{"id":911,"date":"2024-06-28T14:08:57","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T14:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/?p=911"},"modified":"2024-10-09T17:17:43","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T17:17:43","slug":"the-future-belongs-to-crowds-the-rise-of-american-civil-religion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/28\/the-future-belongs-to-crowds-the-rise-of-american-civil-religion\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The future belongs to crowds: The rise of American \u2018civil religion\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The responses I received to the May 29, 2024, \u2018The future belongs to crowds: The rise of American \u2018civil religion\u2019 blog encompassed five strands, namely:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If the intent were to discuss Christian nationalism <a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[i]<\/a>the blog doesn\u2019t live up to expectations. The examples proffered were use of U.S. Christian \u2018heritage,\u2019 primarily cultural Christianity, to advance a civic Christianity that, melded with politics, satisfies the needs or objectives of certain strains of Christian thought as normative for policymaking at various governance levels. I used the posting of \u201cIn God We Trust\u201d or similar mottos in or around public buildings or in public places, including public schools. Louisiana\u2019s recent foray to post the Ten Commandments in classroom belies this sentiment with a ready, \u2018bring on the lawsuits,\u2019 which acknowledges the questionable predicament this places on the state.<a href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\">[ii]<\/a> Supporters see posting of the Commandments within a frame of advancing Christian principles as foundational for law.<a href=\"#_edn3\" name=\"_ednref3\">[iii]<\/a> Another point: Does this action establish a de facto state church much as the nation displaced in the late 18<sup>th<\/sup> Century or which Europe also abandoned in large part?<a href=\"#_edn4\" name=\"_ednref4\">[iv]<\/a> After all, we\u2019re told the religious were motivated to come to America because of freedom from state-sponsored religion or, at least, due to persecution for religious beliefs?<a href=\"#_edn5\" name=\"_ednref5\">[v]<\/a> A final strain is that too much can be read into Christian nationalism \u2013 within 30,000 Protestant faith\u00a0 expressions,<a href=\"#_edn6\" name=\"_ednref6\">[vi]<\/a> are we heading to internecine religious wrangling (or, maybe more)?<a href=\"#_edn7\" name=\"_ednref7\">[vii]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>While the blog focused the rise of Evangelicalism, the departure from mainline churches also occurred within a political vein \u2013 that is mainline church \u201chierarchical\u201d: support of political causes which, in the 1960s \u2013 1990s became normative despite loss of members in mainline churches. In other words, church engagement is okay as long as the political dynamic is satisfied. For another perspective, refer to Gazette-Mail Op-ed. Here\u2019s the link.<a href=\"#_edn8\" name=\"_ednref8\">[viii]<\/a><a href=\"#_edn8\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-914\" src=\"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/church.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/church.jpg 400w, https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/church-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>In that no World War battles were fought on U.S soi \u2013 exemptions provided &#8211; what about\u00a0 \u201c9\/11,\u201d which was followed by economic panic circa 2008, and the COVID-19 pandemic? The listing, including 9\/11, weren\u2019t\u00a0 \u201cinvasions,\u2019 although these events \u201cinvaded\u2019 the American political and cultural psyche, giving rise to Christian nationalism \u2013 that is, as a defense mechanism for dealing with an unchartered, scary world.<a href=\"#_edn9\" name=\"_ednref9\">[ix]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Have American values been trampled by \u2018left-thinking\u2019 ideology, institutionalized by bureaucratic and \u201cprocess\u201d government, undergirded by law, rule or judicial decree, creating imbalance and division, with progressivism falling from favor, although enjoying institutional legal or regulatory protections \u2013 protections which demand faith-based responses.<a href=\"#_edn10\" name=\"_ednref10\">[x]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Where is the nation headed? Is the U.S., experiencing the ideological divide other much-older democratic nations \u2013 \u201cOld Europe,\u2019 being the pejorative term \u2013 face, resulting in the move to secularized nationalism<a href=\"#_edn11\" name=\"_ednref11\">[xi]<\/a> with Christianity seen as a problem rather than a solutions.