Below are two clips with distinct views of religion in the American founding. One comes from a decidely Christian perspective, the other from a leading historian of the United States in the era of the Constitution — some might call it secular (I prefer learned).
How Religious Were the American Founders?
The issue worth raising here is not whether the U.S. is a Christian country. It is instead what role regeneration plays in the interpretation of history, specifically the history of American independence and nation building. Do Christians, by virtue of regeneration, have more insight into history, can they interpret documents and events better, than non-Christians? Or could it be that faith actually makes one predisposed to overlook contrary evidence?
My own view is that the clip by Gordon Wood is far more accurate in weighing all the evidence about the founders than the views of David Barton. What is particularly interesting is that Wood is very kind to Baptists and Methodists, and acknowledges the importance of revivalism and evangelicalism to the new nation. He is not hostile to religion.
But for many Christian culture warriors, such concessions are not good enough, and supposedly Wood has an axe to grind because he won’t go all the way and recognize the orthodoxy of such founders as George Washington.
Meanwhile, some may want to chalk up Wood’s ability as a historian to common grace. I myself prefer to attribute it to his own vast knowledge of the American founding and the amount of time he has spent reading the sources and subjecting his arguments to peers in the field. In other words, I think Wood is smart.
Did he get those smarts from God? I believe he did. But he also used them well. I am not sure that Christian apologists for a Christian nation use either their smarts or their illumination as well.
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You seem to not want to see or are not able to see the larger picture of God’s providence in history.
Careful now, divining providence goes straight against Dt. 29:29 and Belgic 13:
We do not wish to inquire with undue curiosity into what he does that surpasses human understanding and is beyond our ability to comprehend. But in all humility and reverence we adore the just judgments of God, which are hidden from us, being content to be Christ’s disciples, so as to learn only what he shows us in his Word, without going beyond those limits.
“The issue worth raising here is not whether the U.S. is a Christian country. It is instead what role regeneration plays in the interpretation of history, specifically the history of American independence and nation building.”
I won’t even pretend to be an expert on American History, though I’ve found it of interest for quite some time and have studied it for enjoyment (not academically) for a while. My goal, rather, is to address the question regarding the role of regeneration in the interpretation of history.
Good historical interpretation requires, at least, three things. (I know its more nuanced than this, but for the sake of a blog…) It requires an understanding of the time period, the author, and the original writings by said author. Its safe to say that the ability, therefore, to interpret history is not exclusive to a Christian. In other words, you don’t have to be a Christian to understand any of those pre-requisites resulting in solid historical interpretation.
However, dgh, is there not an added depth to the interpretation as one who has been regenerated? Or, maybe to ask it another way, do you (dgh) think historical theology is a legitimate discipline?