This is the DeSoto Hotel in Galena, Illinois, where Priscilla and I stayed a couple weeks ago. Abraham Lincoln once delivered a speech from the balcony (prior to his presidency), and Ulysses Grant made the hotel his presidential campaign headquarters.
Reflection
Happy 4th of July! Today Americans celebrate the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on this date in 1776.
Perhaps no US president relied on the Declaration of Independence as the basis of his political thought and practice more than Abraham Lincoln. In fact, his commitment to the Declaration explains how he handled the issue of slavery during his presidency.
The esteemed historian Allen Guelzo makes this argument. I have long been a fan of his work—particularly his books Gettysburg: The Last Invasion and Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President. Formerly, Guelzo was a professor of history at Gettysburg College. Now he is a distinguished research scholar at Princeton University. I heard Guelzo talk about Lincoln’s commitment to the Declaration on a recent podcast interview, and it is a summary of ideas contained in his most recent book: Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment.
One of the most accessible pieces of evidence for Lincoln’s commitment to the Declaration is his “Gettysburg Address.” Most Americans can quote the opening words: “Four score and seven years ago.” He was referring, of course, to 1776 and the Declaration of Independence. Then, he immediately summarizes the ideal of that document, stating that our fathers were “committed to the proposition that all men were created equal.”
Why, then, did Lincoln’s “Emancipation Proclamation” allow slavery to continue in the border states (Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland) that were faithful to the Union?
This question has long puzzled students of American history. But according to Guelzo, it should not. He suggests a simple answer. Lincoln was against slavery, but he could only justify banning it in the Confederate states because he viewed it as a wartime strategy that he could enact as Commander-in-Chief—a provision in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution. Although he wanted to see slavery end, Lincoln did not want to over-step the bounds of the Constitution. He believed a constitutional amendment was the best solution to ending slavery in the United States.
Perhaps it is wise to follow this brief history lesson with a bit of reflection on the difference between patriotism and Christian nationalism. I believe followers of Jesus can engage in the former but not the latter. Of course, there is disagreement over how we define both approaches. Some even conflate the two. Here are my working definitions of each approach.
By patriotism, I refer to the love of our country and home, rooted in the recognition that this is the where God has placed us on this earth. At its best, patriotism means that Christians will pray for their leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-2), submit to their governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7), and seek its peace and prosperity (Jeremiah 29:7 in which God’s instructions to the exiles in Babylon serve as a model for us).
By Christian nationalism, I refer to the conviction that our country has been raised up by God to play a central role in the advance of his kingdom, meaning that we must do all that we can to maintain the power of our nation in the world and restore it to its Christian heritage. Functionally, Christian nationalism relies more on political solutions rather than on proclaiming the gospel and living gospel-centered lives.
Yet we will do well to remind ourselves that the America is NOT the city on a hill to which Jesus referred in Matthew 5:14. This city on a hill is a reference to the people of God—specifically, the followers of Jesus.
On this Independence Day, I celebrate the freedom we have in America, even as I grieve our nation’s decline. Quite frankly, both the Republican and Democratic parties and their presidential candidates are a mess, and I have no confidence in either one. My hope is not in making America great again or building back better. Now I’m not saying that I do not wish for America to be great or better. I’m simply saying that this is not where my hope rests. My citizenship as a follower of Jesus is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and my hope is in the kingdom of God.
So, while I pledge allegiance to our nation’s flag on this Independence Day, I do so as one whose ultimate allegiance is to Christ and his kingdom. That is where I have put my hope, believing that it will make me a better patriot and citizen here in the USA.
Personal Update
This is a quiet week at home for us before our travels resume. Next week I will teach my final class sessions of the summer semester for Western Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 11-12. Then, we will fly to Montana where I will preach at Dry Creek Bible Church in Belgrade on July 14 (I served there as senior pastor for 14 years!) and then speak at a week of Family Camp at Clydehurst Christian Ranch on July 15-19.
This Sunday, I will preach at Center Church here in Libertyville. They are in a sermon series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and they asked me to preach Matthew 6:16-18.
The book I read this week was Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer. I’ve read several of his books previously, and I regard him as a fine journalist and writer. This is one of the first books he wrote, and it’s a riveting account of a young college graduate from a well-to-do family on the east coast who gave away his money and pursued a nomadic lifestyle, living off the land. He trekked up and down the west coast and ultimately traveled to Alaska where he died during an adventure “into the wild.” I couldn’t help but think that everything he was searching for, in his Henry David Thoreau type quest, is found only in the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ.
Grandkids Corner
Our twin grandkids, Mila and Jameson (2 years old), continue to entertain us. A couple Saturdays ago, we attended the Libertyville Days Parade, and the twins’ parents gave them buckets for the candy that would be thrown from floats. However, they decided to use their buckets as hats rather than as candy containers (photo below).
Their folks also took them on the carousel. As you know, it’s a fairly tame ride. But when it was over, Jameson said to his mom: “No like it!”
The other thing that has us laughing is that Jameson calls his dad “Uncle Manny.” The reason is that he hears his cousins calling his dad “Uncle Manny.” He likes to do everything his older cousins do. So if they call his dad “Uncle Manny,” Jameson does it too.
Thanks for reading. Have a happy 4th of July and a good weekend!
We have been to Gettysburg eight times. It is only two hours from us. I've been a history nut since childhood, majored in history, and almost became a history teacher. Guelzo is a favorite of mine, too. He has a new book about the battle: "Voices From Gettysburg" that arrived while I was at UVA's medical center for 10 days. I'm better now and just taking a look at it. I've been home three weeks now. Improving slowly, although Lisa says I am doing so much better than I think. I had a close call! The Lord is good!