The New Jerusalem

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The New Jerusalem

• Americas Religion

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Facts

• More than nine out of ten Americans claim they
  believe in God
• One third claim they are born again
• More than four out of ten attend church or
  synagogue at least once a week
• Two thirds are members of a local church or
  synagogue

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Church State

• 1st Amendment Forbids state religion, but allows
  freedom of religion for all
• Yet, religion is everywhere in American life
• The American Seal Rebellion to tyrants is
  obedience to God.
• American money In God We Trust.
• Prayer Congress
• No prayer in public schools

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Americas Pie of Faith

• Diverse Christian, Jewish, Buddhist faiths
• Yet, the base is Protestant Christianity
• 59 of Americans belong to a Protestant
  church---Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran,
  Presbyterian
• 28 Roman Catholic
• 2 Jewish, 1 Eastern Orthodox
• Many smaller churches---Quakers, Mormons,
  Pentacostals

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Americas Faiths
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Puritan Base

• America Chosen land, The New Jerusalem
• Americans Chosen people, elected for a special
  mission in the world
• Bible as the guide for life
• Close relationship between church and everyday
  life
• Material success a sign from God---work

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Americas Protestants

• Puritans arrive in 1620 to Plymouth Colony
• 1700s Quakers, Amish, Mennonites arrive to
  Pennsylvania
• Baptists and Methodists settle Virginia, the
  Carolinas and Georgia
• Presbyterians and Lutherans help settle the
  Midwest and West

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Americas Catholics

• 1600 and 1700s Spanish set up missions in
  Florida, California, Texas and New Mexico
• 1700 English Catholics settle Maryland
• 1840-1860 large number of Irish German Catholic
  immigrants arrive
• 1880-1900 large number of Catholic immigrants
  arrive from Southern and Eastern Europe

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Other Groups

• 1880---1900 many Jews arrive from Russia and
  Poland
• 1850s Mormons set up Deseret Republic---Utah
• 1900 first charismatic church---Pentacostal
• 1960s and 1970s---first of the Free
  Evangelical churches Assemblies of God
• 1970s and 1980s Buddhism becomes popular

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Cults Sects

• 1700s Ann Lee founds the Shakers---shake
  during prayer and dont marry or have children
• 1840s Joseph Smith founds Mormon faith
• 1920s Holiness Church---snake handlers
• 1960s Hare Krishnas Moonies
• 1970s Church of Scientology
• 1978 suicide of Jim Jones 900 others in
  Jonestown, Guyana
• 1990s Waco, Texas David Kureesh

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Faith and Politics

• 1970s Baptist minister, Jerry Falwell, starts up
  Moral Majority
• Political lobby against abortion, homosexual
  rights and teaching evolution
• 1980s tele-evangelism Jimmy Swaggart and Jim
  Bakker
• 1980s Christian Broadcasting Corporation
• 1988 CBC director, Pat Robertson runs for
  President

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There is A Fountain---Selah

• There is a fountain filled with blood
• Drawn from Immanuels veins
• And sinners plunged beneath that flood
• Lose all their guilty stains
• Lose all their guilty stains
• Lose all their guilty stains
• And sinners plunged beneath that flood
• Lose all their guilty stains

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There is A Fountain---Selah

• The dying thief rejoiced to see
• That fountain in his day
• And there may I, though vile as he
• Wash all my sins away, away, away
• Wash all my sins away
• Ever since by faith I saw the stream
• Thy flowing wounds supply
• Redeeming love has been my theme
• And shall be till I die

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There is A Fountain---Selah

• And shall be till I die
• And shall be till I die
• Redeeming love has been my theme
• And shall be till I die
• Wash all my sins away
• Wash all my sins away
• Redeeming love has been my theme
• And shall be till I die.

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Wonderful, Merciful Saviour

• Wonderful, merciful Saviour
• Precious Redeemer and Friend
• Who wouldve thought that a Lamb could
• Rescue the souls of men
• Oh, You rescue the souls of men
• Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
• Spirit we long to embrace
• You offer hope when our hearts have
• Hopelessly lost our way
• Oh, weve hopelessly lost the way

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Wonderful, Merciful Saviour

• You are the One that we praise
• You are the One we adore
• You give the healing and grace
• Our hearts always hunger for
• Oh, our hearts always hunger for
• Almighty, infinite Father, faithfully loving
• Your own here in our weakness You find
• Us falling before Your throne
• Oh, were falling before Your throne.

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Americas Religion

• Obedience to only God---not to kings, queens,
  aristocrats, priests or any worldly power
• Rebellion against unjust laws/tyrants is a
  God-given right
• All equal (sinful humans) before God
• Your church is your true community
• The Bible is your guide in life---follow
  literally or allegorically

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Americas Christianity

• Jesus Christ as our true leader, no need for
  intercessors---priests, pastors---find your own
  way to Him
• Lifes purpose Create a relationship with God
  (Jesus) and follow His plan for your life
• Life is a journey to God and perfection (Adam
  and Eve before the fall)
• Part of this journey is mission---bringing God
  to others
• Important to have God on your side---using
  faith for worldly goals (politics)