America: Secular State or Christian Nation?
By Editorial Staff
Published May 2008
America’s Founders and Presidents Speak for Themselves
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!
- Patrick Henry
The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected in one indissoluble bond civil government with the principles of Christianity.
- John Quincy Adams
The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.
- Noah Webster
We have staked the future of government not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions on the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the ten commandments of God.
- James Madison
It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible…. No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency … We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained.
- George Washington
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. So great is my veneration of the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectful members of society.
- John Adams
The Bible is the cornerstone of liberty. A student’s perusal of the sacred volume will make him a better citizen, a better father, a better husband.
- Thomas Jefferson
The Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man . . . But for it we could not know right from wrong.
- Abraham Lincoln
It is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
- Abraham Lincoln
The Bible is the rock on which our Republic rests. Andrew Jackson
Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization and to this we must look as our guide in the future.
- Ulysses S. Grant
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know the price of the rights which God has given them, cannot be enslaved.
- Benjamin Franklin
As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this. . . . by an inevitable chain of causes and effects Providence punishes national sins by national calamities.
- George Mason, at the Constitutional Congress
I tremble for my country when I consider that God is just and his justice cannot sleep forever.
- Thomas Jefferson
The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.
- Abraham Lincoln
In this actual world, a churchless community, a community where men have abandoned and scoff at, or ignore their Christian duties, is a community on the rapid downgrade.
- Theodore Roosevelt
A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about.
- Woodrow Wilson
The church must take right ground in regard to politics. Politics are a part of a religion in a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as part of their duty to God. . . . He will bless or curse this nation according to the course Christians take in politics.
- Charles Finney
(Historical note: As a law school student, Finney studied the standard legal text, Blackstone’s Law. This text constantly cited the Bible as the basis and authority for U.S. Laws. Through studying the verses on which American law was based, Finney the law student became a Christian. He then became one of the greatest revival evangelists in U.S. history. Finney was also an outspoken opponent of slavery, and a defender of the illegal and lifesaving Underground Railroad that brought liberty and justice to slaves.)
The Original State Constitutions
Everyone serving in public office must affirm this statement: “I do profess faith in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed forever more, and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.”
- Delaware Constitution
And each member [of the legislature], before he takes his seat, 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 the punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration.”
- Pennsylvania Constitution
All persons elected to office must make the following declaration: “I do declare that I believe the Christian religion, and have firm persuasion of its truth.”
- Massachusetts Constitution
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.
- Tennessee Constitution, adopted in 1796
(Historical note: The original state constitutions were adopted before or about the time of the U.S. Constitution. Fiercely independent, the states would never have approved a national constitution that violated their own. Obviously, their concept of the proper relationship between the Christian faith and government was profoundly different than ours today. Honesty and history demand we see the Constitution and its amendments as they did, not as the ACLU does.)
The U.S. Supreme Court
Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty of as well as the privilege and interest of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for its rulers.
- John Jay, first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
(Historical note to above: Chief Justice Jay was also one of three main contributors to the U.S. Constitution.)
By our form of government the Christian Religion is the established Religion, and all sects and denominations of Christians are set on the same equal footing.
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1796
Whatever strikes at the root of Christianity tends manifestly to the dissolution of civil government.
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1811
(Historical note: in the preceding case the Court upheld a $500 fine and three month jail sentence against a man who had continuously blasphemed against Christ. The offense against Christ was regarded as an offense against the nation.)
The purest principles of morality are to be taught. Where are they found? Whoever searches for them must go to the source from which a Christian man derives his faiththe Bible.
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1844
(Historical note: The above was the Court’s response to a Philadelphia school’s desire to teach morality without appealing to the Scriptures. The Court’s decision required schools to continue using the Bible in the classroom to uphold Christian morality.)
Our law and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind . . . it is impossible that it should be otherwise and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1892
(Historical note: The court cited 87 legal precedents showing the Christian faith was at the heart of the United States, and the country did not and could not exist independently of it.)
At the time of the adoption of the Constitution and the amendments the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged, not any one sect…. There can be no substitute for Christianity … that was the religion of the founders of the republic, and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants. The great, vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- The U.S. House Judiciary Committee Report, 1853
(Historical note: the above was in response to a petition to separate the religion of Christianity from the ongoings of the U.S. government. The petition was denied.)
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Martin Luther (DVD) 1953 Classic
Niall MacGinnis – Digitally Remastered
The dramatic classic film of Martin Luther’s life was released in theaters worldwide in the 1950s and was nominated for two Oscars. A magnificent depiction of Luther and the forces at work in the surrounding society that resulted in his historic reforming efforts, this film traces Luther’s life from a guilt-burdened monk to his eventual break with the Roman Catholic Church.
