Category Archives: America

Hour of Decision for the USA, Part Four: A Grassroots Awakening

May 16th, 2015 | Dr. Charlie Self

The future of the American Experiment in liberty rests on a virtuous citizenry, affirmation of human dignity and a moral economy that adds value to the world. There is one more foundation needed for freedom to flourish: spiritual awakening.

In the 1740s Great Britain and the American colonies experienced a “Great and General Awakening” with up to one-eighth of the colonial population experiencing conversion/renewal. People from every Christian tradition and even a few free thinkers were deeply affected by the efforts of the leaders such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield and the new Methodist movementled by John and Charles Wesley.

The religious experiences of the various meetings and movements were not confined to personal ecstasies.Transformation of the soul fostered social impact. Awareness of the holiness and love of God were joined with concerns for orphans and widows, the marginalized and poor. The Methodists insisted that proof of conversion meant making the world a better place and serving people personally, not just through anonymous donations.

The Great Awakening also stimulated a sense of North American identity – at least the awareness that this land was freer and held great potential compared to the Old World. Out of these revivals came numerous colleges/universities of great repute – including Dartmouth and Princeton, to name just two. People that rejected the religious enthusiasm still felt the impact of an emerging culture that would combine freedom of conscience with social concern – America’s unique blend of Christian and Enlightened thought.

Leaders such as Charles Carroll (the one Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence) felt the long-term impact of the awakened conscience of a New World as he worked tirelessly for economic, political and religious liberty rooted in reverence for the Almighty and personal virtue. Ben Franklin, no fan of religious extremes, found his pockets emptied for orphanages as George Whitefield spoke. He also called for prayer at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

American history is full of religious renewal and testimonies of changed lives though the Gospel. The revivals of the 1740s were followed by a variety of similar movements between the 1790s and 1830s that converted thousands and ushered in new initiatives in global missions and sociopolitical transformation.

Division over slavery and race relations, economic and social stratification has marred religious awakenings since the1830s. American “rugged individualism” joined with the competitive spirit of Social Darwinism created dislocations in the late 19^th and early 20^th century we still feel today.

We need a new “great and general awakening” that will not only nurture individual souls, but also bring transformation to churches and communities, private and public life.

I believe the next awakening will not be the work of a few charismatic leaders or any one denomination or tradition. The next awakening will be millions of “brushfires” as households, Bible study and prayer groups, and churches large and small catch a vision for what it means to fear the Lord and faithfully serve the world.

Responsible and virtuous people affirming the dignity of each person and a moral economy opening opportunities for all vocations to flourish are built on this final foundation of spiritual vitality grounded in deep reverence for our loving and holy Lord. Ecstasy must unite with ethics and private intimacy must demonstrate itself in public integrity. I am not speaking of the coercive imposition of religion, but the overflow of lives changed by Christ.

Restoring Christian influence in the public square will require humility, integrity and prayer – and a willingness to risk rejection for obedience to the truth (not obnoxiousness in manner!).

America still has a future, if we will humbly beseech the Almighty for mercy, aim to add value to the world by our work each day and joyfully accept the risks and rewards of standing for truth.

Are we hopeful enough to pray for such an awakening?

Happy Birthday to the USA

July 3rd, 2012 | Dr. Charlie Self

July 4 is our nation’s birthday. We are an experiment in virtue-based freedom that is now 236 years old, one of the longest eras of national stability in global history.

We are a self-correcting nation, with the Civil War of 1865 and the Civil Rights of 1965 correcting the birth defect of chattel slavery. Women finally voted in 1920 and 18-21 year old soldiers that could bleed were able to fill out ballots by 1972. We are still wrestling with our broken covenants with the First Nation/Native American tribes and our war with Mexico in 1848. In the midst of all the deserved criticism for Manifest Destiny and continental imperialism, people forget that no one north of the Rio Grande wanted (or really wants today) to be ruled by Mexico City and that thousands of leaders of conscience opposed the policies of rapapcious settlement.

