INDEPENDENCE DAY

July 4, 2010

St. Augustine Anglican Church

“Be ye therefore perfect,

even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

The Rev. Gerald Parks +

          It is a fairly well known fact that the American Revolution was not supported at the time by all the American colonists: many had strong ties to England and opposed the political principles of the Revolution.  In this group were considerable numbers of the Anglican clergy.  In 1785, a National Convention ordered that “A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the inestimable Blessings of Religious and Civil Liberty,” to be used on July 4^th, be drawn up and “observed by this Church forever.”  And the service appeared in the proposed Prayer Book of 1786.

          But the opposition to its inclusion in the new Prayer Book was fierce, led in large part, but to no avail, by no less a worthy personage than its presiding officer, Bishop William White of Philadelphia, who considered it a most unwise move despite his own record of support for the Revolution.  To Bishop White the venture was an unwarranted intrusion of a political test into the Prayer Book, and in his later Memoirs he wrote of this occasion, “The greater stress is laid on this matter, because of the notorious fact, that the majority of the clergy could not have used the service, without submitting themselves to ridicule and censure.”  Bishop White’s position was confirmed by the First General Convention of the Church in 1789, and the unpopular service was withdrawn from the Book of Common Prayer, appearing again in its present form only with the revision of 1928.

          That the events which commenced on July 4^th, 234 years ago, could have been the cause of such a large ruckus in the Church of that time may seem a bit incomprehensible to us today, perhaps even a little silly.  But we have only to look to our own day to be reminded that Anglicans have never been at a loss for something to fight about.  And, in passing, one wonders how Bishop White and the others, who so vehemently opposed the inclusion of one fairly mild set of Propers in the Prayer Book of 1786, would feel about the Book of Alternative Services, introduced in 1979, which masquerades as a Book of Common Prayer, but is actually nothing less than a repudiation of everything the Prayer Book represents, and an attack on classical Anglicanism itself.

          In so many ways, our great democracy whose independence we celebrate today, owes its origins to the English: language and culture certainly, but also our systems of laws and governance.  For instance, it would be hard to separate the ideas of our founders from much of what is English Common Law, based on the Magna Charta, and that other great testament to Anglo-Saxon genius, The Book of Common Prayer.  Obviously, there are differences: we owe allegiance to no sovereign, and we have no state religion.  But on the whole, there is much more that we hold in common with the English, than there are differences that separate us.

          So much of what Americans do and believe is based on our Lord’s words, as found in today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:43-48), though some of us may not realize it.  Certainly, there are cruel, greedy and hateful people in our society, as in any other.  But it is, at least, my belief that most of us, most of the time, try to live our lives as Jesus commanded, when He said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be children of your Father, which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45)  It isn’t easy, but sometimes we even try to be nice to Episcopalians, with the possible exception of some of their more notorious bishops.  But the main thing is we try: that is our strength, as trying is also the strength of America as a people and as a nation: we draw our national identity from the ideals of our faith, and trying to achieve them.

          Love of enemies is peculiarly difficult for nations, much more so than for individuals.  Promoting justice and righting wrongs around the world may sound noble on paper, but in practice it can be devilishly difficult and impossibly expensive.  Yet, it is only through conscious and deliberate efforts at reconciling differences and helping the less fortunate among the peoples of the world that our country can ever hope to lead the nations and races of men to just and lasting peace.  It is part and parcel of the perfection God requires of us as demanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

          Of course, we know we are not perfect as a people or nation, and in our short history we have never been perfect, nor will we ever be perfect.  But our founders had a vision of perfection, which they issued on July 4, 1776, in our Declaration of Independence.  And they were bound and determined to carry it forth, no matter the cost or hardship it required, pledging their lives and fortunes if necessary, and even their “sacred honor.”

          Today we hear that patriotism and love of country are at their lowest ebb, perhaps ever in history.  And we see the disrespect heaped on our flag and people by the not so secret agendas of foreign regimes and their admirers, here at home.  Some call us “the great Satan;” others greedily demand military and financial aid from us, but are openly hostile at what they call our “intervention” in their internal affairs.  Such things can make our “blood boil” and may cause our heads to explode in frustration, at least they do mine; and with all the hatred it is sometimes difficult to remember that our Lord told us that we are to love our enemies, to love those who curse us, to do good to those that hate us, and to pray for those who despitefully use us, and persecute us.  But we must, for He also told us, “If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

          Surely it is a difficult time to be an American today, just as it is a difficult time to be a Christian.  There is nothing new in that.  From the beginning, faith has been as much a part of this great nation, as the laws and government that represent it – and in many ways, a much greater part.  Though we have no state religion, our government and the faith that gave it life, “the faith of our fathers,” have always been so closely intertwined as to be inseparable, and any attempt at separating them weakens them both.

          That is our heritage, and we are forever blessed by it, and we must ever be vigilant for its safety and the integrity of its institutions.  In the end, it is perhaps the best and last chance for mankind to live out and fulfill the command of Christ, “Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”