Listening to academics, politicians, and commentators both conservative and liberal, one gets the impression that the greatness of America stems from our form of government. This position is suggested in the commonly held theory that if only we can spread democracy around the world, everything will be just fine.

One reason this is such a popular position is that it is nonsectarian, that is, it offends no one. In today’s climate, who could object to the spread of democracy?

One problem with this perspective is beginning to surface all over the world. Democracy can be the handmaiden of cruel and unrighteous causes. For example, Muslim countries can democratically choose to institute sharia law, which is the source of untold human suffering. In Venezuela, Hugo Chávez has been able to distort democracy to serve his purposes, to the injury of many, and ultimately, I believe, to the destruction of that country. The point is that democracy can be used as a tool to serve the purposes of good or of evil.

Another problem with viewing democracy as that which made America great, and consequently what can be the salvation of other nations, is that some nations can’t seem to make it work. Russia seems to be so riddled with corruption that democracy there is struggling to survive.

If not democracy, what did make America great? Our nation thrived because our culture was shaped by the Word of God. Democracy can only work in an environment where people are willing to be honest and moral rather than dishonest and self-serving.

Multiculturalists notwithstanding, only the Bible can produce those qualities. America has been great because of its integrity, and that integrity was a product of our commitment as a culture to the truth and authority of the Bible. It might be noted that even those who have not made a commitment to Christ are still influenced by the presence of the Word of God in a society and by believers who function as salt and light.

As liberals succeed in rewriting history, the impact of Scripture on our heritage is becoming lost. One bit of history trivia reveals the depths of our Christian roots as a nation. Recently I discovered that Harry Truman learned to read by following along as his mother read to him from the King James Bible.

We don’t normally think of Harry Truman as one of our more spiritual presidents. He is better known for getting theological words at the wrong places in sentences. Nonetheless, this little factoid reveals that even he was influenced substantially by the Word of God from a young age.

Democracy is not working in many places, or it is not serving the cause of righteousness, because we have tried to transplant it in cultures that lack the necessary biblical foundation.

Though this may offend some, this is like placing chimpanzees on university campuses and expecting them to become intellects. A university is a wonderful tool for those who have intellectual capacity, but it will not supply it to those who do not. Likewise, placing people without a Christian foundation in a democracy only provides the shell, but not the vital internal principle necessary to make democracy work.

As the United States continues to reject its Christian heritage, we are becoming more like chimpanzees at a university. Our handling of the immigration and oil issues make that evident. This can only change when evangelicals gain the vitality to reshape our culture, and that can only happen if we experience an evangelical reformation.