Commentary by Kato Mivule | UPDATED April 14, 2009
I have updated the article to include a section showing how The Rise and Fall of American Political Evangelical Christianity has had effect on Evangelical Christianity in Africa, particularly Uganda. If there is any foster child of the American Political Evangelicalism in Africa, it is Uganda...
Jon Meacham published a scorching yet realistic article in Newsweek about the decline of Christianity in America but to some Christians who have been involved in the Apologetics and Discernment ministry, this is not new information...
"The percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 points in the past two decades. How that statistic explains who we are now—and what, as a nation, we are about to become…" Read Full Article on Newsweek
For some years now, many sincere Christians in America have foretold of a collapse of American Evangelical Christianity and how spiritually unsustainable its political ambition is. The advent of George W Bush and the use of Evangelical Christians in voting him to office to legislate morality raised the eyebrows of some discerning Christians during the past eight years on how political Christianity in fact cemented the fall of Evangelical America as we know it.
Yes, the article is ‘scorching’ to anyone who still believes in the notion of a ‘Christian Nation’, the Political Christianity Ideology of “Taking Back America”, and legislation of Morality in America. For sure the Glen Beck and Sean Hannity crowd will not like a piece of the article but yet any true and sincere Christian will not fail to see that the marriage between Evangelical America and Politics was a disaster and not a good testimony for Jesus Christ among the unchristian world. 
Jon Meacham’s main observation as to the reasons for the End of Christian America is mainly the marriage between Political America and Evangelical – the Rise of the Religious Right.
The Author rightly notes how Evangelicals were sidetracked into believing that they could turn America into a Christian Nation and enforce Laws based on the Christian Bible – Hebrew and New Testament. In other words obedience to Christ Jesus was supposed to be the Law of the land.
"What, then, does it mean to talk of "Christian America"? Evangelical Christians have long believed that the United States should be a nation whose political life is based upon and governed by their interpretation of biblical and theological principles. If the church believes drinking to be a sin, for instance, then the laws of the state should ban the consumption of alcohol. If the church believes the theory of evolution conflicts with a literal reading of the Book of Genesis, then the public schools should tailor their lessons accordingly. If the church believes abortion should be outlawed, then the legislatures and courts of the land should follow suit. The intensity of feeling about how Christian the nation should be has ebbed and flowed since Jamestown; there is, as the Bible says, no thing new under the sun. For more than 40 years, the debate that began with the Supreme Court's decision to end mandatory school prayer in 1962 (and accelerated with the Roe v. Wade ruling 11 years later) may not have been novel, but it has been ferocious. Fearing the coming of a Europe-like secular state, the right longed to engineer a return to what it believed was a Christian America of yore."The Author does not dwell much on Mainstream Christianity in America but the article focuses on Political Evangelical America which had become the face of Christianity in America around the globe.
Newsweek: Jon Meacham: The End of Christian America, April 4th , 2009
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1
American Evangelical Christianity had turned into a political machine and used by politicians for their own gains. Christians in America have been viewed as warmongers, fear mongers, haters, supporters of corrupt politicians, etc. The Name of The Lord has been blasphemed among unchristian world because of this adulterous relationship between church and state.
Romans 2:24The truth is that we were deceived by those who claimed to be leaders of the Westernized Christian Movement. We were deceived into believing in a Christian Utopia in which Christianity would rule the ‘Great United States of America’ and thus usher in an Era of Christian Morality in the USA and around the World.
(24) For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
"And they have learned that politics does not hold all the answers—a lesson that, along with a certain relief from the anxieties of the cultural upheavals of the '60s and '70s, has tended to curb religiously inspired political zeal. "The worst fault of evangelicals in terms of politics over the last 30 years has been an incredible naiveté about politics and politicians and parties," says Mohler. "They invested far too much hope in a political solution to what are transpolitical issues and problems. If we were in a situation that were more European, where the parties differed mostly on traditional political issues rather than moral ones, or if there were more parties, then we would probably have a very different picture. But when abortion and a moral understanding of the human good became associated with one party, Christians had few options politically." "We were deceived by Western Evangelical Leaders that by America going to war in Iraq and using her military might, the gospel could come to the Muslim world. We were deceived into believing that the military might of America and her going to war was a missionary Endeavour.
