Professor says U.S. needs another "Great Awakening"
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (FR) - A former philosophy professor at Columbia University recently told U.S. News & World Report that he sees the potential for another "Great Awakening," like those that swept America during the 18th and 19th centuries. A non-believer, Prof. Robert Nisbet explained as a historian and sociologist that without such a spiritual awakening the nation may never regain its special place in the secular world.
Curious about his remarks, we called Prof. Nisbet recently to discuss his views. He resides in the nation's capital, where he has been affiliated with the American Enterprise Institute.
"The worship of sheer wealth is prevalent in America," Nisbet said. "But I believe we're approaching another crisis - a religious upheaval which will turn the love of mammon away." Nisbet explained that he noticed an increased interest in Christianity on college campuses after the 1950s. "Prior to the 1950s Christianity was considered a thing of the past. Science and rationalism were thought to have driven it off campus. However, after the 1950s students seemed more interested in religion than in scientific conclusions."
Nisbet taught at the University of California/Berkeley during the outbreak of the "Jesus Movement" in the late 1960s and early '70s. "I noticed that along with the dirty clothes and virtual consecration to anything anti-bourgeois, there was a distinct religious character on campus. However, I've been impressed with the recent outburst of Christianity on different college campuses."
Nisbet noted that the philosophical basis of the American form of government is based on Christianity. "The American belief in progress is based on strong Christian beliefs. Progress is a secularized idea of Christianity." Science and socialism are not as powerful as Christianity, he added.
"Men will fight with their lives for religion, but not for scientific conclusions. The Soviet government for the last 75 years has not been able to destroy religion. But our form of government is based on the acknowledgement of the existence of God."
Although skeptics predicted that evangelical Christianity would suffer a decline after the recent televangelist scandals, U.S. evangelical churches have enjoyed a steady increase in members. "Every televangelist could be wiped out tomorrow, but religion would be just as powerful," Nisbet added.
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