We are the freest land in the world for people of all faiths or none to practice and preach their ideas without fear. Apart from tax issues and proper public permits, we are free to gather and express our ideas without prior permission. This was and is a unique reality of the USA.

We have amazing foundations of faith, freedom and sacrificial service. We have fractures of hedonism and enthnocentrism to repair and redeem. We still have too many unborn that are unwelcome and too many aged that are in oblivion. We have too many unemployed urban adults and too few political leaders with the courage to call for moral responsibnility. We are still a generous people, responding to crises with affection and alacrity. We are also spoiled, forgetting that even the (too) many that live in poverty in the USA are wealthy compared with half the world.

As we move into our 237th year, we aagain face “times that try men’s (and women’s) souls.” Our future rests on recovering the humility, reverence and tenacity that built the land we enjoy. If we will choose life in all its dimensions, including caring for all from conception to coronation, there is hope. If we commit to empowering suceess through free markets under the rule of law, there is hope. If we can learn civil debate and roll up our sleeves and become an answer to the prayers and problems, there is hope.

In 2008 we were sold a slogan, “Hope and Change.” In 2012, we need to become these words by doing and speaking the truth in love. If we will fear God, live within our means, stand up to intolerance and fear, affirm the central values of a virtuous society, and keep our marital and material covenants, there is hope.

Happy birthday, America. You are not a melting pot or a salad bowl. Your are a beautiful mosaic from every corner of world. Sometimes you are a crazy quilt with loose threads. But you remain a land worth praying for and serving well.

Where Have You Gone, Mr. O’Malley?

June 27th, 2011 | Dr. Charlie Self

My beloved Los Angeles Dodgers filed for bankruptcy today. Mismanagement and contentious divorce proceedings between the owner and his ex-wife have changed the team from a great icon of America’s pastime to a sideshow unworthy of a Lifetime Network movie. This is a sad day for baseball and millions of fans.

This event by itself is a mere footnote compared to our budgetary, geopolitical and military crises. Billionaire owners and millionaire players live in a world detached for most of humankind, the majority of whom need more sustainable economies, housing, water and opportunities.

But this soap opera is more than a mere news item on ESPN or the E! Channel. It is a sign of our cultural disintegration and our loss of any sense of the common good. Let me add that I am not pining for “good ol’ days” that never were, not am I making the former owners saints and the McCords the great sinners. The O’Malley family is still despised in parts of Brooklyn for moving the team to Los Angeles. The rich and powerful will always have drama surround them. What is lacking in current ownership is any sense of social ethic, any mooring that thinks of the fans or the game before themselves.

The moment the McCords could not reconcile their marriage, they should have invited Major League Baseball and potential owners to the table and worked on a transition plan that served the team. Instead, they have taken one of the most profitable franchises and made it a laughingstock. Chavez Ravine has gone from the most beautiful spot to watch a game to a dangerous place for opposing fans. Shame on you, McCord family. This is your doing and you cannot blame others. Greed wins the day and television watchers and ticket-holders who sustain the enterprise are left with little but vague hopes that Mark Cuban or another wealthy persona can come in and right the ship.

I am a proponent of free markets, natural pricing and a strong juridical system that will help enterprise be ethical while minimizing unneeded bureaucracy. This said, it is tragic to watch billionaires hold cities hostage while they squeeze tax money our of working voters for stadiums that many will never enter due to the high prices. I am apoplectic when I see players “re-negotiating” millions into more millions well before contract expiration. Yes, one should angle for the best deal; however, once signed, a contract should be honored and the player owes the fans and team her or his best. The unabashed narcissism is sociologically self-destructive as “each person does what is right in his own eyes.”

We need you, Mr. O’Malley. We need leaders with business sense, an eye for opportunity and a heart for the community and customers. Owners, your risk deserves reward, but much of the reward of team ownership is offering fans great moments of athletic prowess, positive team spirit and a focus on developing players. Lost in all the Dodger drama is the game itself. I share with George Will the firm belief that baseball is America’s game and the innumerable possibilities emerging from a single crack of the bat make it both cerebral and visceral in its delights.