Civil Religion

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This image pictures President Joe Biden being sworn in to office. Civil religion is pictured here as a gathering, every four years on January 20th, the use of a religious text (in this case the bible), to commemorate the transition of power. These types of celebrations allow for people to celebrate a deeper set of values, understood by society. 

In this photo, we see President Joe Biden being sworn in. In the photo it appears as if his wife is holding the bible with his left hand placed on it whilst he is raising his right hand. He seems to be reciting the oath of office, given to him by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Further, the significance of the bible indicates that the oath is worth swearing in God's name for. Typically, the presidents inauguration ceremony is broadcasted globally, allowing citizens of any country to watch this sacred ceremony of the president.

In the second image, taken from the "Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies'" website. This committee made up of various senators, according to their website "Since 1901, and in accordance with the 20th Amendment of the United States Constitution, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) has been responsible for the planning and execution of the Inaugural Ceremonies of the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the United States at the Capitol."  This image explains the committee's background and the importance of the inauguration ceremony. They claim 'the swearing-in ceremonies represent both national renewal and continuity of leadership"

So according to the committee, swearing in the president is a ritual that allows the people to celebrate the progression of leadership from one presidency to the next.  This is glaringly similar to how Bellah claimed that these types of ceremonies create a “ritual calendar for civil religion” (Bellah 1967: 11), these celebrations shape the physical calendar that we follow. This celebration is also “often indicative of deep-seated values and commitments that are not made explicit in the course of everyday life” (Bellah 1967: 2).

Still, despite all the claims on how important this ceremony is, it further begs the question if the ceremony is simply just performative. In fact, the electoral college counts their votes on January 6th, 2020, well before January 20th. Despite the celebration allowing the people to celebrate a deeper set of values, is it any more significant that the actual election night itself?

Citations:

Bellah, Robert N. 1967. “Civil Religion in America.” Daedalus

96(1): 1-27.


“Home.” The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, November 5, 2020. https://www.inaugural.senate.gov/.





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