I discussed Alexis de Tocqueville’s (1805–1859) writings concerning religion’s influence on American democracy in my last blog (Part I). He believed that religion maintains democracy by preventing laws that diminish democracy and placing moral boundaries on the nation. “Tyranny may be able to do without faith but freedom cannot.” (p. 344) I stated that Tocqueville probably would not agree with Franklin Graham’s comments made during his recent Financial Times interview. In this blog, I will dive more deeply into why Tocqueville would disagree with Franklin Graham. However, I must first state that Tocqueville was a French lawyer during the 19th century while Franklin Graham is a minister born over 100 years after Tocqueville’s book was published. The two men lived in different time periods and have dissimilar backgrounds.
When Tocqueville journeyed through America during 1831–32, religion in Europe was in decline primarily due to the Age of Enlightenment. Philosophers were highlighting the superiority of human reasoning and downplaying God’s revelation through Scripture. Western European intellectuals questioned the scientific and historical accuracy of Scripture. The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a direct result of this movement. Europe was tired of religious conflicts and many sought peace by distancing from religious doctrines.
The Puritans who settled in the New World were religious refugees from European state powers that supported religious doctrines. Puritan fears influenced the writers of the US constitution to separate religion (Church) from government (State). I learned from Tocqueville’s book that seven states (New York, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Louisiana) passed laws that prohibited clergy from holding public offices. Tocqueville observed that most clergy “carefully distanced themselves from all parties, avoiding all contact with them with all the intensity of a personal involvement.” (p. 346)
Christianity is a dialectic religion. Mortal humans are disgusted with their sinful existence yet long for earthly existence. “He despises life and fears annihilation. These different feelings constantly drive his soul toward the contemplation of another world and religion it is which directs him there.” (p. 347) Clergy are leaders in their religious community and direct their respective congregations towards the Kingdom and eternal truths. When clergy aligns with a government, “it has to adopt maxims which only apply to certain nations. Therefore, by allying itself to a political power, religion increases its authority over some but loses the hope of reigning over all. … When it is mixed up with the bitter passions of this world, it is sometimes forced to defend allies who have joined it through self-interest and not through love; it has to repel as enemies men who, while fighting against those allies of religion, still love religion itself.” (p. 347)
Christianity focuses on the coming Kingdom where there are no political parties, governments, wars, economic systems, or borders. Jesus Christ’s life on earth was a glimpse of the Kingdom, although the Kingdom is not yet here. The early Christians did not seek to change the Roman government and advocated obeying the laws (Romans 13) that did not violate God’s commandments. Christians follow eternal truths, not the whims of history. “When religion aims to depend upon the principles of this world, it becomes almost as vulnerable as all other powers on this earth.” (p. 348)
“In America, religion is possibly less powerful than it has been at certain times and among certain nations, but its influence is more lasting.” Tocqueville declared that there are two “great dangers” that threaten the existence of religions: “schisms and indifference.” (p. 349) Schisms result when “men happen to abandon their religion but they escape from its yoke only to submit to that of another. … Beliefs differ but irreligion is unknown.” Humans always worship something. If not God, then they will worship a god of another nature.
Instead of hating religion, indifferent people abandon eternal truths, yet still see the good in religion from humanistic reasoning. An indifferent person is “full of regret for the faith he has lost, and now that he is deprived of a blessing whose value he fully appreciates, he is afraid to remove it from those who still possess it.” (p. 350)
“The man who still believes is not afraid to display his faith for all to see. He looks on those who do not share his hopes as unfortunate rather than hostile; he knows he can win their respect without following their example. … With unbelievers hiding their incredulity and believers parading their faith, public opinion pronounces its support for religion, which is loved, upheld, and respected.” (p. 350–51)
I believe that Franklin Graham is a faithful Christian who cares deeply for his country. His nonprofit ministries show love of neighbor by giving physical and emotional support to those in great need. His public support for the Republican Party distracts from his ministries by taking sides in worldly issues rather than focusing on eternal truths that bind all Americans together. Like all Americans, Graham has a right to vote and advocate his political views. However, Tocqueville advocated the early American clergy’s decision to distance themselves from political power by focusing on the Gospel message. Graham should parallel the life of the Apostle Paul, the greatest Christian missionary, or Lesslie Newbigin (1909–98), the dedicated British missionary to India. Both focused on the Gospel message and were politically neutral.
