Fidelity Renewed

“Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.”  – Cicero

Earlier this year the Wall Street Journal published some polling data that was troubling to me, as I noted at the time. The results showed precipitous declines in social values defining, if not foundational, of the United States. 

You can read the original WSJ article (with a subscription) or a New York Post summary. 

The results come with surprise to even astute cultural observers. The extent of the value shift to the comparative 1998 data sets off alarm bells.

Anyone in political leadership should be concerned with the trend, but with the aggressive pace in which they are advancing. Diminished views of marriage and childbearing, patriotism and especially of God and religion are contrary to American cultural history and evidence of social decay. 

A young, colonial people, holding fast to God, family and their mutual alliance, overthrew the strongest military force in the world to form its own republic. Later, that still young nation, embracing these same values, preserved itself from a devastating rupture and eradicated the legal practice of slavery within its borders. 

Faith, family and country were in the hearts of American soldiers as they entered combat multiple times throughout the 20th century, in Europe, southeast Asia and beyond. I daresay the United States would not have endured the 911 terrorist attacks earlier in this century had its people not had strong recourse to God and the unity of family and nation.

I’m not alone in concern for these alarming trends. Princeton law professor, Robert George, a man of great intellect and action, has introduced a counter effort to mitigate the effects and ultimately reverse the course of these rapidly advancing value drifts. His initiative, aptly dubbed Fidelity Month, gives focus to the cultural erosion and calls Americans to renew their understanding and embrace of these foundational pillars in our country’s history.

“By the authority vested in me by absolutely no one,” Dr. George writes, “I have declared June to be ‘Fidelity Month’ – a month dedicated to the importance of fidelity to God, spouses and families, and our country and communities.” 

I am a latecomer to the Fidelity Month movement but have taken it quickly and completely to heart. The call for renewed fidelity resonates in our day. Political divisions, racial tensions – and any number of societal ills – are exacerbated by this departure from respect in God, family and country. Dr. George has introduced a modest but potentially efficacious stopgap to our current dangerous course, and I endorse his effort.

American Solidarity Party members, in particular, can appreciate this approach. Rooted in Christian Democracy, the ASP seeks to introduce Christian social teaching with pluralist politics in a nation founded on Judeo-Christian values. This acknowledges God’s sovereignty and the right of all people to form their consciences and worship God freely.

The family is recognized as the foundational unit of the human community, built on the lifelong commitment in marriage between man and woman. Together with their children, they enjoy priority of place in the order of society. Patriotism finds its place within the call for the common good. ASP members uphold and defend the country’s ideals of fundamental and equal rights for all. 

If we are to counter these rapid and sweeping trends, an intentional effort is needed to embrace the goodness of God, family and country. Fidelity Month creates a path for us to begin that effort.