Cynicism is the privilege of believing the worst while forgetting the best. It is a privilege we cannot afford.
2026 is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—the sort of occasion when our cynicism wants to party. Cue sarcastic references to rich white males who protect their wealth with slave labor and drape their greed in flowery words. We could easily waste this anniversary with such flippant moralizing.
We might waste this year with another kind of cynicism. We might pour scorn on people who “hate America” and insist that they be silenced so that the glory of the Declaration can shine undimmed by criticism. But the Declaration itself was an act of dissent, and dissent is honorable even when it’s mistaken.
For Bethel Grove, this is a time to reinvigorate public theology—the art of bringing our history, culture, and institutions under the criticism of God’s Word. Strong public theology both affirms what is right and dissents from what is wrong. It seeks to apply a consistent standard that is not adaptable to partisan advantage. It asserts that God, who has no partiality, is the authority over our country.
We are devoting four Sundays to this topic, starting today at 11:15 am. “The Declaration of Independence and Public Theology” will run January 11th and 18th, and February 1st and 8th. (January 25th will be an important quarterly meeting.) I hope you will make plans to attend these sessions as we ask what sort of document the Declaration is, why it was written, and what it set in motion.
It is fashionable to hide behind a shield of irony when we talk about America’s history. Irony allows us to evade serious moral commitments, as if we are superior to our own culture. To be sure, we can create scintillating commentary if we cultivate a cynical view of the Declaration.
The Declaration of Independence and Public Theology America’s Declaration of Independence from Great Britain will be 250 years old this year. Over four weeks, Pastor Raley will lead us in considering the importance of the Declaration for Christians seeking to do strong public theology in today’s chaotic culture. To what extent did this document emerge from Christian faith? What would it mean to be a Christian nation today? How should we view claims by and about “Christian nationalists” in light of our history? We hope you’ll join us for this series starting January 11th at 11:15 AM.