Our nation's strength springs from founders' Christian principles

Bucks Country Courier Times ^ | March 14, 2002 | BOB SCHEUER

[Arthur McGowan]

Unfortunately the author forgets than in the debate over the language of the Declaration, it was proposed that the words "endowed by their Creator" should be "endowed by their Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ".

And it's a good thing, too, because it's theologically illiterate. The Word, the second Person of the Trinity, is eternal, and all creatures have their existence THROUGH the eternal Word. The Word became Flesh 2,000 years ago, and only THEN was there a "Lord Jesus Christ." It is GOD who is the Creator--all three Divine Persons. Jesus Christ is God, but it is absurd to ascribe creation to "the Lord Jesus Christ," for even though Christ is the eternal Word made Flesh, "Jesus Christ" did not exist when the universe was made.

[RoughDobermann]

United States Constitution, Art. VI, par.3: "…no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

First Amendment of the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…"

[w_over_w]

. . . and in it's original translation the word "Religion" never appears in the Bible.

[NMC EXP]

“People who are not governed by God, will be ruled tyrants.”
-- William Penn

Regards -- J.R.

[alnick]

Thank you. Excellent article; I printed it out.

[RoughDobermann]

You're comparing the Constitution to the Bible?

[Jefferson Adams]

Huh?

LOL - I think you've answered w_over_w's question in the negative.

[alnick]

Are you saying that the quote you posted above indicates that George Washington was not a Christian? All it seems to say is that Christians of various denominations should focus on the aspects of their faith that they have in common rather than fight over their differences.

I'm a Christian and I believe that also.

[Bryan24]

That would apply only if you lived in New Hampshire. That wuld have been perfectly acceptable under the US Constitution in 1789.

[Jefferson Adams]

Jesus Christ is God, but it is absurd to ascribe creation to "the Lord Jesus Christ," for even though Christ is the eternal Word made Flesh, "Jesus Christ" did not exist when the universe was made.

Really? The how were "all things made through Him and by Him"?

[RoughDobermann]

I answered that way because I couldn't find the relevance of his question to the title of this thread, Our nation's strength springs from founders' Christian principles

[Jefferson Adams]

If you're interested in expanding your knowledge of how the triune God works, get a copy of "The Trinity," by Bickersteth. It'll change your life.

Bickersteth lines up prophecies with fulfillments and shows how, *many* times, things that were prophecied for the Father to do, the Son actually fulfilled.

All three members of the Trinity are One. And they aren't just eternal, because "time" is a part of God's creation. He (They) live outside of that.

[RoughDobermann]

No, I wasn't. But the following does make me think...

George Washington, the first president of the United States, never declared himself a Christian according to contemporary reports or in any of his voluminous correspondence. Washington Championed the cause of freedom from religious intolerance and compulsion. When John Murray (a universalist who denied the existence of hell) was invited to become an army chaplain, the other chaplains petitioned Washington for his dismissal. Instead, Washington gave him the appointment. On his deathbed, Washinton uttered no words of a religious nature and did not call for a clergyman to be in attendance.

From: George Washington and Religion by Paul F. Boller Jr., pp. 16, 87, 88, 108, 113, 121, 127 (1963, Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas, TX)

[4CJ]

In the Continental Congress their first official act was a call to prayer:

"Tuesday, September 6, 1774. Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Duché be desired to open the Congress tomorrow morning with prayers, at the Carpenter's Hall, at 9 o'clock."

Here's that prayer:

The First Prayer in Congress

O - Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech thee, on these our American States, who have fled to thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee, to Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give; take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved bands in the day of battle! Be Thou present, 0 God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honroable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation. That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst The people. Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask In the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior. Amen
The First Prayer offerred in Congress September 7, 1774 by Jacob Duché

[4CJ]

Madison's original version of our 1st Amendment read, "The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretence, infringed." The House then changed it to read, "Congress shall make no law establishing religion, or to prevent the free exercise thereof, or to infringe the rights of conscience."The Senate changed it to read, "Congress shall make no law establishing articles of faith, or a mode of worship, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion." And the conference committee changed it to the version we have today.

RESOLVED, That a joint committee of both Houses be directed to wait upon the President of the United States, to request that he would recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging, with grateful hearts, that many signal favors of almighty God, especially by affording them the opportunity peaceably to establish a Constitution of government for their safety and happiness.

US Congress, 25 Sep 1789 (immediately AFTER approving the final wording of the our First Amendment)

[4CJ]

Religious Clauses in State Constitutions

Delaware; Article 22 (1776) "Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust . . . shall . . . also make and subscribe the following declaration, to whit:

'I,_____, do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost , one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration'"

Delaware; Article VIII, Section 9 (1792) ". . . No clergyman or preacher of the gospel, of any denomination, shall be capable of holding any civil office in this State, or of being a member of either branch of the legislature, while he continues in the exercise of the pastoral or clerical functions."

Georgia; Article VI (1777) "The representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county . . . and they shall be of the Protestant religion . . . "

Georgia; Article LXII (1777) "No clergyman of any denomination shall be allowed a seat in the legislature."

