblical Interpretation Bigotry Book Banning BSA Buddhism Choice Christmas Church Discipline Community Conscience Conspiracy theories COVID-19 Culture Wars death cults deconstruction Devotional Divine Judgment Donald Trump Earth Day Election Day empathy Environmentalism Evangelism Exploitation of the Poor Faith False Claims fascism Fear Forgiveness Genocide government Grace Gun Violence Halloween Hate Health Hillbilly Elegy Hindu Holy Communion Holy Week Homelessness Hope Identity Integrity Islam Joe Biden John Hagee Kamala Harris Labor Lent Liberation Theology Lies Love Love as action Neurological disorders Non-Christian Religions Online Worship Original Goodness Pandemic Peace Pentecost Philosophy Preaching Progressive Christianity Racism Redemptive Violence Myth Resentment Saint's Days Satire Sobriety social media Spiritual Self Care Spirituality Technology The Kingdom of God The United Methodist Church Theology Transfigurations Sunday Transgender persons Truth Uncategorized Violence Wesleyan Working Class

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 October 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 February 2018 January 2018 August 2017 May 2017 November 2016 July 2016 June 2016 November 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 February 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the effect of the Red Horse's arrival in revelations?

Select your answer to see how you score.

People fall into a deep sleep Plagues spread across the land The sun turns black Peace is taken from the earth