The Articles of Confederation (1777) was our first Constitution. It remained in force until 1789 when the present Constitution went into effect. Before the adoption of the first Constitution, the Declaration of Independence was crafted.
The Declaration of Independence heralded the principles for separating from Great Britain. It enumerated grievances that impelled the colonists to revolt against tyrannical King George III. Collectively, the principles and the grievances established the foundation upon which the present U.S. Constitution was framed.
The Declaration of Independence invoked direct references to God. The first paragraph cited “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.” These laws entitled the colonists to separate from Great Britain.
In the second paragraph, the text states, “that all men are created equal.” It also mentions “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”
The Confederacy was a dismal failure. This failure gave rise to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Unlike the harmony the delegates experienced at the Convention of 1776, the 1787 convention was filled with acrimony. It had fruitless debates that left many of the delegates discouraged. After several fruitless weeks, the elder delegate Benjamin Franklin gave a brief history followed by a proposition. He began by explaining how the Declaration of Independence was developed. He related to the delegates how each session started with a prayer meeting.
Franklin proposed the delegates start every day with prayer and listen to sermons. The closing argument was profound. He stated, “And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.“
The delegates remembered how God empowered their success in the Revolution. They turned to prayer and listening to sermons.
The outcome was our amazing U.S. Constitution.
Our founding fathers were keenly aware of state-sponsored religion. Such were commonplace in European countries. What was to be our state religion, the Danbury Baptists wanted to know. In a letter to the Baptists, Thomas Jefferson explained there would be no state religion. He stated that there is a wall of separation between the federal government and the various Christian denominations. This meant the U.S. government would never have a state-sponsored religion.
The narrative of the separation of Church and State is a myth. Atheists use this myth to undermine the Christian foundation of our beloved country. Sadly, the Johnson Amendment to the tax code in 1954 was quietly passed. Texas pastors openly pointed to JBJ’s wickedness and corrupt politics. This amendment served to unconstitutionally silence churches throughout the country.
Our founding documents confirm the fact this nation was founded on Christian principles.
John N. White 