美國藕斷絲連的政教分離

美國政府機構裏有基督教牧師。如上下兩院都有自己的牧師，這些牧師都是基於基督教的。網上相關資料可以用Chaplain（牧師）加上congress或senate等關鍵詞在百度搜索上找到。美國軍隊也有隨軍牧師。

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

這是美國政府的誓詞。這個誓詞中的國家、自由和正義等概念都是限定在上帝之下的。國會開會，由牧師帶領祈禱宣誓。

中國把美國憲法中的一句話翻譯成“人是生而平等的”。但其英文的意思是人是被上帝創造出來平等的“men are created equal”。

美國建國國父都是虔誠新教徒。不過，他們還不是原教旨，拒絕按照聖經教義建國，而是按照文藝複興的思想立憲。但是，宗教痕跡還是留了下來。我記得第一次在華盛頓傑弗遜紀念堂裏讀刻在牆上的那段美國憲法，立刻感受到其語調中的宗教氣息。用詞帶有宗教色彩，如上述的created，還有holy之類。

美國競選總統，往往會有選民質疑候選人是否信基督的問題。美國政府也提倡基督教，隻是不區別具體教派。


圖為1774年9月美國大陸議會第一次預備會議在費城基督教堂開會前祈禱的情形。美國議會是在祈禱中正式啟動的。上端字為“教會與大憲章”。1215年英王約翰在教會的壓力下簽署了大憲章。


帶領國會第一次祈禱的牧師沒有多久就逃到英國去了。這幅是George Duffield的肖像。George Duffield是美國國會任命的第一個國會牧師。1789年國會通過決議將國會任命牧師和國會的宗教儀式定為法律。


獨立戰爭時期國會通過的派牧師到軍隊中的決議。（有點像TG派政委到軍隊）

美國根據聖經故事設計國會印章：Proposed Seal for the United States
On July 4, 1776, Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams "to bring in a device for a seal for the United States of America." Franklin's proposal adapted the biblical story of the parting of the Red Sea (left). Jefferson first recommended the "Children of Israel in the Wilderness, led by a Cloud by Day, and a Pillar of Fire by night. . . ." He then embraced Franklin's proposal and rewrote it (right). Jefferson's revision of Franklin's proposal was presented by the committee to Congress on August 20. Although not accepted these drafts reveal the religious temper of the Revolutionary period. Franklin and Jefferson were among the most theologically liberal of the Founders, yet they used biblical imagery for this important task.

美國國家印章：“反抗暴君就是服從上帝”。


國會齋戒日宣言


國會感恩節宣言。


基督教教義的海軍道德守則。


國會背書官方聖經。

國會西部拓土政策中推行基督教的決議：Settling the West
In the spring of 1785 Congress debated regulations for settling the new western lands--stretching from the Alleghenies to the Mississippi--acquired from Great Britain in the Peace Treaty of 1783. It was proposed that the central section in each newly laid out township be reserved for the support of schools and "the Section immediately adjoining the same to the northward, for the support of religion. The profits arising there from in both instances, to be applied for ever according to the will of the majority." The proposal to establish religion in the traditional sense of granting state financial support to a church to be controlled by one denomination attracted support but was ultimately voted down.

國會通過決議用基督教教化土著：Christianizing the Delawares
In this resolution, Congress makes public lands available to a group for religious purposes. Responding to a plea from Bishop John Ettwein (1721-1802), Congress voted that 10,000 acres on the Muskingum River in the present state of Ohio "be set apart and the property thereof be vested in the Moravian Brethren . . . or a society of the said Brethren for civilizing the Indians and promoting Christianity." The Delaware Indians were the intended beneficiaries of this Congressional resolution.

在http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel04.html中有更多美國國會與宗教的相關資料。