Thousands of U.S. congregations hold annual patriotic worship services around the Fourth of July

Evidence

Every year around July 4, thousands of congregations schedule “Celebrate America” services during their normal worship times or during a special service. These celebrations usually entail various patriotic tunes like “God Bless America,” “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless the U.S.A.,” and various anthems of the United States military. Red, white, and blue are featured everywhere, and a theme of triumphant gratitude pervades the proceedings. A sermon or homily usually directly links the greatness of the United States to the blessing of the Christian God. — Andrew L. Whitehead, American Idolatry, 184

Categorization

• SEED: Possible angle: the liturgy of ‘Celebrate America’ services as a case study in how national identity is ritualized on the church’s own calendar — how the church year absorbs the civil year.
• XREF: connects to: Evangelical churches fuse patriotic and military ritual with Christian worship to sacralize the nation — Andrew L. Whitehead; Samuel L. Perry, Taking America Back for God, 36

Broader Connections

• Evangelical churches fuse patriotic and military ritual with Christian worship to sacralize the nation #expands (0.88) — Andrew L. Whitehead; Samuel L. Perry, Taking America Back for God, 36