by Dr. William Scott

This is a brief civic virtue reminder. Civic virtue is the cultivation of habits important for the success of the community. The term is closely linked to the concept of citizenship and is viewed as the dedication of citizens to the common welfare of the community even at the expense of one’s self-interests. Our ‘ship of state’ has unhinged from its mooring and its civic virtue is being redefined. What has caused that?

• Consider what is taking place right in front of our “onlookers” eyes. As a nation, our democratic constitutional form of government is being challenged. Every public servant, every federal employee at every level of government, prior to taking office, pledges allegiance to the U.S. Constitution. And every state and local government official, prior to taking office, also swears allegiance to its state or local constitution or governing statutes, modeled after our national constitution. The Constitution spells out specific powers of each branch of government: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. Our founders wisely separated and balanced government powers to safeguard the interest of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the federal and state governments. Each branch operates independent of the other with “oversight” or “advise and consent” within their sphere of influence.

• When one branch is usurped by another, say the executive over the legislative, checks and balances breaks down and the equality of power shifts; this may lead to mayhem, even undemocratic rule, despotism and tyranny. We seem to be nearing that possibility!

What has stunned me the most, however, is the confessing evangelical position that supports the redefining of those civic virtues. Even more, the accepting of immoral and unethical values, non-Christian values, that fly in the face of solid Christianity leaves me flabbergasted.

In that the doctrine of salvation (Soteriology) is totally depended on the election of God, why is it so easy for you confessing evangelicals to be fooled by false, fake ungodly principles? Micah 6:8 says, “Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.” How can you confessing evangelicals claim God’s call of salvation and yet support principles that are opposite to that claim? When did this happen?

The process of calling, regeneration, conversion, justification, sanctification, perseverance and glorification is God’s work, through Christ Jesus. But once that efficacious call has been made the brand new spiritual person begins putting (exhibiting) on godly character and godly characteristics. That does not seem to be the case with most evangelicals who have flocked to the current administration. Why have you changed?

This situation has gotten worse. Evangelical leaders have buddied up to the Russia oligarch bestowing words of praise and obeisance to a well-known despotic and autocratic ruler. As with the current administration leader, who relishes that form/style of leadership, you professing evangelicals are promoting the demise of civic virtue rather than fostering the common good of the community. How did the reverse infiltrate so quickly?

Perhaps we, all of us, should revisit the three documents upon which this country was founded and established. In humbly sophisticated words, yet profound in their application, these three documents are: 1) The Declaration of Independence (We hold these truths to be self-evident…) 2) the Constitution (A more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare….;) and 3) the Bill of Rights (guarantees civil rights to the individual.)

We, the people, have also been unhinged from our mooring as we are exploding and venting daily like Hawaii’s Kilauea.

And our lava is as dangerous and disruptive as that volcano’s. Our civic virtue, redefined, by those in power and accepted by that body of people called evangelicals is beyond belief. 

Now, as those in charge view our democracy, we are twiddling on undemocratic rule, where, as explained by a major news commentator who opined: “Our current president views the population as an audience rather than as a country.”

To quote my brother-in-law’s deliberate Ebonics colloquial, “What the problem is?”

DR. WILLIAM SCOTT is retired from the National Security Agency of the Department of Defense. Since his retirement, he has served as a biblical instructor with the Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary and Executive Director and Academic Dean of Triangle Bible Institute in Triangle, Virginia. He resides in Franklin and attends Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Boykins.