Outside Reading: Christianity in America, Ryan Webb

I have learned over the past four years that American culture plays a huge role in modern day Christianity. The teachings of Jesus almost always counter American values and ideologies. For example, Americans strive to be individualistic and innovative. David O’Brien, in his article “American Catholicism and American Religion,” describes the way America has blended religion and government throughout history. He addresses this question, “How could it [Christianity] adapt to a nation which exalted novelty, innocence, and nature?” (38). He asks this because it is hard to imagine the traditions of Christianity staying in tact in a culture that embraces the future instead of the past. I encounter this question daily when thinking about “The American Dream.” I have been told since I was a child that success was determined from being able to achieve things on my own. In contrast, Jesus teaches community and fellowship by relationally carrying each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Similarly, the materialistic culture of America is drastically different than the teachings of Jesus. While Americans spend their life seeking monetary gain and technological advancements, the Christian attempts not to “store up treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). What do you think about Christianity in America? Do American values hinder or support religious traditions in general?