The Non-prophets

Civil religion as a gateway to Christian nationalismReligion News Service, By Beau Underwood and Brian Kaylor, on June 25, 2024https://religionnews.com/2024/06/25/civil-religion-as-a-gateway-to-christian-nationalism/The discussion begins by questioning the significance of Christianity in American life. Historically, politics and Christianity were intertwined, but the conversation aims to explore whether this remains true today or if it ever really was. Eli Slack introduces the concept of civil religion, which refers to the quasi-religious loyalty and rituals found in American political life.A pivotal moment highlighted is from 1954 when President Dwight Eisenhower signed legislation to add "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. This change, inspired by Reverend George Dougherty's sermon, aimed to distinguish American Christian democracy from Soviet atheism. Dougherty controversially labeled atheists as "spiritual parasites," yet today, 21% of Americans claim no religious affiliation. This significant shift