Introduction
Those who do not know me should know that I am a historian first and foremost. History is and was and forever shall be my first and longest-lasting love. I was homeschooled from kindergarten to 5th grade, then 7th to 8th grade (we tried public school for one year in 6th grade but then moved, so I went back to homeschooling until high school). I was about 8 years old in 3rd grade, when I took my first history class. It was a type of book that provided a basic overview of the portraits of Americans throughout history. I was hooked on the stories, imagining that I knew these people themselves. I saw history as the story of the past, learning about the people who had lived before me. By 5th grade, I was hooked. It was a world history book that year, and I would declare to anyone who would listen to me that I was going to be a historian. Did I have any idea what that meant? No. But I knew with every fiber of my being that my future was based on the study of history.
It shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise. I devoured every single book that the American Girl company released (Samantha and Felicity are my favorites). I would wake up early to watch the Waltons and Little House on the Prairie. The TV show Liberty’s Kids still echoes in my mind every summer. My favorite movie is the animated movie Anastasia, which kick-started my obsession with royal histories. My idea of a perfect summer was reading all the history books on royal families or browsing hundreds of articles online about them.
I know many people who are not fans of history. Whether it’s perceived as “boring” or because they think it’s just a list of names and dates. When I bring up the need to understand history, also known as the original context of the Bible, many tell me that it doesn’t matter, that it’s boring or impossible to comprehend. But understanding history is crucial to make us better theologians. It’s essential to remember that we serve a God who is active in history, not distant and uninvolved, but one who steps in to redeem His people. This understanding is critical as we engage with the Bible and our own histories.
From the very beginning, God has sought to make sure that we understand our Christian heritage. From the accounts of creation in Genesis to the chroniclers recording Israel’s history in the history books of the Old Testament, to the four accounts of the Gospel and Luke teaching us the account of the Christian church in Acts, and beyond, we see time and time again that history is crucial for understanding not only the life of Jesus, but also the entire biblical message. The Bible recounts the story of God’s revelation in the lives and histories of the people of God. Without that story, it is impossible to know that revelation.
Take the Old Testament for Example:
The Old Testament comprises 39 books, according to our Protestant Bibles. Out of those 39 books, 12 are “officially” listed as historical books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1–2 Samuel, 1–2 Kings, 1–2 Chronicles, Ezra–Nehemiah, and Esther. This means that 30% of the Old Testament consists of historical accounts. However, many others, including Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, and Haggai, contain historical accounts among other genres in their respective books.
Even though we know them as “historical” books, they were not written to tell “history for history’s sake.” Instead, they were written to show how God works in and through history, and any serious consideration of these books must keep such purposes in view. These books are not primarily “history” books but rather works of “theology” (“theology” meaning “the study of God”); they present history from a God’s-eye perspective. The historical books recount God’s repeated interventions in human history, whether through dramatic accounts of miracles, direct communication with people, or His indirect presence, visible in the providential unfolding of events.
Even though the primary purpose of the historical books was theological (and not “history for history’s sake”), they nevertheless were rooted in actual historical events. The Bible’s message is not conveyed through abstract philosophical treatises; it is conveyed through historical writings about historical events, from which we learn much about God and His purposes for humans. The stories in these books are presented as straightforward accounts of real events, and they treat miracles in the same narrative fashion as they do everyday events; see, for example, the matter-of-fact mixing of the two in the book of Joshua or the Elijah and Elisha accounts in 1–2 Kings. These histories do not aim to be a complete and exhaustive portrayal of the period but rather a selection made to illustrate God’s overall control of history, even when it is not immediately apparent to observers.
The historical books are thus “referential,” that is, they “refer” to historical realities, not fiction. This anticipates the Apostle Paul’s claims in 1 Corinthians 15. The foundation of our Christian faith is rooted in the actual historical fact of the resurrection. The same can be said for the faith of Old Testament believers: They placed their faith in a God who worked in and through the historical events that they or their ancestors lived through.
Understanding Our Own History
We celebrate American Independence Day on July 4th every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.
But July 4, 1776, wasn’t the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).
It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).
And it wasn’t the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn’t happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).