Newsweek: Jon Meacham: The End of Christian America, April 4th , 2009
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1
Yet even most disturbing is the fact that some evangelicals especially in the Evangelical blogsphere are still pushing hard to have a Christian Utopia in America. The Author of the article – Jon Meacham was sport on in highlighting some of these pitfalls. Just take a look at your inbox and see all the emails still coming out of Evangelical America, this time with a Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh Flavor.
When that party failed to deliver—and it did fail—some in the movement responded by retreating into radicalism, convinced of the wickedness and venality of the political universe that dealt them defeat after defeat. (The same thing happened to many liberals after 1968: infuriated by the conservative mood of the country, the left reacted angrily and moved ever leftward.)However, this is no reason to despair. This is in no way the ‘End of Christianity’ in America…it is the End of Political Evangelical Christianity in America. Evangelical Christianity will no longer have a seat in American power structures in legislating Christian Morality.
Newsweek: Jon Meacham: The End of Christian America, April 4th , 2009
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1
It is a good thing that those who truly love Jesus Christ will do so and also preach the gospel of Jesus Christ out of a sincere heart with no political strings attached. Christianity flourished under the Roman rule, with Christians being heavily persecuted yet they never sought to overthrow Caesar through political maneuvers and establish a Christian Empire.
Christianity has flourished best when under political leaders who seek to destroy it. Christians have flourished in China yet their freedoms have been suppressed by various Chinese rulers.
Christians in Africa and Asia have been tested under suppressing regimes but have remained faithful yet American Christians thought they were an exception. This was an illusion, a mirage, a deception.
It is time to come back to reality and take the words of Jesus Christ seriously that you will be hated of all nations…that time has come… and we better be prepared on how to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and declare His Truth in an increasingly Christian antagonistic world.
Though the Newsweek article by Jon Meacham exposes the bankruptcy and inadequacy of Political Evangelical America, it points to an increasingly Secular Humanistic world coupled with love and a good works as a solution to the ‘Faith Free Market’ of America.
"The American culture of religious liberty helped create a busy free market of faith: by disestablishing churches, the nation made religion more popular, not less…If we apply an Augustinian test of nationhood to ourselves, we find that liberty, not religion, is what holds us together. In "The City of God," Augustine —converted sinner and bishop of Hippo—said that a nation should be defined as "a multitude of rational beings in common agreement as to the objects of their love." What we value most highly—what we collectively love most—is thus the central test of the social contract."However, this ‘Good Works Religious Secular Humanistic’ society is a utopia in itself and the greatest threat to Evangelical America, yet many Evangelicals think that it is Muslims who are the greatest threat to Christianity – another distraction to evangelical America.
Newsweek: Jon Meacham: The End of Christian America, April 4th , 2009
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583/page/1
Nevertheless, even under such secular humanistic societies like Europe, Christianity has not been stamped out but flourished underground. Some had predicted a resurgence of the Christian Right yet I don’t see that way…
The American Religious landscape will be much more like Europe – Secular. Yet even with such ‘adversity’, Christianity and True Christians have flourished when detached from the Political. A little persecution will do American Evangelical Christians some good. The time for the great humbling in Evangelical America is now and we had better humble ourselves before God, or before we are forced to.
The painful truth is that Evangelical Christianity in America was hijacked by some clever politicians and used for political gains. Our Evangelical leaders were sidetracked and deceived and some to this day are still drunk with 'Political Christianity' but we are pilgrims passing through this world and our focus is on that City built without human hands.
Hebrews 11:10
(10) For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Newsweek Magazine is not the only Mainstream Media outlet predicting the demise of Political Evangelical Christianity in America. The Washington Post came out with an article by Kathleen Parker in which the author questions if The Christian Right is finished as a Political entity…
"Is the Christian right finished as a political entity? Or, more to the point, are principled Christians finished with politics? These questions have been getting fresh air lately as frustrated conservative Christians question the pragmatism -- defined as the compromising of principles -- of the old guard. One might gently call the current debate a generational rift. The older generation, represented by such icons as James Dobson, who recently retired as head of Focus on the Family, has compromised too much, according to a growing phalanx of disillusioned Christians. Pragmatically speaking, the Christian coalition of cultural crusaders didn't work. For proof, one need look no further than Dobson himself, who was captured on tape recently saying that the big cultural battles have all been lost."Even strong proponents of Political Evangelical Christianity like Dr. James Dobson are coming to the conclusion that Political Christianity is not the way to go. The belief that somehow Political Christians will help thwart the tide of immorality in the USA and create a Moral Christian Utopia is a distraction and a dead end.
