8 Comments
Oct 3, 2022Liked by Brian Mattson

Again, bravo! I read Alexis de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America' shortly after I immigrated to this amazing country. I believe your statement "But civil society encompasses so much more: the church, civic organizations, philanthropic and charitable foundations, educational institutions, industry and trade organizations, the economic marketplace, arts and culture, and more; the whole warp and woof of social fabric is woven by the institutions of a free people. In America, it is free associations that bear the burden of cultivating and inculcating human morality and virtue." perfectly captures the essence of what he found to be unique in the American experience.

Expand full comment

I agree we find ourselves in the paradox of John and Abigail Adams. If our people are larcenous, God help us, because our leaders come from among us, not from outer space.

I also see, alongside you, that conservatism is unmoored from libertarian principles. More and more, when I hear some right winger talk about communism, I feel it's projection of some kind.

Yet, I disagree with you that power and authority are not something to be sought, or that they are worthless in forming a people.

The Bible shows several instances of a ruler's positive, singular action leading directly to godliness on the part of the populace; see Ezra, Nineveh.

We should never imagine that those accounts are examples of grassroots change. The text doesn't leave that possibility.

Those are two positive examples. For the equally important negative examples, consider:

-for if thou doest what is evil, be afraid, for he bearest not the sword in vain.

-because a sentence is not executed speedily, man's heart is set to do evil.

Why seek power? When he became king of kings, Christ hallowed thrones. They're not unclean. We should take them when possible, by godly means. To fail to do so is deriliction of duty.

Therefore, I can't agree that woodenly libertarian principles are consistent with a godly Polis. In the Bible, a combination of personal humility along with willingness to punish are the model.

I don't think our current crop of Christian nationalists are wrong in principle. I think they're wrong in timing and maturity (a theme from James Jordan re: The kingdom of God). Who among this crop is wise? Who understands?

They're likely to be harsh. Likely to be racist. Likely to repudiate all the principles of the declaration of Independence.

We need men who understand the principles to seek these positions. Given how much we've squandered as Americans, I sometimes wonder if such a person will arise in China, India, or Africa instead. After all, isn't Africa sending missionaries to us these days?

Expand full comment

Bravo. Eloquent. Factual. Courageous.

Expand full comment