“There have been times when Christians have made effective use of the rhetoric of American civil religion to advance goals deeply rooted in the Gospel.  However, civic religion is just as likely to lead Americans into thinking of the United States as the biblical city on the hill (which it is not), to equate American values with Christian virtues (which they are not), and to see loyalty to the American Republic as obedience to God’s kingdom (when in fact these loyalties can and sometimes do conflict).”

~H. Jefferson Powell, Professor of Law and Divinity, Duke University

Originally posted by Jason Jenkins (Duke Divinity student/comedy genius, picture inset)) here.  Parenthetical comments are Professor Powell’s.