Washington Post: Kathleen Parker; Political Pullback for the Christian Right? April 5, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/03/AR2009040303026.html
Rather than ‘Focus on The Political Arena’, Dr. James Dobson should redeploy energy and resources on ‘Focus on The Family’ in the true sense of the word…as Kathleen Parker rightly quotes in the Washington Post…
"If people who call themselves Christians want to see any influence in the culture, then they ought to start following the commands of Jesus and people will be so amazed that they will be attracted to Him," Thomas told me. "The problem isn't political. The problem is moral and spiritual."The Western Church has been turned into a Political Repository and branch of the Republican Party to a point that whatever the Republican Party said and did was taken as Bible Text and Doctrine. From warmongering to attacking and making fun of the poor and accusing the poor as being at fault for their predicament, the Evangelical Church lost its spiritual bearings in zeal for Political influence.
Washington Post: Kathleen Parker; Political Pullback for the Christian Right? April 5, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/03/AR2009040303026.html
For the past eight years many Christians warned about this deficiency and I personally warned about this unholy marriage between the White House and the Church, only for the call to fall on deaf ears and blind Christian leaders. However, it is heartening to see that some in the Evangelical leadership are finally waking up.
Put another way, Christians may have no place in the political fray of dealmaking. That doesn't mean one disengages from political life, but it might mean that the church shouldn't be a branch of the Republican Party. It might mean trading fame and fortune (green rooms and fundraisers) for humility and charity.
Washington Post: Kathleen Parker; Political Pullback for the Christian Right? April 5, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/03/AR2009040303026.html
Implications for Africa
However, what is most troubling is the Transfer of Political Christianity in Evangelical Africa, especially in Uganda, Africa with Pastors copycatting Political Evangelical Christianity in America. Pastors in Uganda have engaged in Politics and associated themselves with the current Political Ruling Party and Government in hopes that Uganda will be and remain a Christian Nation.
Pastors from Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Center to Joseph Sserwada of Victory Christian Center have driven Ugandan Evangelical Christians on a Political Christian path that they ‘copied and pasted’ from Political Evangelical Christianity in the USA.
Hopefully Ugandan Evangelical Leaders will learn from the American Political Evangelical experience and change direction; otherwise Uganda’s Evangelical Church is headed for the same pitfalls just like as her US Evangelical counterparts.
In 2006 Pastor Robert Kayanja was so much involved in Political Evangelicalism in Uganda that he prophesied with precision that the current seating Ugandan President would win a landslide victory by a certain percentage point. The prophecy turned out to be false and Evangelicals became a laughingstock in Uganda…
"PASTOR Robert Kayanja has again prophesied that there will be three presidential candidates as one will drop off and the other will die.In the same year Pastor Joseph Sserwada was accused of being involved in a scandal in which the current seating president of Uganda, President Museveni “bribed” Ugandan Pastors and asked them to preach to their congregations to vote for President Museveni, that it was God’s Will. Pastor Sserwada has since denied the allegations.
Kayanja, while speaking during overnight prayers ending 2005 on Saturday at Rubaga Miracle Centre, repeated the prophesy about the 2006 elections as fire works filled the skies for over 15 minutes. “There are going to be five candidates who will stand, two will drop off and one will die. Of the three, the winner will get 61.8%,” he said. Last year, he gave a similar prophecy. Kayanja said all political parties were looking for power but what they needed was God in their endeavours. “Only candidates that are favouring the Lord’s cause shall win the 2006 elections,” he said."
New Vision: One presidential candidate to die – Pastor Kayanja prophesies; 2nd January, 2006, Flavia Nakagwa
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/473914
However, Pastor Robert Kayanja is not as astute and crafty politically as Pastor Sserwada when it comes to Political dealings in Uganda. Pastor Sserwada sees Political Christianity as a Tool to establish Evangelical Christianity as an Established Religion and one protected by Government. Yet at the same time Robert Kayanja sees Political Christianity as a tool to exert Christian influence in Uganda from the top – starting with the President.
