Civil Religion: The Speeches of Barack Obama

    The American sociologist Robert N. Bellah is best known for his description and analysis of “American civil religion.” For an excellent example of Bellah’s analysis, go here. Civil religion is a sort of meta-religion in which God is invoked and concepts of right and wrong derived from religious tradition assumed. Allegiance to God and country go hand in hand in civil religion. Some people don’t like civil religion, but for most US citizens, the following words remain a cogent synthesis of the American project: “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.”

    Civil religion is at least as old as the Greek polis. It reached a zenith in Greco-Roman antiquity and again, in the American political experience. The current president of the United States, Barack Obama, weaves a tapestry of hope and change but also faith into his political discourses. In so doing Obama speaks to the center of gravity of the American political soul, which has a religious core. Analysis of his speeches and iconic gestures and even a vague acquaintance with their reception history quickly demonstrate that civil religion is alive and well in America, and that Barack Obama couches his project in terms of the age old project American civil religion exalts. 

    The second governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop (1588-1649), said it this way:

    “For we must consider that we shall be a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.”

    Here is an outline of a 90 minute module of a course entitled “The Bible and Current Events.”

Abraham Lincoln on the Bible
Barack Obama: Committed Christian
Obama, Gospel and Verse
Barack Obama’s Notre Dame Speech
A Review of Obama’s Notre Dame Speech
Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize Speech
Barack Obama’s Tucson Speech
A Review of Obama’s Tucson Speech
Barack Obama’s Prayer Breakfast Speech
A Review of Obama’s Prayer Breakfast Speech 

Clips: Video of Tucson Speech
 Video of Bin Laden Speech: One Nation, Under God, with Liberty and Justice for All

Assigned Texts: Psalm 46; Psalm 133

 Essay Topic: Obama’s Favorite Theologian: Reinhold Niebuhr
Assigned Reading: Barack Obama and Reinhold Niebuhr
A Short History of the Pledge of Allegiance

Comments

[TheraP]

Tried to comment on the previous thread but couldn't. This is a test comment.

[JohnFH]

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[TheraP]

Once I was able to post on this thread, I just went back to the prior thread and then it worked! Thankfully I had saved the comment...

[Shawshank Redemption3]

I recently learned about civil religion in one of my other classes. It was a very interesting topic that caused a great deal of discussion in my class. A lot of people did not see it as a religion but more as a large form of patriotism. The post says that “Civil religion is a sort of meta-religion in which God is invoked and concepts of right and wrong derived from religious tradition assumed” In my class we were told that Civil Religion was a religion that was made for the US so that America could have a religion and not exclude people. I think this is interesting that this post contradicts that!

[Truman Show 2]

Civil religion has been a part of America since America was founded, but the civil religion in America has been fading away because some people don’t like the civil religion. Now with Barack Obama as the president of the United States we see civil religion in his speeches when he quotes scripture, which shows that civil religion is alive and well. Like what Shawshank Redemption 3 said a lot of people see civil religion as patriotism because of things like The Pledge of Allegiance, and God Bless America has civil religion in them.

[True Grit 1]

I do agree with Truman Show 2 that civil religion has been of America but it is fading away. Most people they take other things more important to their religion. As you can see now there are not much people who goes to church and long time ago. These days the environment is changing. More and more people want to do things on the weekend than go to church and keep up with their religion. Barack Obama he does have a true and strong civil religion. Every time there is a speech going on he tried to include couple of Bible passages in it.

[Breaker Morant 2]

I believe that the idea of civil religion is a good concept, but with all the specified denominations we have for Christianity and Judaism, it is hard to define and corroborate what exactly could and would be allowed for a civil religion that would not take away from any other religion as stated under the first amendment in the Bill of Rights. While a part of me believes we as a society are getting too sensitive when it comes to religion, we must also be fair to everyone because as God says, we must treat people the way we want to be treated. I am happy that Obama seems to be bringing back the idea of civil religion. Whether people believe it or not, we should have more of an understanding and acceptance of all including civil religion.

[breaker morant 6]

It is interesting to know that civil religion is being presented by Obama. That is good to hear! But nowadays as more knowledge and ideas is on the increase, civil religion would be more less influential than before. There are not many people who go to church, synagogues, mosque, etc today. With the increase of knowledge this could cause a change in views and beliefs.
However, the definition of civil religion varies from sociologist and political commentators. But in this light of Obama,civil religion needs a place here in America due to various religions and culture.

[Pulp Fiction 4]

Civil religion is a good idea for the United States because, as Breaker Morant 2 mentioned, there are so many different religions and denominations allowed by the Constitution that we need something that can unite us all: love of country. By representing the ideals of God (i.e. freedom and fairness) as the ideals of the country, civil religion creates a framework of behavior that all Americans can abide by. At the same time, I think civil religion in America is becoming weaker. Many citizens of the U.S. no longer feel that their country is great, with all the drama between politicians as well as the extremely uneven distribution of wealth. This is making people turn more toward their own individual faith, and it’s probably making us weaker as a country.

[Breaker Morant 1]

I believe that Civil Religion is a good thing for our country. With the multiple changes that happen in our society, I feel that civil religion will help people be more accepting of others. Its good that Obama uses the idea of Civil Religion within his speeches considering he is someone that people look up to; this will hopefully get people to follow his ways and ideas.

[Praying with Lior 3]

I think this country was founded on a basis of religion in general. The thought of civil religion could very well have been created in order to be able to include God and prayer in most of our political arenas without singling out one particular religion or offending any one religion. But as someone stated above, this freedom of civil religion has been tainted and is fading out. It is sad that in this country we as Christians have to fight to keep things such as civil religion alive and defend it, while other religions being non Christian are allowed to plaster their views for everyone to have to see. How has the majority taken a back seat when it comes to religious views? The answer may the reason why this country is in the shape it is in.

[Dead Man Walking 2]

Our country was founded on religion I believe. OUr for fathers that came here were extremely religious people and they believed very much in God and his divine powers. It is even embedded in our national anthem and the pledge of allegiance. I think it is odd now days that they are trying to separate the church and state when it is what our country was originally founded on. I understand though because our country has a very diverse culture. We have many different religions and cultural backgrounds to deal with so it's most likely a good idea that we avoid those problems.

[True Grit 12]

While I agree with the idea of civil religion, overall, I find it interesting the tensions it causes within our country. In looking at the tension between the Republican party and the Democratic party, one can find harsh arguments and name-calling, sometimes even based on religious ideals. It has been said that the separation of church and state is a foundation on which our country has been built, but it strikes me as odd that this seems to be at such a disagreement with the Christian morals that the country was originally founded on. What I mean is that we, as Americans, believe ourselves to be inclusive of all races and religions, and the separation of church and state supposedly supports that ideal. However, having Christianity as a major part of our politics, in theory if not in practice, alienates those members of the country that are not Christian. How are we to have a unified country if we say one thing and do another?

[Chariots of Fire 1]

I like the quote from John Winthrop. It reminds me that people are watching how I act and talk; what I say or do affects not only myself but also the people around me. People’s opinions about God will be affected by how I live. I need to reflect God and godly characteristics and be an example.