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The Concept of Civil Religion

The concept of civil religion in the United States reflected the new realities of faith in America, in particular its greater demand to justify the changes in domestic and foreign policy of the country. The need for this is overdue for several reasons: the involvement of the US in the number of military conflict in Vietnam, the importance of the issue of strengthening the position in the world, the urgency of solving racial problems, as well as deepening social conflicts. This paper reveals the concept of civil religion, and describes its presence and development in the United States, the advantages and problems of the US civil religion.

By Jessica SandersPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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The concept of civil religion (it is also called social and political) suggests the mass adoption of complex religion and political attitudes and perceptions related to the history of the nation and its destiny. Civil religion communicates society with the scope of absolute sense, promotes its self-interpretation, and functions as a symbolic structure that integrates a given community. It is operational religion of society and the system of rituals, symbols, values, norms, and forms of loyalty (Couto & Weber 57). It functions in society and ensure its overwhelming sense of unity that goes beyond all internal conflicts and differences.

The distinguishing feature of civil religion is that it involves certain relations with the government, but it is beyond the scope of this power, focusing on absolute terms. Theoretically, it justifies the power, and at the same time provides a basis for criticism of those who possess it. Civil faith must be independent of the Church in some sense; otherwise it will only be coming from the church hierarchy by legitimization of the state (Cristi 6). At the same time, the civil religion should be a true one; otherwise it will degenerate into a secular nationalism. Civil religion involves civil theology because it provides society with meaning and purpose, interprets its historical experience, and gives it a dynamic sense, uniqueness, and identity. If people reduce the content side of civil religion and present it in the form of elementary components, it is possible to say that its importance is manifested in the fact that the state uses the consensus of religious feelings, concepts, and symbols directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, to their political goals. Some commentators regard this as a “general” religious faith that is appropriate to “private” faith sectarian or denominational and denominational groups. It can count on the loyalty and support of only a small part of the country’s population. Although outwardly life of the state in which there is a developed civil religion seems downright permeated with religious symbols (for example, people take an oath on a Bible, it is written on the money “In God We Trust”), in practice civil religion results in diminishing the overall level of religiosity in the society. This is due to the need to respect its principles, which is mandatory for members of all religious faiths.

A typical example of civil religion is considered a Japanese Shinto (Reader 7). The latter was deliberately created to give spiritual basis to Japanese political institutions, in the pre-reform Japan there was no pure Japanese religion. The creators of the new religion worshiped of local deities erected to the rank of a new national cult called Shinto, and then they moved on to the creation of a national system of clergy to perform the rituals as well as to promote a doctrine, which was able to introduce Japanese people to love Japan and the Japanese Emperor.

Civil religion is viewed in the US society at all stages of its development as a unique, not torn apart by social contradictions “one and indivisible nation under God,” whose citizens are united at least in their worship tutelary country higher power (Williams 240). This multi-layered and contradictory ideological education, including the intertwining of religion and politics is a means of encouraging the conservative revolution has not stopped at the beginning of the new century.

The political culture of the United States is highly characterized by sacralization of political symbols. It is possible to find a figure of national saints—the “founding fathers” and some other presidents (Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt), in which there is often a full-fledged cult. Even unique temples, such as Washington Monument, were built by the type of pagan temples with the obligatory statue of “deity” in the center of its area. American civil religion is inherent in the cult of some sacred objects, such as the US Constitution. One of the parts of civil religion is the American messianism. At first glance, the US civil religion may seem Christianity, as it implies, for example, an oath on the Bible. However, Robert Bell noted that although the US civil religion includes many purely Christian symbols, it is not a “Christian” in a particular sense.

But the most important adding to Christianity in the USA was the implementation of freedom and democracy. Symbolically sounds poetic inscription on the Statue of Liberty in New York: “Give me all tired, all the poor, yearning to breathe the air of freedom.” It is reminiscent of the words of Christ: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Thus, the savior is not God, but the American goddess Liberty.

No less interesting are the US national holidays from this point of view. Perhaps the most solemnly celebrated holiday in America is Christmas. It is celebrated all over the place and very wide, but over time it loses its own religious Christian content more and more. Today, throughout the United States, Christmas (which is celebrated with even greater solemnity than Easter) is more holiday gifts, when people can eat, go to the guests, etc. Christmas has become a festival of the consumer of American society, which is often associated with Santa Claus and Christmas discount (Christmas falling commodity prices) than to come into the world, Jesus Christ. Consumer society is a powerful source of strength. It owns minds it affects the religious consciousness, but it is formed.

About the author: Jessica Sanders is a bachelor in English philology and sociology at California University. Jessica is currently working as one of the best writers at the Essayswriters.com She also studies feminine psychology.

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About the Creator

Jessica Sanders

Hi! My name is Jessica Sanders! I am a bachelor in English philology and literature at California University. I am currently working as one of the best writers at the EssaysWriters.com Also, I study feminine psychology.

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