The Cultural Divide That Fueled the American Revolution
A number of books about the American Revolution have been released as the nation celebrates its 250th birthday. Christian author Eric Metaxas delves into the often-overlooked cultural aspects in his new book “Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World.”
He argues that the cultural differences between the colonies and Britain grew so severe that it became impossible for those starkly different worlds to coexist, according to “The Epoch Times.” Metaxas highlights how Americans were extremely serious about their faith while the British elites were more interested in decadent distractions. As a result, the colonists placed great emphasis on principles, law, virtue and morality; which did not sit well with the casual corruption of the 18th-century British leadership.
A typical response came from the British Gen. James Grant: “If a good bleeding can bring those Bible-faced Yankees to their senses, the fever of independency should soon abate.”
The “good bleeding” began with the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Christopher Seider in Boston on Feb. 22, 1770. He was killed by customs officer Ebenezer Richardson, who fired on a demonstration outside of a store owned by a British loyalist. Eleven days later, five Americans were killed in a confrontation with British soldiers in an event that became known as the Boston Massacre.
Metaxas details the significant impact of the evangelist George Whitefield on calibrating the conflict in biblical terms. Whitefield’s highly influential sermons compared the Americans to the ancient Israelites who broke their captivity under Pharaoh. By insisting there was “no king but Jesus” and telling the colonists they were in a direct covenant with God, Whitefield advised the faith-focused colonists to fulfill their destiny.
In describing the First Continental Congress, Metaxas observes, “The Christian atmosphere of Congress — and the frank belief among most of its members that their fate lay in God’s hands — would continue.”
The book also provides a vigorous retelling of the personalities and events that shaped the conflict and puts the historical spotlight back on several individuals whose contributions to the cause of liberty often are overlooked today
–Dwight Widaman