<a href=\"#_edn12\" name=\"_ednref12\">[xii]<\/a>(<a href=\"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/zeitgeist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><u>See Zeitgeist<\/u><\/strong><\/a>)\u00a0 Does\u00a0 nationalism, as a world-wide movement, become a pseudo-religion? <a href=\"#_edn13\" name=\"_ednref13\">[xiii]<\/a>Will the U.S. embrace nationalism as informed by civil religious tenets?\u00a0 Have we, as a people, lost faith in our institutions, which are bound by process and bureaucracy, meaning the nation, in a vexed state, wants newer solutions to address weighty ennui? What of the adage, \u2018this too shall pass?\u2019 Perhaps, although we\u2019re probably a generation or two away from the death of 1960s political thought context ungirding societal institutions.<a href=\"#_edn14\" name=\"_ednref14\">[xiv]<\/a> Has social media, in replacing conventional dissemination of information, resulted in truncating difficult, perplexing issues into collapsable \u201cbytes\u201d that make sense? Stated differently, a generation\u2019s accepted truth may be viewed differently by successive generations, meaning context is not universal. Within this milieu, emergent political leaders or functionaries must\u00a0 parse, displace or disturb\u00a0 use of conventional or traditional policy approaches, being seen as a political policy entrepreneur bearing problem-solving solutions that are inconsistent, established on norms other than data, facts, figures, statistics or conventional political rationality. Thus, is the emergent political leaders\u2019 role to embrace truths that are more polemical rather than precedent with bureaucratic institutions or customary approaches? Does the approach amount to embracing alternate policy ideals and ideologies to satisfy political base loyalists?\u00a0 This line of thought sees institutions needing to prove relevance through accelerationism<a href=\"#_edn15\" name=\"_ednref15\">[xv]<\/a> and, to borrow a phrase from the 1960s, the possible need to \u2018burn the village to save the village\u2019<a href=\"#_edn16\" name=\"_ednref16\">[xvi]<\/a> \u2013 hence, the blog headline, \u2018the future belongs to crowds.\u2019<a href=\"#_edn17\" name=\"_ednref17\">[xvii]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Finally, what about research that shows the nation\u2019s citizenry may be less divided in terms of core American values?<a href=\"#_edn18\" name=\"_ednref18\">[xviii]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Should this have been my starting point?<\/p>\n<p><u>Next time<\/u>: accelerationism within the framework of\u00a0 \u2018pseudo-authoritarianism\u2019 or \u2018pseudo-absolutism\u2019 as interpreted by entrepreneurial leaders through personified politics.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">[ii]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/education\/4733678-louisiana-law-ten-commandments-fight\/\">https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/education\/4733678-louisiana-law-ten-commandments-fight\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">[iii]<\/a> Refer to above Endnote. Also refer to https:\/\/wvmetronews.com\/2024\/06\/24\/577300\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">[iv]<\/a> Pew Charitable trusts provides this analysis: https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/religion\/2019\/04\/30\/in-western-european-countries-with-church-taxes-support-for-the-tradition-remains-strong\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">[v]<\/a> https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/exhibits\/religion\/rel01.html<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref6\" name=\"_edn6\">[vi]<\/a> Interestingly, AI-generated analysis says the figure is inflated, including a cited higher 47,000 figure. This entry from Wikipedia may be a good place to start: n.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Christian_denominations_by_number_of_members#:~:text=Broadly%20speaking%20Protestantism%20has%20four,tens%20of%20thousands%20of%20denominations.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref7\" name=\"_edn7\">[vii]<\/a> The strife Martin Luther had unwittingly unleashed led to a chaotic series of wars that would last more than a century. Throughout the 1500s, Europe\u2019s princes and kings jockeyed for power, using religion as their excuse. It culminated in a bloody free-for-all called the Thirty Years\u2019 War that raged from 1618 to 1648. While the war involved many countries, it was fought mainly on German soil. Much of the battle gear, ramparts, and folkloric reenactments tourists see today in Germany dates from this war. Casualties were devastating as a third of all Germans were killed. On the Catholic side, the pope was supported by the powerful Holy Roman Emperor. The emperor had Europe\u2019s leading army and was more than willing to march into Germany and put down Protestants. As these wars \u2014 with a mix of political and religious agendas \u2014 raged across Europe, princes grabbed for power while the people violently sorted out their deep-seated religious frustrations. Polemical; there are other sources \/ https:\/\/classroom.ricksteves.com\/videos\/the-religious-wars-spawned-by-the-reformation#:~:text=The%20strife%20Martin%20Luther%20had,raged%20from%201618%20to%201648.