Constructing a Judeo-Christian Nation in a Cold War World

Context of the Post WWII World “Godless Communism” Nuclear Weapons The problem of Evil: Elie Wiesel and the Holocaust— “Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself.”

Mainstream religion on main street "Our form of government has no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith, and I don’t care what it is." –Eisenhower Hocking Commission Report Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking (1952) Will Herberg, Protestant, Catholic, Jew (1955) National Council of Churches (1949)

Catholics Become Regular Americans The Notre Dame enigma Thomas Merton ( ) Paul Blanchard, American Freedom and Catholic Power (1949) 1960 Presidential Election

A “Christian” Nation for “whites only” Billy Graham (1918- Charles Bradley Templeton ( ) “under God” Robert Neelly Bellah (1927-) “American Civil Religion” "America is God's chosen nation today." "A president's authority...is from God." "Social justice cannot only be based on laws; it must also come from religion." "God can be known through the experiences of the American people." "Holidays like the Fourth of July are religious as well as patriotic." --large number of American strongly agree with these statements above.

The African American Crusade for Civil Rights Vernon Johns ( ) Rosa Parks ( ) (Psalms 23, 27) Martin Luther King, Jr. ( ) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (1957)

Rev. Johns

During the Civil Rights movement, we were troubled by hatred. We would pray a lot. One thing we used to keep us going was the moving words of certain hymns, many of which had been passed down from the slave days. Rosa Parks, Quiet Strength, 1994

When Israel was in Egypt’s land, Let My people go! Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let My people go! Refrain: Go down, Moses, Way down in Egypt’s land; Tell old Pharaoh To let My people go! No more shall they in bondage toil, Let My people go! Let them come out with Egypt’s spoil, Let My people go! Oh, let us all from bondage flee, Let My people go! And let us all in Christ be free, Let My people go! You need not always weep and mourn, Let My people go! And wear these slav’ry chains forlorn, Let My people go! Your foes shall not before you stand, Let My people go! And you’ll possess fair Canaan’s land, Let My people go!

“Stand up for righteousness. Stand up for justice. Stand up for truth. And, lo, I will be with you even until the end of The world.” King Recalls His “Conversion”