American Christianity in Crisis?

In his masterful book, The Prophetic Imagination, Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann suggests that there are three noticeable characteristics of King Solomon’s Empire, namely: Affluence, Oppressive Social Policy, and Static Religion.

Regarding affluence Brueggemann suggests that when the royal elites are satiated (full bellies) the plight of the rural subjects becomes less and less of a concern for them. In other words, as extreme wealth flows upwards to the top those on the bottom become the invisible subjects of the Empire.

This, according to Brueggemann, is exactly what occurred during Solomon’s reign as King of Israel and he suggests that we see this pattern recurring in our own time.

Insofar as oppressive social policy is concerned, the few lived quite well as the result of the labors of the many. In other words, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer—the economic system was rigged back then as well (labor and taxes). The many made it possible for those on top of the food chain to live very well.

But here is the genius of Brueggemann’s insight:

None of the above would have been made possible had not Solomon co-opted the religion of Israel and her God (Yahweh) into the royal landscape.

In other words, Solomon built a magnificent temple in which the God of Israel resided as the royal or imperial deity of the kingdom. This was pure genius!

You see, if you are the King, or the Prime Minister, or the President and you desire to legitimate the political and social policies of your kingdom or nation then the best way to do that is to provide divine sanction or legitimization for all your policies—economic, political, social and military.

In other words, to say it bluntly:

Your god must assume your own national identity for this to work.

Solomon was crafty to be sure. He knew that if he could harness God in the national temple in Jerusalem then perhaps God’s sovereignty would be limited to the whims of the king.

We mustn’t think that this kind of royal strategy was impossible for such a prominent Biblical character as Solomon. Not only was it possible it became reality and it serves to warn us in our own times against such a dangerous strategy of mixing the goals of the king with religious faith.

In such a context God became beholding to the whims and wishes of the royal house of Israel. As Brueggemann further suggests: “Now there is no notion that God is free and that he may act apart from and even against the regime.”

Now all of this says more about Solomon and his royal subjects than it says about God. Surely we know that God would never allow himself to be contained in a nationalistic temple religion whereby he can only act in accordance with the permission of the king. I realize that all this sounds absurd, but it was indeed Solomon’s strategy in building his empire—and it worked!

But perhaps it isn’t as far fetched an idea as it first appears.

Haven’t we in America co-opted God into our own nationalistic vision of what we want America to look like (mostly like ourselves I would argue)? When we enter our own temples of worship (sanctuaries) are we not confronted with the symbols of both the nation and our Christian faith standing side by side (the American Flag and the Cross)?

Do we think nothing of printing “In God We Trust” on our currency or evoke God’s name in our nationalistic Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag? Most do not in fact, it’s what good Americans do, right?

Is this not a blending together of Solomon’s kingdom and Israelite temple religion for the purpose of legitimating our national identity, not to mention our domestic and foreign policies?

Does not such a religious-political arrangement help justify our wars (aren’t all American wars just?) and legitimate our economic policies that favor those at the top while not addressing the real issues of those on the bottom (therefore we can legitimately claim that the poor are poor because they are lazy, or choose to be and refuse to work)?

Does not such an arrangement legitimate our willful rejection of the Biblical (I say “Biblical”) injunction to welcome the immigrant and the stranger? I mean certainly God, being the good American deity that he is, does not find favor in those who are uncredentialed tribal members.

I realize these issues are complex and difficult to resolve. I am not suggesting that there are clear simplistic solutions to the many problems facing our nation today in a rapidly changing world.

But I am suggesting that God cannot and must not be co-opted into the great American experiment in ways that engender American exceptionalism at the expense of other nations nor to extend special favor to the ruling class.

The separation of Church and State was a grand Jeffersonian ideal that we cannot sweep under the rug of history. We should not hope nor aspire to turn America into a Christian theocracy. I refuse to embrace such an idea.

Moreover we mustn’t support our government leaders in their attempt to co-op our Christian faith into their political agendas and strategies.

Once we do I suggest that we will see a remix of Solomon’s Empire!