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref8\" name=\"_edn8\">[viii]<\/a> https:\/\/www.wvgazettemail.com\/opinion\/op_ed_commentaries\/alan-rezek-church-membership-declines-because-of-failing-clergy-opinion\/article_8adc28dc-de35-593a-a3be-e6d45f6927e5.html<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref9\" name=\"_edn9\">[ix]<\/a>https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/354236\/say-american-lives-permanently-changed.aspx<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref10\" name=\"_edn10\">[x]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/09\/26\/briefing\/me-too-black-lives-matter-occupy-wall-street.html\">https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/09\/26\/briefing\/me-too-black-lives-matter-occupy-wall-street.html<\/a> Also consider: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/15\/opinion\/progressives-california-portland.html\">Opinion | What Have Progressives Done to the West Coast? &#8211; The New York Times (nytimes.com)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref11\" name=\"_edn11\">[xi]<\/a> https:\/\/www.wcsaglobal.org\/volume-1-issue-1-2020\/the-worldwide-phenomenon-of-nationalism-versus-globalism-a-rhetorical-perspective\/<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref12\" name=\"_edn12\">[xii]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/09637494.2023.2284690\">https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/09637494.2023.2284690<\/a> An admitted long read.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref13\" name=\"_edn13\">[xiii]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/10\/opinion\/religion-republican-conservatives.html\">Opinion | Is There a Post-Religious Right? &#8211; The New York Times (nytimes.com)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref14\" name=\"_edn14\">[xiv]<\/a> We Haven\u2019t Hit Peak Populism Yet \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F23%2Fopinion%2Fpopulism-trump-elections.html&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7C4e82e375b73f4215abba08dc95653b87%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638549509225390204%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=7Ztfk8QY%2F2Uzm6XCZ97KMss5nnh9l8rkQuzumrtmTII%3D&amp;reserved=0\">https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/23\/opinion\/populism-trump-elections.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref15\" name=\"_edn15\">[xv]<\/a> By that this writer means \u2018political\u2019 accelerationism<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref16\" name=\"_edn16\">[xvi]<\/a> https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/opinion\/articles\/2018-02-09\/destroying-a-quote-s-history-in-order-to-save-it?embedded-checkout=true<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref17\" name=\"_edn17\">[xvii]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/daily-comment\/the-present-belongs-to-crowds#:~:text=The%20novelist%20Don%20DeLillo%2C%20in,and%20animated%20by%20oracular%20commentary\">https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/daily-comment\/the-present-belongs-to-crowds#:~:text=The%20novelist%20Don%20DeLillo%2C%20in,and%20animated%20by%20oracular%20commentary<\/a> (among other sources).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref18\" name=\"_edn18\">[xviii]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ap-poll-democracy-rights-freedoms-election-b1047da72551e13554a3959487e5181a\">Election 2024 Poll: Americans are divided, but agree on most core values | AP News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The responses I received to the May 29, 2024, &lsquo;The future belongs to crowds: The rise of American &lsquo;civil religion&rsquo; blog encompassed five strands, namely: If the intent were to discuss Christian nationalism [i]the blog doesn&rsquo;t live up to expectations. The examples proffered were use of U.S. Christian &lsquo;heritage,&rsquo; primarily cultural Christianity, to advance a &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/28\/the-future-belongs-to-crowds-the-rise-of-american-civil-religion\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;\u2018The future belongs to crowds: The rise of American \u2018civil religion\u2019&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=911"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":942,"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/911\/revisions\/942"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chopwoodcarrywaterllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}