Andrew Sandlin has recently posted this about American exceptionalism, and since he mentioned me (lumped in with Obama and McLaren, ouch), I thought I should say something.
Of course I have no problems whatever with an appropriate patriotism, qualified as Andrew qualifies it. I made similar points in the post to which Andrew links. Americans have been greatly blessed, exceptionally blessed, and our gratitude really needs to be commensurate with those blessings.
But why call this honest form of patriotism exceptionalism? The point seems to be that the adjective American modifies the noun exceptionalism, and what we have in this regard is therefore out of the reach of others. I agree with Andrew that the Christian faith must be culturally embedded and embodied. I also believe that it will be — in every nation. But when that postmillennial wahoo time is finally fulfilled, what will be the status of American exceptionalism then?