Georgia; Article VI (1777) "The representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county, . . . and they shall be of the Protestant religion. . . "

Kentucky; Article II, Section 26 (1777) "No person, while he continues to exercise the functions of a clergyman, priest, or teacher of any religious persuasion, society of sect . . . shall be eligible to the general assembly . . . "

Maryland; Article XXXII (1776) " . . . All persons, professing the Christian religion, are equally entitled to protection their religious liberty. . . the Legislature may, in their discretion, lay a general tax and equal tax, for the support of the Christian religion. "

Maryland; Article XXXIV (1776) "That every gift, sale or devise of lands, to any minister, public teacher or preacher of the gospel, as such, or to any religious sect, order or denomination [must have the approval of the Legislature]"

Maryland; Article XXXV (1776) "That no other test or qualification ought to be required . . . than such oath of support and fidelity to this State . . . and a declaration of a belief in the Christian religion."

Massachusetts; First Part, Article II (1780) "It is the right as well as the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. . . "

Massachusetts; First Part, Article II (1780) "The governor shall be chosen annually; and no person shall be eligible to this office, unless . . . he shall declare himself to be of the Christian religion."

Massachusetts; Chapter VI, Article I (1780) "[All persons elected to State office or to the Legislature must] make and subscribe the following declaration, viz.

'I,_____, do declare, that I believe the Christian religion, and have firm persuasion of its truth. . . '"

New Hampshire; Part 1, Article 1, Section 5 (1784) " . . . the legislature . . . authorize . . . the several towns . . . to make adequate provision at their own expense, for the support and maintenance of public protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality. . . "

New Hampshire; Part 2, (1784) "[Provides that no person be elected governor, senator, representative or member of the Council] who is not of the protestant religion."

New Jersey; Article XIX (1776) " . . . no Protestant inhabitant of this Colony shall be denied the enjoyment of any civil right . . . ; all persons, professing a belief in the faith of any Protestant sect. . . shall be capable of being elected into any office of profit or trust, or being a member of either branch of the Legislature."

New York; Section VIII (1777) " . . . no minister of the gospel, or priest of any denomination whatsoever, shall, at any time hereafter, under any pretense or description whatever, be eligible to, or capable of holding any civil or military office or place within this State."

North Carolina; Article XXXI (1776) "That no clergyman, or preacher of the gospel, of any denomination, shall be capable of being a member of either the Senate, House of Commons, or Council of State, while he continues in the exercise of the pastoral function,"

North Carolina; Article XXXII (1776) "That no person, who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, . . . shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State.

Pennsylvania; Declaration of Rights II (1776) " . . . Nor can any man, who acknowledges the being of a God, be justly deprived or abridged to any civil right as a citizen, on account of his religious sentiments or peculiar mode of religious worship. "

Pennsylvania; Frame of Government, Section 10 (1776) "And each member [of the legislature] . . . shall make and subscribe the following declaration, viz.:

'I do believe in one God, the creator and governor of the universe, the rewarder to the good and the punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine inspiration. '"

Pennsylvania; Article IX, Section 4 (1790) "that no person, who acknowledges the being of a God, and a future state of rewards and punishments, shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this commonwealth."

South Carolina; Article III (1778) "[State officers and privy council to be] all of the Protestant religion. "

South Carolina; Article XII (1778) " . . . no person shall be eligible to a seat in the said senate unless he be of the Protestant religion."

South Carolina; Article XXI (1778) " . . . no minister of the gospel or public preachers of any religious persuasion, while he continues in the exercise of his pastoral function, and for two years after, shall be eligible either as governor, lieutenant-governor, a member of the senate, house of representatives, or privy council in this State."

South Carolina; Article XXXVIII (1778) "That all persons and religious societies who acknowledge that there is one God, and a future state of rewards and punishments, and that God is publicly to be worshipped, shall be freely tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed . . . to be the established religion of this State. "

Tennessee; Article VIII, Section 1 (1796) ". . . no minister of the gospel, or priest of any denomination whatever, shall be eligible to a seat in either house of the legislature."

Tennessee; Article VIII, Section 2 (1796) ". . . no person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this State. "

Vermont; Declaration of Rights, III (1777) " . . . nor can any man who professes the protestant religion, be justly deprived or abridged of any civil right, as a citizen, on account of his religious sentiment. . . ; nevertheless, every sect or denomination of people ought to observe the Sabbath, or the Lord's day . . . "

Vermont; Frame of Government, Section 9 (1777) "And each member [of the legislature], . . . shall make and subscribe the following declaration, viz.:

'I do believe in one god, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the old and new testament to be given by divine inspiration, and own and profess the protestant religion.'"

[4CJ]

---

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
John Jay, first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

[jimt]

And it's a good thing, too, because it's theologically illiterate.

Arthur, I've also heard the Trinity described as the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

It's immaterial. The point is that they had an explicit opportunity to insert Christianity into the Declaration, and they did not. Jefferson, a Deist by his own claim, writes about this incident quite a bit. One of the three things he aked to be remembered for was his "Statute on Religious Freedom" in Virginia. It codified freedom of religion for everybody, including those who held no religious views.

There is no doubt that Christians had a positive influence on the founding of our country. But I'll repeat, our strength comes from freedom and respect for individual rights. The founders could have held Christian principles and expressed them in a monarchy. They didn't. They were trying to create the best government they knew how, not trying to express their religious points of view.