Acton podcast host Marc Vander Maas was joined by John Pinheiro, Jordan Ballor, and myself to discuss the issue of American Exceptionalism. Click on the link below to listen:
[audio: http://bonhoeffer.acton.org/acton_media/mp3/APC-0010.mp3]There has been quite the uptick regarding the topic because of fears that America has lost its greatness. “America’s Destiny Must Be Freedom,” is a commentary I penned in June related to that fear, as well as an overview of America’s freedom narrative. I also hosted an Acton on Tap on American Exceptionalism last August. I addressed the history of the theological roots, the different strains of thought related to American Exceptionalism, and the debate today.
After you listen to the podcast, check out the links below for additional resources related to American Exceptionalism. The sources offer a diversity of thought on the subject.
- A clip from a review of Peter Baldwin’s, The Narcissism of Minor Differences: How America and Europe Are Alike.
- From The Western Confucian: “Glenn Beck, Mormonism, and American Exceptionalism.”
- My review of Arthur Brooks’s The Battle: How the Fight Between Free Enterprise and Big Government will Shape America’s Future.
- Jason Sorens examines American Exceptionalism from the political right and left at the Pileus blog.
- David P. Hart has a post over at First Things titled, “Charity and Patriotism: Further Reflections,” and another one titled, “The Greatest Nation on Earth.”
- Joseph M. Knippenberg offers “Moderating Patriotism” at First Things.
- Finally, Timothy Dalrymple asks “Are Conservative Christians Worshiping America?“
