George Washington

The Appeal to Heaven and Our New Civil War
The Appeal to Heaven and Our New Revolutionary War

One flag waving over the rioters at the US Capitol, emblazoned with a tree and the slogan “An Appeal to Heaven,” garnered particular attention as a symbol of so-called “Christian nationalism’s” effort to “take America back for God.”

George Washington’s Christian Realism

Christian Realism is our theme at Providence, and Christian Realism was the theme of George Washington’s life that America celebrates with today’s federal holiday.

Flawed Historical Narratives about American Figures Color Our Pursuit of Justice

Renewed debates over history reveal the narratives that conservatives and progressives employ to justify or decry American history. One narrative insists on lionizing historical figures, the other on demonizing them—yet both distract from the ongoing pursuit of the American ideals of justice, liberty, and equality.

Mobs and Monuments: Distinguishing between the United States and Confederate States
Mobs and Monuments: Distinguishing between the United States and Confederate States

King recognized that for nations, as for individuals, the measure of goodness is not perfection, but rather direction. America was born headed in the right direction—and continues to build a “more perfect union” dreamed up by imperfect men.

Battle Hymn of Responsibility
Battle Hymn of Responsibility

Christian clergymen of today typically prefer to disparage power and prestige as demonic ensnarements that Jesus shunned when offered. But Jesus exemplifies not the rejection of power per se but rather a godly deployment of it.

George Washington President's Day
George Washington & American Power

Washington’s model is still within our reach. But it would require a renewed appreciation for the limits of the presidency, the limits of politics, and a renewed focus on the importance of character.

Afterthoughts on the Farewell Address: Washington's Wisdom
Afterthoughts on the Farewell Address: Washington’s Wisdom

In this convicting article, originally published in Christianity and Crisis on March 8, 1943, Editor Howard C. Robbins decries isolationism as the ideology of less prosperous and influential times. He exhorts the United States to assume the responsibility demanded of a large nation-state and work to “end international anarchy.” Evoking the spirit of George Washington’s Farewell Address, Robbins pleads the United States to embrace a central role in international politics. Furthermore, he implores the American public to follow in Washington’s footsteps by shedding partisan politics.

In the Kremlin’s Crosshairs - Russia Election Interference
In the Kremlin’s Crosshairs

In light of its actions in 2016, there should be no question as to whether Vladimir Putin’s Russia is or can be a friend.

Marines on Guam, July 21, 1944, displaying American Nationalism
American Nationalism

This article about the religious roots of American Nationalism was originally published in Christianity and Crisis on June 29, 1942. Tracing the spirit guiding American Nationalism from the Mayflower to the Founders, editor Howard C. Robbins argues the importance of a nationalism that acknowledges the profoundly Christian nature of the American Founding.