Of recent Sserwada established a Born Again Christian Federation, a version the USA Christian Coalition; a movement in which he seeks to unite all Evangelical Christians at what he claims is a request of Uganda’s Government. However Sserwada has been met with strong opposition from local pastors…
"A section of born-again churches have denounced the newly formed Born-again Faith Federation, which was initiated by Pastor Joseph Sserwadda, the head of Victory Christian Centre, Kampala…Michael Kyazze of Omega Healing Centre and Noah Sserunjogi said the churches had not met in any forum to decide on the federation and its leadership. “Sserwadda must not mislead Christians because there is no consensus on the matter, ” Kyazze stated. They presented a three-page document titled “False Teaching/Cult Awareness Campaign Progressive Report Covering Incidents since March 17, 2008”. The group charged that senior pastors in some Pentecostal churches were engaged in sodomy and witchcraft. “How can you put us together with gays, car thieves, witchdoctors, and husband and wife snatchers?” they asked. Sserwadda said the umbrella body was formed on the advice of the Government, following a request by the churches to be recognised as a distinct faith. He said President Yoweri Museveni responded to the appeal in February 2006."Both the Kayanja and Sserwada Political posturing have not done Uganda Evangelical community any good and have only made Uganda’s Evangelical Church a branch of President Museveni’s Ruling Party. When Ugandans speak of corruption, theft, graft, and greed, they never fail to point out to corrupt Pastors who are now seen as one and the same with the ruling party. If Political Evangelicalism is falling in the USA, so will Political Christianity in Uganda.
New Vision: Born-again churches reject federation, Josephine Maseruka, Sunday, 22nd March, 2009
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/675487
However, even worrying is the fact that Politics and Religion in Uganda have a history of bloodshed as one politically established religion seeks to fight to maintain its status quo. Hopefully Uganda does not come back to such historical points with a repeat of the past.
As of recent Ugandans are beginning to voice strong objection to the marriage between Political Evangelical Christianity and the State. Some of the most powerful politicians in Uganda claim to be evangelical and always voice their Political Offices as divine appointments from God to the growing disgust of the Ugandan public.
My reference is the ridiculous claims that have persisted with the First Lady, Janet Museveni who, when asked as to why she decided to contest in Ruhama constituency, she said God had revealed to her that it was her calling. She promised the people of Ruhama that they would be redeemed from the inefficiencies of earthly expeditions. The rest, I leave it to the people of Ruhama to evaluate, but they obliged to this ridiculous claim. When Janet was appointed to the ministry in charge of Karamoja, again she said that it was God who made her appointment as minister possible in what many considers nepotism on the part of her husband, President Museveni. Recently, the belligerent Inspector General of Government (IGG), Ms Faith Mwondha, while delivering her 16-paged statement to the media justifying her unwillingness to face the ‘Wolves” in Parliament, also invoked the name of God. She emphasised that all decisions are made by God and that whether she stays and soldiers on or not purely rests upon God’s mercy. Then she added a drama script piece that although the final say rests with President Museveni!Most perturbing but not surprising is that some American Evangelical Christians are swayed by such lies of Uganda being “80 percent Christian nation” and having a Born Again President that the local media in Uganda noted such ignorance and bliss that some American Christians carry to Uganda when they visit.
Daily Monitor: Morris D. C. Komakech; These ‘Godly appointments’ are becoming ridiculous; April 7, 2009
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/opinions/These_Godly_appointments_are_becoming_ridiculous_82765.shtml
Many American Christians have been led to believe that President Yoweri Museveni is a born-again convert, when the President himself has said he long abandoned the faith.If there was any experiment of Western Political Christianity in Africa, Ugandan Evangelical Christianity was transformed into such. The consequences of the past two decades (from the early 1990s to date) of transforming Ugandan Evangelical Christians into an image of US Political Evangelical Christianity are to say of the least disastrous.
New Vision: Special Report; Ugandan pastors’ love for America; Saturday, 30th August, 2008
http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=132&newsId=647156
What we might end up having is the abandonment of the Christian Faith in Uganda and rise of a new agnostic society, revival of African Traditional Religions and a society that will increasingly grow to be anti Christian.
Hopefully Ugandan Evangelical leaders will learn from the mistakes made by their counterparts, the American Political Evangelicals and realize what Jesus Christ said that His Kingdom is not of this world.
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
