American Church Exceptionalism?

Letter to the American Church

by Eric Metaxas

A Book Review                                       

“Our Bible studies and sermons have all been meaningless if we do not make what we learned come alive in ways that are self-sacrificial . . .” 

Metaxas’ plan for activating the church is the basis of this book. “If the Lord has chosen America and the American Church to stand against the evils and deceptions of this present darkness, we had better be sure we understand what is required of us and had better make sure we do all that is possible to fulfill our charge- America as a force for good.” 

I believe he goes too far. First some points of praise.

Letter to the American Church is easy to read. Sometimes, the text does not flow as well as one would like and seems a bit hurried. This may be because of the obvious urgency the author feels to get his message published.

Metaxas is at his best when telling stories.  His narrative on Bonhoeffer's Reformation Day message in  Chapter 3 is as interesting as informative.

Metaxas becomes pastoral in Chapter 7.  “When the German Church in the 1930s and the American Church of our day focus on doctrinal statements but forget that we are obliged to live out what we claim to believe, we make a mockery of what God actually requires of us.”

“When is the Church actually being the Church of Jesus Christ, instead of being that in name only?” This is an excellent question. Unfortunately, the author offers no definition of the Church. There is much in the book about how the church should behave but no instruction on what or who this church is. This is not because the Bible does not offer descriptions.

“People see precisely what we believe by how we behave.” How does Metaxas recommend that the Church behave? What must be the priority of the Church?  In brief, to avail itself of open avenues for socio-political involvement. This is especially the case, Metaxas infers, because the American church is ‘exceptional.’ Though he would aver that is not his belief the following comments suggest otherwise.

“The German Church had a painfully important task and did not rise to that occasion to perform it, so we have a painfully important task, whether we have asked for it or have not. . . For the American Church to say that God has not chosen us is as bad as saying He must choose us because we deserve to be chosen.”

God has chosen the Church to be His light in the world, to the world.  But to suggest that the Church that Jesus is building needs America to make it flourish is to denigrate the labor and testimony of millions of faithful Christians all around the globe.

The question is asked in Chapter 12- “Do we believe (God) expects us to do the hard thing and not the easy thing—to step out in faith though we will be reviled by our brethren?” Is that not what is happening in the Church that is not made in America?