THE STATE OF THE UNION

Early Pennsylvania was a 'holy experiment' by William Penn and others to found a city on brotherly kindness - Philadelphia - free of the political/religious persecution of mother-Europe. They were aiming for a more beautiful expression and assimilation of the gospel in society, I suppose we could say.

But in later years the First Amendment seems to have come to be applied by some people in more of an Enlightenment, Epicurean sort of way - with God being pushed upstairs, or into the private domain, trying to separate religion from public policy, I think Tom Wright might say.

The idea that public policy can be separated from any sort of belief-system soon unravels though, doesn't it. It's impossible for public policy not to have some belief-system underneath of it! Hence, the culture wars we're seeing in America today.

Where is this going to lead?

Will the current tit-for-tat continue?

Or will one perception of truth prevail in public policy, while the other easily gets pushed into privacy?

Or will the clash crescendo to the point where it becomes obvious to nearly everybody that it's not possible for public policy not to have some ideology underneath of it?

If so, would that be more likely to result in a decisive suppression of one system of perceived truth?

Or will it highlight the inadequacy and impracticalness of Post-Modern airy-fairyness; and of an Epicurean, Enlightenment-type separation of 'religion' from public policy - and could that realisation have positive effects for the proclamation of the gospel, and for society - almost like another, more positive Renaissance of sorts, if the Lord tarries?

What is the state of the Union, in this regard?

And for that matter, what is the state of the West; of Europe?