Americanism

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The American Revolution introduced a transformative power that shaped the political, social, and intellectual landscape of contemporary America. Jurgen Gebhardt's analysis, originally in German, delves into the origins of American public philosophy, coining the term civil theology to describe a belief system rooted in social and religious ideals, encapsulated by the phrase "one nation, under God." His study emphasizes the interplay between founding concepts and order in the self-perception of early American leaders, revealing the symbolic self-interpretation of American society. By closely examining the writings of the Founding Fathers, particularly John Adams, Gebhardt explores the philosophical and Christian foundations of American republicanism and revolution. He discusses how the founders' envisioned design for living, represented by the concept of the paradigmatic republic, manifested in the new society's political, economic, and social institutions, ultimately forming a civil theology recognized as Americanism. This ideology asserted a universal claim about the interconnectedness of God, humanity, and history within American practices. However, Gebhardt argues that in the twentieth century, Americanism has been undermined by a rise in individualism indifferent to the common good and an industrialized society that conflicts with the republic's political-spiritual ethos. His work offers a critical examination of the Americ