***Dave has a good write up on The Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory A. Boyd that’s worth taking a gander at. Here’s a small snippet from his entry:
Gregory Boyd is a theologian and pastor of a large Protestant congregation in Minnesota. Disturbed by what he saw as increasing identification between the evangelical Christian church and the political right wing, he started in 2004 a series of sermons on “the cross and the sword,” arguing that such close ties were not only harmful to the church, but were against the message of Jesus. The result was a serious diminution of his congregation — but its strengthening and rebound, in numbers, since. And, of course, this book.
Myth of a Christian Nation is written by a Christian, primarily for Christians (though it has much of value to say for non-Christians, too). It is steeped in both citations from the Bible and in evangelical theology and terminology. It answers those who think that’s all Christianity’s about is taking over the reins of government, via the Religious Right, and turning the US into a theocracy (both to those who would seek such an occurrence and those who fear it).
I believe I wrote about Mr. Boyd awhile back praising him for his stance, but I didn’t know he was working on a book. Based on ***Dave’s positive review, however, I’m seriously hoping a lot of Christians will pick up a copy, read it, and carefully consider what he has to say. ***Dave gives a lengthy review of the book which has convinced me to put it on my Wish List.
I daresay that if the majority of Christians followed the (persuasively Biblical) version of Christianity in their lives that Boyd presents, rather than pursuing the quasi-Christian civil religion of the Religious Right that Boyd warns against, most folks I know (including those around here) would find very little to object to about Christianity.