Fidelity Month: Restoring Faith, Family, and Love of Country in a Secular Age

Every June, Fidelity Month calls Americans to recommit to three foundational values that have historically provided unity and strength: faith in God, fidelity to spouses and families, and love of country and community.

What Is Fidelity Month?

Now in its fourth year, Fidelity Month is a grassroots movement founded by Princeton University Professor Robert P. George. It seeks to push back against the erosion of traditional American values that have declined dramatically over the past three decades. The initiative encourages individuals, families, churches, and communities to actively celebrate and reinforce the importance of faithfulness in its deepest sense.

The Alarming Decline of Core American Values

A 2023 Wall Street Journal poll confirmed what many sensed intuitively: belief in the importance of God, family, and patriotism had fallen sharply, while the pursuit of money had risen. George argues that while financial security matters, it should remain a distant fourth behind faith, family, and country.

These three values were not incidental to America’s success. From the founding, they served as essential sources of unity in a nation unlike most others. The United States is not a “blood and soil” nation bound by ethnicity or ancient religion. Instead, Americans have been bound by shared belief in God — reflected in the national motto “In God We Trust” and the Pledge of Allegiance — commitment to the principles of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, fidelity in marriage and family life, and love of country.

Why These Values Matter: American Exceptionalism

George explains that American exceptionalism does not mean Americans are superior. It means the country was deliberately founded on ideas and moral commitments rather than shared ancestry. When faith in God, strong families, and patriotism weaken, the thin bonds of civic institutions alone may not be enough to hold a deeply diverse nation together.

The Roots of Erosion: Secularization and the Sexual Revolution

The primary long-term driver, according to George, has been secularization among cultural, economic, and political elites, which then trickles down through society. A major accelerant has been the sexual revolution, which elevated individual satisfaction and personal autonomy above duty, responsibility, and communal obligation.

Consequences have been profound. Divorce, once rare and stigmatized, became commonplace. Today, new phenomena like polyamory (including “throuples”) are being actively glamorized by major media outlets such as The New York Times and The New Yorker. George describes this as not only morally wrong but deeply destructive to human flourishing, arguing that humans are made for the unique complementarity of one man and one woman in a stable union uniquely suited for raising children.

Signs of Hope: The “Vibe Shift” and Young People

Despite these trends, George sees encouraging signs. He points to what many are calling a “vibe shift” — including renewed interest in faith among young people, exemplified by events like the Asbury revival. As a longtime professor at Princeton