PART II: "Was" America a Christian Nation? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

By Shane Idleman
 
Clearly, most of America's founders and early settlers wanted the Bible, prayer, and biblical principles so entrenched within society that nothing would remove them. This is why John Adams, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, rightly said, "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were . . . the general principles of Christianity."17
From Harvard to Yale, from the Supreme Court to the local courts and the public school system, historically, the theme remained the same-God's Word was to be the foundation on which America was built! For example, although the home was where the majority of early Americans were educated, the Boston Latin School (established in 1636 by Rev. John Cotton), the first school outside the home, taught students the Word of God. In 1647, the Old Deluder Law established the first biblically based public schools in America. The Colonists believed that they could protect their civil liberties by eliminating biblical illiteracy.
As yet another striking example, consider the 1642 Rules and Precepts of Harvard University founded by Reverend John Harvard: "Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3)." The Rules continue, "and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning." What would those at Harvard say today?

Additionally, one can simply review The Works of John Witherspoon to get a glimpse into the biblical mindset of many of the Founders. Reverend Witherspoon, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, achieved a great reputation as an educator and a religious leader. He is known as "the man who trained the Founding Fathers."

I'm not suggesting that the Founders and/or early settlers were without fault, or that they were all Christians; they were human and made mistakes, but in general, most were committed to God's wisdom when they set forth the foundation for government, and ultimately, the nation. A brief review of their last wills and testaments will confirm this. It's amazing to see how many of these men acknowledged God and their Savior, Jesus Christ. Additionally, the Founders introduced approximately 1,400 official prayer proclamations prior to 1815. (At some point, the issue of slavery often arises, and rightly so; it was, and is, a formidable mark on our nation's history. However, many Founders were opposed to slavery and diligently fought for abolition-a list is available by emailing me.)
Patrick Henry, an American orator and statesman, and a leading patriot of the American Revolution, is often credited with saying, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."18 This is why 24 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence received what, today, would be considered a seminary education. This also explains why the Supreme Court, in the early 1800s, ruled that public schools should teach the Bible.19 Noah Webster went so far as to say that "education is useless without the Bible."
History, as well as the original intent of the Founders, does not allow us to separate God's Word from governing our nation. The Founders chose a republic over a democracy for this very reason. A democracy governs by direct vote of the majority of the people; principle-centered leadership was to govern America's republic. Representatives were to vote and administrate according to unchanging biblical principles, not by feelings or opinion polls. Murder, stealing, lying, and so forth are always wrong regardless of how the majority may vote. This isn't a popular stance, or an easy one, but it's the right one! We need more people in leadership who recognize the urgent need to return to biblical principles.
Unlike today, many early political leaders were not ashamed to admit the true source of America's strength-they were biblically correct, rather than politically correct. They were statesmen, not politicians. A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation. Can you imagine politicians truly acknowledging Jesus today; it would be unheard of. Granted, there are a few, and I thank them for their stance.
You may wonder, "Where is he going with this?" Straight to the point: Think of what this will mean to our children and grandchildren. Regardless of if you agree with this article or not…If we fail to stand up for what is right-right now, we may see a time in our history when our freedoms, and theirs, will vanish. With the acceptance of same-sex marriage and failure to protect the unborn, that time may be close at hand. Psalm 11:3 states, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" And the last half of Isaiah 7:9 affirms, If you do not stand firm in your faith and convictions, you will not be able stand at all. Again, this battle is for the very soul of our nation. It's our choice-will we stand or fall?
 
This excerpt was taken from ONE NATION 'ABOVE' GOD, © 2008 by El Paseo Publications (www.elpaseopublications.com); Shane cane be reached at Shaneidleman@roadrunner.com.
 

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17 John Adams, Works (1856), Vol. X, p.45, to Thomas Jefferson on June 28th, 1813.

18 Many acknowledge the fact that this quote is consistent with Henry's life and character even though it cannot be confirmed. It's possible that this unconfirmed quote came from Henry's uncle: Reverend Patrick Henry.

19 David Barton, www.wevotevalues.com/church__clips_info.html (October 22nd, 2004). Additionally, see Vidal v. Girard's Executors, 43 U.S. 126, 132 (1844).