American Exceptionalism: The theory that the United States occupies a special place among the nations of the world and possesses a unique destiny in history.

I’ve heard it said, "American Exceptionalism is simply a fact."

I'm sure it is.

Just like Greek Exceptionalism and Roman Exceptionalism and British Exceptionalism were facts too.

If you're not exceptional, you're just another nation. Exceptionalism is required of an empire.

Not to be uber-religious or anything, but I really do believe in Kingdom of God Exceptionalism. Really!

That's why I don't get too excited about Greek-Roman-British-American Exceptionalism.

American Exceptionalism.

This too shall pass.

And the American Empire shall find it was no exception.

There's only one exception.

The Kingdom which endures world without end.

The nations are a drop in the bucket.
Empires are bloody in tooth and claw.
Without exception.

But the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ—

And he shall reign forever.

This kingdom has begun.

This kingdom is present.

This kingdom is among us.

The kingdom of God is the alternative society built around Jesus bringing forth the goal of the Law and the dream of the Prophets: Love for God and neighbor characterized by justice, mercy and humility all in a living relationship with the living God.

The kingdom of God is both now and not yet. But unless you are willing to rethink everything (be born again and take it from the top) you will not be able to see this kingdom, even though it is already emerging.

Once you see the Kingdom of Christ, the kingdoms-nations-empires of this world lose their luster.

Daniel 7: Parade of beasts. Lion, leopard, bear, monster. Look again. Son of Man. Kingdom come.

When the day is done the “Hooray-for-our-Team-we’re-the-Exception-American” may just be a bigger patriot than I am. I'm not anti-America. Far from it. I just have no faith in America. I'm passionately ambivalent about the machinations of politics. Which is not to say I'm irresponsible; a commitment to live the commands of the Sermon on the Mount will make any serious Jesus follower profoundly socially responsible, but without the encumbering baggage of political allegiance.

The kingdom of God doesn’t have a social strategy—the kingdom of God is a social strategy.

It's just another day in America.

America…the latest in a long of line of nations that made it to the big time and in due time it will take its place on the used car lot of has-been empires.

Regardless of what Winthrop, Lincoln, Reagan, Obama have said,

The “Last Best Hope” for the world is—

The Son of Man and his Kingdom.

No doubt, I'm fanatical and "out of balance" about the kingdom of God. I believe it is so real that it leaves virtually no room for any passion for the kingdoms of this world.

Jesus said the kingdom of God would be taken away from Israel and given to a nation producing its fruits.

I leave you with this question: What is that exceptional nation?

1 Comment

janitor on September 19, 2009 at 12:49 pm

thank you for this.
as you have already indicated in between these lines – the exceptional nation will be revealed when the fall out of its existence is the demonstrable
feeding and care of all of the ‘widows and orphans’

American Exceptionalism by Brian Zhand

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