Why Did God Bless America?

It’s an age-old question since our nation’s founding – Why did God bless America? On November 29, organizers from the Young Christian Leadership Conference (YCLC) and Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) held a joint virtual program, “Christianity in Crisis and the New Hope,” to dive into the answers and the great mission and responsibility of America.

“There is a compilation of speeches from True Parents in the 1970s where they made a very powerful statement toward Christianity, America’s responsibility, and particularly the role of young righteous leaders and rebuilding and reviving this nation and the world,” said program host and YCLC Director Pastor Joshua Holmes. “If we are not addressing our young righteous leaders right now, then we are foolish to think we can rebuild this world, because they represent the future.”

In coming to America, True Parents, the founders of UTS and YCLC, explained that Americanism would never succeed in saving the nation because this attitude is rooted in humanism and pragmatism. “Pragmatism is very destructive because it is interested only in bringing some kind of profit to a situation, and that profit is more often centered on material than spiritual values,” said True Father in 1973. “This is the core problem with America today. Neither humanism nor pragmatism can help America find God’s Will.”

“A revolution of heart must come to America,” he said, stating young people are the hope but have been failed by churches and national institutions to be inspired in a righteous way. True Father also shared that God established America not for its own sake, but for the sake of the world — as a nation guiding all others toward God and His providence. This means America, leading by example, had to be a selfless nation of sacrifice and love for the rest of the world.

“God’s intentionality is not what we’re seeing today,” said Dr. Luonne Rouse, a featured speaker and co-chair of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC). “The message of Christianity in crisis indicates that to us... and how disruptive things have been to the original, creative desire of God. Yet, in this time, God has also said He will not allow the disruptions to destroy the totality of goodness of what has come from His heart.”

The program unpacked the words of True Parents as UTS professors shared their resources and expert knowledge about the role and responsibility of America, Christianity, and young righteous leaders today. 

“I could feel Rev. Moon’s absolute dedication and commitment to turning around the United States,” said UTS President Dr. Thomas Ward, a speaker who joined the Unification movement almost 50 years ago. “He saw this country through the perspective of Christianity... with faith at its root. That’s fundamental to understanding the ways in which God could bless America.”

Dr. Ward shared a presentation tracing the early life of Rev. Moon, as well as passages and stories from the Bible explaining the historical foundation and timeline for God blessing America.

“God couldn't forget the kind of life Jesus had lived,” said Dr. Ward. “And therefore, Jesus could be resurrected... God worked in England before corrupt kings came and lived immoral lives while declaring their authority and justifying their immorality in the name of God.”

“Persecution of the minority religions meant they had to flee to the new land of America,” he continued. “The pilgrims, who arrived in the Mayflower in November, preserved a single grain to plant the next spring even though they were starving. This was truly a supreme example of sacrifice. They preferred to die hoping for tomorrow rather than to act in desperation for only a few more days of life... Nothing could have given them this kind of courage, this kind of dedication, this kind of sacrificial spirit except their faith in God.

The program also featured a Q&A session with Drs. Rouse and Ward, addressing challenges such as conflicting political ideologies and social values.

“The moral key is the key to political ethics — and that’s love,” said Dr. Rouse. “God calls us to love everyone... God was with those who came to this land in 1619 and 1620, giving them the freedom to acknowledge and worship Him, but not without blood, sweat and tears. Our heritage, and Jesus, shows that there has been blood, sweat and tears... yet the disruptions we’ve seen throughout the Old and New Testament also show the presence of God to see us through every time.”

You can watch the full program available here.