The Relationship Between American Political Thought and Biblical Interpretation

Tim Scheiderer is a freelance writer and Southern Seminary graduate. He lives in metro Washington, DC.

Culture is a force comprised of traditions curated and subsequently cherished in the hearts of the collective as years expire. It presses itself upon every facet of one’s life more often than realized. For instance, in the United States, ordering an afternoon cappuccino at Starbucks is a common practice. If one orders an afternoon cappuccino in Rome, however, the barista will begrudgingly oblige seeing it is not an Italian tradition to enjoy one after breakfast. Just as culture impacts food choices, it also impacts emotions. Americans are in the midst of the holiday season. During this time, it seems everyone has a figurative fireplace warming their hearts with openness, nostalgia, good will, and generosity. These feelings, however, are neither experienced globally by all people nor historically by every age. In America, in our culture, the high time of national festivities is late November to the first of January. (Interesting that a calendar tells us when to become sentimental.)