I believe I have done more than my share of trying to damn and blast the idolatrous notions of American exceptionalism. Americans have ten toes like everybody else, Americans put their trousers on one leg at a time like everybody else, and Americans have crooked little hearts like everybody else. The Founders were exceptional men in that they crafted a form of government which recognized the fatal similarity that exists among all the sons of Adam, and as long as we remembered the reasons for our particular form of government, things were reasonably stable and healthy.
Thus far what I have argued before. All the contemporary arguments I have seen on the right for what they call American exceptionalism are arguments that miss this crucial qualifier.
But having said this repeatedly, what I want to do here is distance myself from those on the left who do not understand that their form of contempt for things American does not constitute a wise alternative to idolatry at all. Those are not the only two alternatives. If someone said that you must either worship your mother or despise her, we would see the problem immediately.
America has been exceptionally blessed. We are in the midst of frittering those blessings away. We are hell bent on forfeiting them as soon as we possibly can. But the prodigal son would not have been repentant if he had tried to deny that he had money from his father to burn. He was misusing what he had been blessed with — but the blessing was still real.
Those who misuse American exceptionalism try to pretend that they are the only ones in the world who have had these blessings — which means that they will not learn the lessons of history when it comes to the abuse of blessings. Those who recoil from an ordinary and humane patriotism, as is common on the left, try to pretend that there have been no blessings at all — and thus they don’t have to worry about stewardship of blessings either. If everything we have was stolen from Indians in order to rape the land, then it doesn’t make sense to think of our responsibilities in terms of stewardship.
Â
When it comes to the patterns of history and the temptations of fallen human nature, America is not exceptional at all. Read the story patterns of history — the rise and fall of empires and great nations is one of the oldest stories in the world. Now when it comes to the current roster of the United Nations, I would rather have my grandchildren growing up here than anywhere else. But in growing up here, they have to learn to appreciate what they have been given, and what their responsibilities are in preserving it, so that they have something to pass on to their grandchildren.
This will not be possible for them to do unless America acknowledges Christ. Our exceptional status does not consist of being able to be saved without a savior. Our president, our Supreme Court justices, and our congressional leaders must all kiss the Son, lest He be angry. If His anger falls upon us, then we will perish in the way. Will we have the privilege of having that anger be exceptional? No . . . it is as old as dirt.