Brian M Downing
Religion was once central to family, community, and nation. The three formed a coherent whole. The new land created a covenant for a free, devout people. Religion and patriotism were, as Robert Bellah put it, fused into a civil religion.
Both religion and patriotism have declined significantly in much of the country as secularization, prosperity, diversity, and missteps added up. Those who remained faithful feel looked down upon for being out of step with the march of time. They see that march heading toward decay and yearn for another Great Awakening.
A sexual revolution began with World War Two. Men were away from home, family and community had less stability, norms loosened. The process continued after 1945 and accelerated in the 1960s. Music and film led the way. Nuanced allusion gave way to explicitness. Competitive forces in the media drove things faster and faster.
The faithful know little of social constructs but do know that sexual identities are clear at birth and can be easily verified. The gay rights movement has grown in numbers and power. The quest for tolerance of a lifestyle has brought grotesque public celebrations of it.
The faithful see the laws of God pushed aside by fallible legislators, presidents, and justices whose heedless actions are weakening America. Any tragedy that befalls the country – a hurricane or earthquake or flood – is a judgment and call for return.
The Religious Right has been well-organized since the late 1970s when they mobilized resources and put them to work. They reaped the surprising election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and later the practically miraculous Trump victory in 2016. The latter’s mission was curtailed by machinations in 2020. Further successes at the ballot box and in the Court will set the stage for a return to the civil religion and moral order of the early Republic.
If a chosen leader has flaws, their readings of Scripture tell them that the same was true of Saul, David and Solomon. Of course, the same held for Aimee Semple McPherson, Billy Swaggart, and Jim Bakker.
©2024 Brian M Downing
Brian M Downing is a national security analyst who’s written for outlets across the political spectrum. He studied at Georgetown University and the University of Chicago, and did post-graduate work at Harvard’s Center for International Affairs. Thanks as ever to fellow Hoya Susan Ganosellis.