Although the modern United States is known as a secular society with separation of church and state, the role of faith and churches remains strong within its citizens. That the role of the church remains strong with society would likely surprise late 19th century philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, who seemed to believe Christianity would disappear altogether in favor of the newer developments and explanations provided by science and philosophy. Throughout the 20th century and ever since, the secular nation of America has produced millions of astounding innovations, vast scientific progress, and advances in civil rights. It has been over a century since Nietzsche offered his philosophical idea, “God is dead,” yet far from being dead God is alive and well in today’s churches that perform important works of charity every day.
Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous near-turn-of-the-20th-century writing describes Christianity as an antique remnant from the early ages of humanity (Nietzsche 110). Some readers may see Nietzsche’s writing as an atheist manifesto, but it is more a treatise concerning the place of religion in the life of modern humanity. Religion, Nietzsche believed, is a construct of people unaware of the frontier of knowledge and discovery that the people of his time were rapidly exploring. A main reason people cling to religion is their fear of death (Nietzsche 110). It may be true that in the past, religion took the place of science in explaining the things that were unknown and feared by humanity. However, Nietzsche’s view of God and religion do not account for some of the reasons religion continues to exist within a modern society, including its important role as a social groups that teaches love and respect to the community and world. Religions such as Christianity are not simply about helping people to face their fears, but also to honor God and to be a moral compass towards doing good and charitable works.
It appears that the God that Nietzsche says is dead is really religion itself and not the deity. His real criticism is about the superstitions that people persist in believing in, in spite of scientific advancements. The Bible, being the primary document of Christian religion, states in Genesis 9:6 that God made man in the image of, or to resemble, God (“Genesis”). In other words, each human being on the planet is like God, and therefore should be honored and treated as a representation of God. While a variety of customs, traditions, and beliefs may have arisen because of people’s differing interpretations of the Bible over the centuries, this basic idea of humankind being made in God’s image provides a simple idea to guide believers. If all people are made in God’s image, then it is important to treat each person with respect and to help people who are in need with charitable works. God and religion still have a place in modern society because the role they have for people is far greater simply explaining mysteries of the universe. The role is also to provide moral guidance.
According to philosophy professor Frantisek Novosád, at the time Nietzsche wrote that God is dead, religion for Europeans was already playing less of a role in explaining the mysteries of the world, and many people blindly followed it out of habit or because other people were doing it and they did not want to appear to be too different (Bergmann et al.). Despite the attitudes about and purpose religion played in the lives of people in Nietzsche’s time and the changes in the world since then, rather than dying out, religion continues to play a significant role in the lives of modern Americans . For instance, in a study done by the Barna Group, three-fourths of American adults believe that churches in the community is a very or somewhat positive thing, and the number-one way Americans believe that today’s churches are good for communities is because they deal with a variety of charitable causes (Barna Group). Other ways that Americans desire for churches to have a place in the community is by helping people in recovery, such as support groups for substance abusers, and providing assistance to those having trouble with their finances, employment, or education (Barna Group). Churches today have adapted to today’s needs, taking advantage of tools such as the Internet to perform charitable missions for communities and the world at large.
There are people who would still agree with Nietzsche and state that a church should not be necessary in order for people to do good things for each other such as provide assistance to the needy and disabled. For instance, many people without religious affiliation or belief in any God take pleasure in performing charitable works. Additionally, according to the back cover of author Robert D. Lupton’s book, Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It), charity is actually bad for society because it makes the people who receive it dependent upon it. Nietzsche and Lupton may be right that there are religious traditions, customs, and charities that are not helpful for people, but it would be fallacious logic to say that every religious tradition and charity is bad. What is most important is that people do not become too complacent, blindly accepting beliefs or ways of doing things. In a modern society like America, its citizens must adapt to the current situation and its requirements in order to do the best things for the community and world.
People today may not need a church as much as they did in past millennia to explain the mysteries of the world. The scientific advances that people often see as an antithesis to religion are instead seen by the faithful as further examples of God’s brilliant creations. Although some people may cling to that antiquated ideas that Nietzsche scorns, many others have adapted and incorporated humanity’s advancements into the charitable works their churches perform for the good of all. God is not dead, but still here in the people who thank God for the blessings of creation and come together and honor creation by helping people in need.
Works Cited
Barna Group. Do Churches Contribute to Their Communities? Barna Group, 13 Jul. 2011. http://www.barna.org/congregations-articles/502-do-churches-contribute-to-their-communities?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+barna%2Fupdate+%28Barna+Update%29
Bergmann, Peter, Münz, Teodor, Frantisek, Novosád, Patton, Paul, Rorty, Richard, Sokol, Jan, and Thiele, Leslie Paul. What does Nietzsche mean to philosophers today? Eurozine, 2 Feb. 2008. Web. http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2008-02-15-nietzsche-en.html
The Book of Genesis. The Bible. Documents of the II Vatican Council, n.d. Web. Accessed 18 Feb. 2013 from http://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/genesis/documents
/bible_genesis_en.html
Lupton, Robert D. Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It). New York, NY: HarperOne, 2 Oct. 2012. Print.
Nietzsche, Friedrich. God is Dead (1887). Classic and Contemporary Reading for Composition. Ed. Igor Webb. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. 22-27. Print.