The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They’d been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.
July 4, 1776, became the date included on the Declaration of Independence and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.). It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.
For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, people didn’t celebrate it much on any date. It was too new, and there was too much else happening in the young nation. By the 1790s, a time of bitter partisan conflicts, the Declaration had become a subject of controversy. One party, the Democratic-Republicans, admired Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence. However, the other party, the Federalists, believed the Declaration was too French and too anti-British, which contradicted their current policies.
By 1817, John Adams complained in a letter that America seemed uninterested in its past. But that would soon change.
After the War of 1812, the Federalist Party began to disintegrate, and the new parties of the 1820s and 1830s all considered themselves the inheritors of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans. Printed copies of the Declaration began to circulate again, all with the date July 4, 1776, listed at the top. The deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, may have even helped promote the idea of July 4 as an important date to be celebrated.
Celebrations of the Fourth of July became more common as the years passed, and in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, Congress first declared July 4 a national holiday as part of a bill to recognize several holidays, including Christmas, officially. Further legislation about national holidays, including July 4, was passed in 1939 and 1941.
My Thoughts on the Fourth of July
This past October, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and to stay at Valley Forge for a weekend work trip. I got to explore a city that is so foundational to our country, the United States of America. There, I was exploring the downtown area and came across Washington Square. A beautiful garden located about a block away from Independence Hall: it was one of five parks within William Penn’s “Greene Countrie Towne.” Washington Square was initially known as Southeast Square. William Penn patented this square in 1706 as a Potter’s Field or a public graveyard for the poor. During the Revolutionary War, Potter’s Field served as a burial ground for both British and American soldiers. By the 18th century, it had become a burial ground for poor Philadelphians, American and British soldiers during the British occupation of Philadelphia (1777-78), and victims of yellow fever. The square served the living as well; enslaved and free African Americans socialized here, and the city later landscaped the grounds as a public park. In 1825, the square was renamed in honor of George Washington.
While I was walking through this garden, taking in the memory of those soldiers, I came across a small plaque set into the ground. “Through your Sacrifice, the Constitution Lives.” This marker has stuck with me since I considered how many people refuse to celebrate the Fourth of July, arguing that, because they disagree with the current political climate, we cannot celebrate our country.
I celebrate the Fourth of July not because I think America is perfect but because I believe in the God-given ideals it was founded on: freedom, justice, and the dignity of every person. As a Christian, I’m grateful to live in a country where I can worship freely, speak boldly, and participate in shaping our future. Patriotism isn’t about ignoring our past; and it’s about honoring what is good and striving to live up to the truths we profess.
We see in the Bible that God commands gratitude and honor. “Give thanks in all circumstances…” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) “Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17) Christians are called to give thanks for the blessings we have, and living in a country where we can worship freely, speak openly, and pursue opportunity is something worth celebrating. Government is God-ordained (Romans 13:1), and while no earthly nation is perfect, we are to pray for and respect our leaders and institutions. The Fourth of July can be a day to praise God for the freedom He has allowed us to enjoy in this country, even as we work to steward it well.
The Declaration of Independence is a radical document in world history. Its claim that “all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” was based on a biblical view of human dignity. Yes, America has not always lived up to those words, but that doesn’t mean the words were wrong. It means the standard was high and still is. Celebrating the Fourth isn’t pretending we’re perfect; it’s celebrating the ideals that inspire repentance, reform, and unity.
Love of country is not the same as worship of country. You can honor your homeland without ignoring its faults, just like we do in families, churches, and friendships. National pride means being grateful for your heritage, the sacrifices of past generations, and the freedoms you enjoy. True patriotism is humble and hopeful, not blind or boastful. The Fourth of July is a time to remember that freedom is fragile and must be preserved, especially for future generations.
A Redemptive View: From Imperfection to Progress. While some view the Fourth of July as a reminder of hypocrisy, Christians can see it as a reminder of the nation’s potential for redemption. The story of America, like the story of individuals in Scripture, is not a perfect one, but God uses imperfect people and nations to accomplish His purposes. Rather than tearing down, let us build up: call people to virtue, truth, and gratitude for what is good.
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