In spite of its age, this film continues to be a popular resource to introduce Luther’s life. This historical epic captures the life and times of the greatest figure of the Protestant Reformation with depth and clarity, while giving a glimpse at the private man in the eye of the storm. Luther’s protest against the established order of the Church gave birth to one of the largest religious and cultural movements history and serves as a prime example of how one man’s spiritual convictions can change the course of human events.
Running Time: 105 minutes
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The Real Jesus: A Defense of the Historicity and Divinity of Christ (DVD)
Who is the Real Jesus?
Ever since the dawn of modern rationalism, skeptics have sought to use textual criticism, archeology and historical reconstructions to uncover the “historical Jesus” — a wise teacher who said many wonderful things, but fulfilled no prophecies, performed no miracles and certainly did not rise from the dead in triumph over sin.
Over the past 100 years, however, startling discoveries in biblical archeology and scholarship have all but vanquished the faulty assumptions of these doubting modernists. Regrettably, these discoveries have often been ignored by the skeptics as well as by the popular media. As a result, the liberal view still holds sway in universities and impacts the culture and even much of the church.
The Real Jesus explodes the myths of these critics and the movies, books and television programs that have popularized their views. Presented in ten parts — perfect for individual, family and classroom study — viewers will be challenged to go deeper in their knowledge of Christ in order to be able to defend their faith and present the truth to a skeptical modern world – that the Jesus of the Gospels is the Jesus of history — “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He is the real Jesus.
Speakers include: George Grant, Ted Baehr, Stephen Mansfield, Raymond Ortlund, Phil Kayser, David Lutzweiler, Jay Grimstead, J.P. Holding, and Eric Holmberg.
Ten parts, over two hours of instruction!
Running Time: 130 minutes
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Abortion Clinic 911 Calls
Exposes the Dangers of Abortion to Women!
These shocking eyewitness accounts expose the dangers of abortion not only to unborn children, but to the health and lives women as well. An antidote to the smokescreens of the liberal media, these six short clips show what really happens in and around abortion clinics.
Although the content is emotionally gut-wrenching, these videos have been used in church seminars and small groups to educate Christians on the abortion issue and to lead people toward a pro-life position.
Watch these pro-life videos on-line.
“These videos helped change my mind from pro-choice to pro-life. Your videos are what did it for me. I will be walking in next year’s March For Life in San Francisco.” — A. Jackson, California
“I was going to have an abortion until I saw your video. Praise Jesus!”
— M. Drew, YouTube Commenter
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Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism (DVD)
Download the Free on-line Study Guide!
Just what is Calvinism?
Does this teaching make man a deterministic robot and God the author of sin? What about free will? If the church accepts Calvinism, won’t evangelism be stifled, perhaps even extinguished? How can we balance God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility? What are the differences between historic Calvinism and hyper-Calvinism? Why did men like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Whitefield, Edwards and a host of renowned Protestant evangelists embrace the teaching of predestination and election and deny free will theology?
This is the first video documentary that answers these and other related questions. Hosted by Eric Holmberg, this fascinating three-part, four-hour presentation is detailed enough so as to not gloss over the controversy. At the same time, it is broken up into ten “Sunday-school-sized” sections to make the rich content manageable and accessible for the average viewer.
Running Time: 257 minutes
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God's Law and Society (DVD)
Download the Free on-line Study Guide!
God’s Law and Society powerfully presents a comprehensive worldview based upon the ethical system found in the Law of God.
Speakers include: R.J. Rushdoony, George Grant, Howard Phillips, R.C. Sproul Jr., Ken Gentry, Gary DeMar, Jay Grimstead, Steven Schlissel, Andrew Sandlin, Eric Holmberg, and more!
Sixteen Christian leaders and scholars answer some of the most common questions and misconceptions related to this volatile issue:
1. Are we under Law or under Grace?
2. Does the Old Testament Law apply today?
3. Can we legislate morality?
4. What are the biblical foundations of government?
5. Was America founded as a Christian nation?
6. What about the separation of Church and State?
7. Is neutrality a myth?
8. What about non-Christians and the Law of God?
9. Would there be “freedom” in a Christian republic?
10. What would a “Christian America” look like?
Perfect for group instruction as well as personal Bible study.
Ten parts, over four hours of instruction!
Running Time: 240 minutes
Watch over 60 on-line video interviews from God’s Law and Society.
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