The Religious Roots of the United States of America

In a previous column, we spoke of the interesting debate taking place in the United States, in Texas, regarding the educational content of the new social studies curriculum for elementary, middle school and high school and the potential impact it might have on the present and future political, social and cultural relations in the U.S.

The subject is important for several reasons related to the formation of the nation and its future citizens. It also shows the relevance that religion maintains in an era of scientific and technological advances.

In terms of comparison, the level of maturity in place (in spite of the controversy and heated passion) while discussing such a controversial topic like the roots of the founding of the nation and the intention of the U.S. Founding Fathers to create a Christian nation is an example to our country.

We also discussed in the previous column that the world continues to be a prisoner of old conflicts between the major religions, just like it was during the crusades. We discussed, as well, the existence of important revisionist trends within varying countries aimed at (not without controversy) the foundations of the nation and government with the intent to embed religious beliefs or precepts in the political foundations of governmental structures that remain secular in order to maintain the separation of state and church.

Public education is a battleground between cultural forces deciding the history that future citizens should learn and value as the essence of the nation’s future. This phenomenon is not new. What is new, as illustrated, is the reach it has. Those promoting the idea of a Christian nation maintain that the history of the U.S. is infused with religion. Therefore, they have the right to promote the truth through education. They claim it is an infallible and irrefutable argument, even if you take a secular and liberal position.

However, the U.S. is becoming more and more pluralistic, multicultural and diverse, so to say that the government and the nation have only Christian roots is controversial, to say the least.

Throughout the decades, numerous studies have shown that the United States acts in the international sphere as an exceptional nation whose mission in the world is to serve as a guide. This mission has almost always been defined in terms of ideas approaching guidance by a divine order. This, of course, pleases those groups claiming a religious base in the formation of the modern nation because, to them, Christianity is the force behind the greatness of the U.S.

It is interesting to note that, for these groups, there cannot be a formal separation between church and state, since this concept is merely an invention of modern secular society. Furthermore, they point out that there is no evidence of this concept in the Constitution or the First Amendment. Historians who support this view call attention to correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, in which Adams suggests to Jefferson that the country’s independence was obtained on the general principles of Christianity.

The opposite side maintains that it is undeniable that the founding fathers had deep roots in religion, since they were major heirs of the European tradition of Christianity. However the possible influences of the Enlightenment, whose rationalism called for the separation of faith and reason, cannot be ignored. Personally, I feel that this is the strongest argument, shedding light on such a controversial and passionate subject.

This debate might seem irrelevant for the general public, but it illustrates the fundamental importance of public education and the delicate balance between intellectual freedom and public duty such that educational content has to be guarded in respect to the formation of new generations of citizens.

Without a doubt, new generations will have the power to define political, social, and cultural processes to address the issues they need to face. Their educational and cultural background (like all other generations) will guide their decisions and initiatives toward forming social equilibrium.

Therefore, debating about the history of a country is synonymous with thinking about its present and future, especially in our situation as we prepare to celebrate two hundred years of national history. The lesson is worth learning, even if it is only for comparative purposes.