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From touchandchange.com Bible Studies This is a time of year when those who live in America get the chance to remember and celebrate the founding of this great country. I am a fan of history and the events and people that helped to establish this bold and daring new world so many years ago fascinate me. It is amazing to me that this nation was established and built upon principles of freedom that can trace their roots back to the Bible. I realize that sentence that you just read is the kind of sentence that sets ablaze the radio talk shows, the political debates, and every citizen that likes to vent about political issues. I say that it is amazing because we have lost sight of that concept today. Usually we hear someone scream with a guttural cry, “There is a separation between church and state!” And indeed, there is, but do me a favor, the next time you hear someone say that…. call them on it; find out what they really know about this whole issue of the separation between church and state. Not sure how, well then, sit back, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and let me share with you a few thoughts to help you in that process.
First, ask the party who will use the separation of church and state argument to say that faith has no part in our country where that phrase or law comes from. Usually they will respond, “the constitution of course!” At that moment, kindly ask them where in the constitution to find it…and then wait. They probably will not know and then you can tell them that when they find out where the very thing that they are claiming comes from, then you can talk about it. But let them in on an important fact…. it does not come from the constitution!
Second, you can then point out that from the very beginning of our nation, faith and God were a part of its formation. Even the Declaration of Independence itself is a religious document. Usually the person you are talking with will think you have lost your mind. Tell them to hang in there with you for a minute and then remind them that the Declaration of Independence bases its arguments for human rights on theological grounds not legal grounds. The very rights the Declaration maintains are rights, which are a gift from the Creator, “we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.” The logic is simple at this point, if there is no Creator, there are no rights. But because of the Creator we have rights!
Third, it will then be interesting to point out that without the Bible, the government, as we know it would not even exist. As you might imagine, that tends to get a negative reaction from many who would like Christianity removed from the face of our nation as well. If they still want to listen to you point out that the Bible and Christianity were the driving force behind the pilgrimage and settlement of this New World. The Bible was the defining and guiding book that was used to create the earliest rules of government. The Mayflower Compact, the Puritan Townships, and the Fundamental Constitutions of Pennsylvania are the models for the United States Constitution that exists today. Each of these documents was based solidly on Biblical principles.
Critics will attempt to eloquently and ignorantly plead that the Bible should have no role in the structure of this nation. In the sentences above you are reminded that the very structure and governing systems in our nation trace their roots back to the very thing that many would like removed. (The Bible) It is simple, no Bible, no American form of government, and the same Bible that many want removed is the very document that was used to provide them the structure that gives them the freedom to vocalize that they want it removed. (This probably won’t win any arguments, but it does leave the other person with a headache)
Finally, lets get back to the church and state separation issue. The First Amendment reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The First Amendment guarantees the right to express one's religious faith and worship God, or not according to the dictates of conscience.
The First Amendment was never intended to bar Christians from the political process, nor prevent religious morals from influencing public policy. So where did the "Separation between church & state" come from? This phrase is not found anywhere in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It originates, not from the Constitution or any other foundational document of our country, but from a letter Thomas Jefferson sent to the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists Association in 1802, 13 years after Congress passed the First Amendment. The Baptists in Danbury were being discriminated against and not allowed to participate in government because they were Baptists. Jefferson wanted to reassure the Baptists that there would be no official denomination for the country. Jefferson believed that God, not government, was the Author and Source of our rights and that the government therefore, was to be prevented from interference with those rights. The letter was very private and personal.
It was not until 1947 that our current understanding of separation between church & state came into being. It was in the Supreme Court case, Everson vs. Board of Education, in which the court interpreted the First Amendment to remove prayer in public schools. The Court however, only quoted eight of Jefferson's words from his letter (which talked about a wall of separation between church and state). These eight words were taken out of context and have been misused ever since.
When people say God bless America…that phrase has a lot more meaning than most have ever thought.
These are just a few of things discussed in the CD series, The Bible and the Founding of America taught by Rev. Jeff Dixon and offered this month in The Promise. To order your copy of this CD series call the CCC World Headquarters at 407-324-0203 or e-mail to ccc@touchandchange.com and order your copy today.
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