Review: THE MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN NATION By Gregory A. Boyd

Dr. Boyd is correct. American Christians have blurred the concepts of the "Kingdom of the world" and the "Kingdom of God." It is also true that "foundationally" American Christians have carried the notion that our country is a Christian nation. Perhaps a better way to look at America is that it has been a "God-fearing" nation. Visit Europe, for example, and you will find nations devoid of God. Dr. Boyd would argue that that is precisely the point. He would say, American Christians have been lulled into thinking that our nation is Christ-like when it is far from it. While that may be partially true, I prefer to live in a country that preaches Christ (even under pretense, Phil.1:18), than in a country where Jesus Christ is dismissed completely. America is a Christian nation. It becomes evident when compared to Europe and other places in the world. The light shines in the darkness.

The author is correct, morally speaking, in that many American Christians have made it their mission to be our "moral guardians" rather than the disciple makers Christ commanded us to be. We worry too much about prayer before football games than we do our own prayer life. Dr. Boyd is right to remind us that we must first "take the log out of our own eye."

Where Dr. Boyd gets off track is in his interpretation of Jesus' words "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword." Here, Dr. Boyd claims that Jesus is saying we are never to draw the sword. This is simply incorrect. It is factual that Jesus' disciples carried swords. In Luke 22:49, as Jesus was about to be arrested, his disciples asked, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" Evidently Peter is the only one who didn't wait for Jesus' answer. We hear Jesus' response in Matthew 26:52. He tells Peter to "Put your sword back in its place...For all who draw the sword will die by the sword." In essence Jesus was telling his disciples, "Don't draw your swords, you're outnumbered: If you draw your swords, you will surely die tonight." Jesus went on to say, "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" Jesus was telling his disciples, "Guys, listen, don't draw your swords. This is not the way Scripture is to be fulfilled, let me handle this!" Jesus' statement about drawing the sword was meant for the disciples, at that moment.

Had Jesus been completely against the sword, he would have had his disciples get rid of their swords long before that night. One would have to ask, "Why did the disciples carry swords?" Perhaps they used them to clean fish? Yet, all of the disciples were not fishermen. Maybe they were using them to cut wheat? Could they have carried swords to fend off wild beasts? If so, we don't read of many wild beasts in the New Testament. No, it is obvious for even the casual reader that they carried swords for protection. Jesus was not a pacifist as Dr. Boyd wishes.

I got the feeling from reading the book that what is really behind Dr. Boyd's views is the ridiculous statement by the late Dr. Jerry Falwell -- "Blow [the terrorists] away in the name of the Lord." That statement is simply outlandish and should be considered an extremist view: Not the view of most evangelical Christians.

Dr. Boyd doesn't answer the question about Christians being involved in law enforcement. Are there to be no Christians on the police force? Is a policeman never to kill a murderer on the loose? What about Christians in the U.S. Coast Guard who get into a firefight with drug smugglers? Are Christians never to defend our country?

When Jesus spoke of loving our enemies, he was primarily speaking of those who persecute us because of his name. In fact, this is what most of the New Testament is talking about when we are told to love others. We are to love those who persecute us because of the name of Christ. We are to not strike back against those who hate us because of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not speaking about defending ourselves (or our country) in general. Perhaps that is why the disciples carried swords, to defend themselves against robbers or thieves? But, they were obviously not to use their swords when it came to defending Christ. We are never to use the sword in the name of Christ -- which is why Jerry Falwell was wrong. We are to use the sword against terrorists in order that we might be safe and protected, not in the name of the Lord.

The examples Boyd gives of Gandhi and King don't hold water with his argument about going to war. These were individuals, not governments. Certainly, individuals should always strive to uphold peace: "Kingdom under" people more than any others. Nevertheless, we live in an imperfect world and the bliss that Dr. Boyd is striving for will never be realized until the Millennium. Shindler rescued the Jews from certain death as an individual. He had no military means at his disposal. This argument is apples and oranges. It should be noted that Oskar Shindler broke the law. Dr. Boyd would say that is okay because what the Germans were doing was against God's higher law; therefore Shindler was exhibiting civil disobedience. But, didn't the Germans think they were also obeying God's laws? Didn't they think they were put on earth as the superior race? Dr. Boyd uses this type of argument throughout the book in regards to war. "What if the people we are fighting believe their cause is just?" Unfortunately, it is not that black and white. The Islamics think their war of terror is just -- but we know that it isn't. Therefore, in the case of "America" versus "Terrorists" America is correct in trying to stop them. The Islamic terrorists won't "Sit down and talk" to come up with a peaceful solution like Dr. Boyd claims.

This is still a good book worth reading. I agree with the fundamental principles he has laid down. Where we disagree is in the application of the principles.