One of my favorite ways to mark the Fourth of July is to listen to NPR’s annual reading of the Declaration of Independence. With a stirring musical backdrop and diverse voices, they bring the text to life with the urgency and determination of the day. It's a nine-minute listen and is worth your time. Thank of how those nine minutes shaped hopes and dreams around the world. I promise your time will be worth it!

Independence Day is a remarkable day. It is not just a celebration of the founding of an independent nation, but a declaration of values and aspirations that were (and still are) far from universally appreciated.

Independence Day is one of two national holy days in our liturgical calendar. The other is Thanksgiving Day. It is always right for a church to pray for the nation, but what does it mean to elevate a national holiday to the ranks of holy days commemorating key moments of our faith?