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| Spengler: Abraham's promise and American power |
| 2005-02-10 |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #2 The thrust of his argument strengthens my often-stated view that the United States represents a radical discontinuity with Western civilization - that is, with the blend of Greek philosophy and Hebrew ethics created by the Catholic Church - but rather represents a Hebraic throwback. (Which Spengler for some reason refers to as the Judaizing heresy.)snip Conclusion: No one is more astonished at the mass of political analysis devoted to them than US evangelicals themselves, who busy themselves with school board elections, recovery from substance abuse, supporting troubled families, and other worthy ventures. Evangelical Christianity is not a political movement, quite unlike the 17th-century Protestant Separatism that set out to found a New Israel. The present "Great Awakening" cares about pornographic fare on cable television, not elections in Afghanistan. Not since Abraham Lincoln has the United States felt itself to be a "nearly chosen" people, with a religious mission like that of ancient Israel. The US may stand at the threshold of a religious self-awareness in Lincoln's mold. I have read Wyschogrod's new book with astonishment, and espy a chance that the US might return to the world view of its founders: that of a Chosen People in a Promised Land. If that occurs, the world will be a different place. I think the U.S. is the first Western country to incorporate its morality, as opposed to its religion, consistently as a motivator in national policy. Theology is not the issue, right v. wrong is. Other than that, Spengler often gets America very wrong, in very annoying ways. This might be one of those stopped clock/twice a day things... |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-02-10 9:28:04 PM |
| #1 I dunno. For evangelicals to take an interest in this sort of theology demands that that take more interest in theology in general. This runs contrary to recent trends. See this about Wolfe's book or the Internet Monk. |
| Posted by: James 2005-02-10 3:34:09 PM |