Freedom is a gift. As people of faith who give thanks for the blessings of liberty, we must also remain mindful of the responsibilities to which our freedom calls us.
In liturgies on or near the Fourth of July—especially a banner year such as the 250th anniversary of our nation—we give thanks through one of two prayers: one is The Collect for Independence Day itself, while the other is A Prayer for the Nation.
The first prayer speaks of founders who “won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn.” I love this prayer because it casts a vision for human dignity while celebrating our nation’s particular role as a beacon for freedom and liberty.
Yet we can also see this prayer as being insufficiently critical of the privilege of those founders, or of the tragic missteps in nation-building that our country has taken over the past century.
Still, it casts a vision in which each person, each citizen, can grow into the fullness of who God calls them to be. This can only happen when we safeguard the dignity of all people, not just ourselves. The Collect for Independence Day lifts our founding narrative up to the light of our greater commitments to God and to our neighbors: grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace.
The second option, The Collect for the Nation, is less overtly patriotic and speaks of God’s love for every human being: Lord God Almighty, you have made the peoples of the earth…to serve you in freedom and in peace. Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice…that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will. This prayer reminds us to ground our national identity in justice and righteousness. Freedom is a gift, but its true value is realized only when we use it to promote peace and empower others.
This weekend, our nation celebrates its 250th birthday amid a time of polarization and division, and whether it is celebratory, bittersweet, or tone-deaf depends much on one’s political tribe, cultural location, or media diet.
I suspect that for many people of faith, who also love this country and regard themselves as committed to its highest values, the 250th birthday will be a mix of all three.
I find encouragement and hope—and much to celebrate—when I consider my gratitude for those who have made freedom possible, from soldiers and sailors to civil rights prophets, and hold that up to my responsibility as a faithful citizen to move our story forward, in whatever way I can.
That is not to make America a Christian nation, and it is certainly not to Americanize the church. Rather, we are called to promote a zeal for justice and to align our liberties with the gracious will of God, and to model a better way of righteousness, freedom, and peace.
Faithfully,
