Freedom Isn't Free

Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow Americans! This is the great day of celebration and appreciation for the many freedoms we enjoy in this prosperous and peaceful nation. Thank a soldier! Eat a hot dog! Watch some fireworks! And for God's sake, practice critical thinking!

I am very grateful to be an American. It would be a lie to say that I have in-depth experience of other cultures. But I have seen enough, and read enough, to know just how good we have it.

A common statement to remind us of how good we have it is, 'Freedom isn't free." Such statements refer, of course, to the ultimate sacrifice paid by soldiers in wars defending the freedoms and liberties that we have today. That I am able to freely access the internet and write this blog is a testament to the sacrifices that have taken place.  Such creeds also provide us with a simplified statement that sums up the American civil religion of patriotism.

Independence Day, while giving us a red letter day and an opportunity to celebrate, also helps cement the unity of a nation that shares no common ethnic heritage. Germany has a German ethnic heritage, France has a French ethnic heritage, Italy has an Italian ethnic heritage and so on. But what ethnic heritage does the melting pot, I'm sorry--the salad bowl--of these fair shores have? None! We have no ethnic heritage.

But we have a shared history and story. We have the declaration of independence! We have the stories and legends of our Founding Fathers. We have the underdog story of a colony defeating a world power and then rising to be THE world power. We have an American dream and an American ideal. We have a flag to pledge allegiance to, we have amber fields of gold, we have fireworks, history, glorious freedom and the constant reminder that the sacrifice paid by soldiers is the glue holding all of this together. We have an American mythology that gives our nation a civil religion and provides a point of common interest to a vast array of different cultures. All told, the American civil religion is brilliant, captivating and alluring.

Therein is found my concern.

Sometimes I worry that within the church, the language of sacrifice about veterans and the hopes of the American dream are usurping the gospel. The American dream promises us that if we work hard enough, are determined long enough and focused clearly enough, we can accomplish anything we want. The gospel promises us that we cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we may try.  Contradictory messages. One is beautiful and one is frustrating. Both true, but how to make sure our belief in the American dream doesn't distort our understanding of the gospel? So often I hear people hope, that when all is said and done, that they have done enough good--as if that even mattered. When I hear this I can't help but wonder if the Protestant Work Ethic married the American Dream and birthed some sort of theological monstrosity.

"Freedom isn't free" is a civil religious creed that populates bumper stickers, t-shirts and Facebook. And it is entirely true. Nothing is free except, as Mattie Ross reminds us in True Grit, the grace of God. The grace of God is free to us but it came at a price, the death of the Son of God on the cross. As Paul told the Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." The Galatian believers were in danger of letting some subvert their belief. "Stand firm" Paul exhorts them, "And do not submit again to the yoke of slavery." We too, must stand firm to the onslaught of our culture. There is much to be admired and enjoyed about America, but it must not be worshiped. We must not forget that while freedom isn't free, there is only one who paid the ultimate price. 


As I said, I'm proud to be an American. I try to not take the freedom or the prosperity I experience for granted. I try to always thank a veteran when I meet one. I enjoy America, but I try my very hardest to not idolize Lady Liberty. For Artemis, I'm sorry, Lady Liberty of America may be great, but God is greater still. Our shores may be a welcome sight for the downtrodden, but no one provides a greater promise of rest for the burdened than Jesus does.