Pensacola Christian College
Maintaining the Foundations
Research Paper
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EN 102-11
English Grammar and Composition
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Pensacola, Florida
April 20, 2017
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Maintaining the Foundations
Thesis: America’s foundation is based on a rich, biblical heritage.
I. America’s biblical foundation is evident in the original documents of America.
A. The Mayflower Compact demonstrates biblical principles.
B. The Declaration of Independence demonstrates biblical principles.
II. America’s biblical foundation is demonstrated in the lives of her Founding Fathers and
early statesmen.
A. The influence of the Bible is evident in the lives of the majority of the founders.
1. Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Constitution, embraced the Christian faith.
2. Samuel Adams, a zealous American patriot, spent much time with his Heavenly
Father in prayer.
B. A belief in Christianity is demonstrated through the statements and actions of
America’s leading statesmen.
1. Daniel Webster advocated preserving America’s godly heritage.
2. George Washington’s actions revealed his faith in God.
III. America’s biblical foundation is demonstrated in the Congressional acts of the nineteenth
century.
A. Congress recommended a national day of prayer in 1863.
B. Congress added “In God We Trust” to American coins in 1865.
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Maintaining the Foundations
Western conservative thought has a long religious history. Many of its principles were
derived from the writings of the prominent Englishmen Edmund Burke and William Blackstone.
Their works were firmly rooted in the Bible, and their belief that government should follow
biblical guidelines was passed on through the many English generations and thus to the United
States of America. Many modern day historians like to deny America’s biblical heritage.
However, their position is inaccurate. America’s foundation is based on a rich, biblical heritage.
First, America’s biblical foundation is evident in America’s original documents. These
documents, which were the building blocks for first colonial, then national, government, contain
references to a strong belief in biblical principles. One of the earliest was the Mayflower
Compact. According to The American Covenant by Marshall Foster and Mary-Elaine Swanson
(1983, 81), examples of biblical principles in early documents go back even to 1620 when the
Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean seeking religious freedom. As they neared the end of their
torturous journey, divisions occurred within the band of colonists, causing the Pilgrim leaders to
write the Mayflower Compact, establishing a government in the New World. William Bradford
(1985, 77) in Of Plymouth Plantation recorded for future generations that the reason for the
Mayflower Compact was “occasioned partly by the discontented and mutinous speeches that
some of the strangers [non-Separatists on the Mayflower] amongst them had let fall from them in
the ship: That when they came ashore they would use their own liberty, for none has power to
command them, the patent they had being for Virginia and not for New England.” In fact, the
“strangers” were right in believing that the new colonists did not have a government to answer
to; the Mayflower had been blown off course in a storm, placing the colonists outside the
jurisdiction of the London Company. The Pilgrims understood that man’s sinful human nature
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needed the restraining effects of government. Stanton M. Evans (1994, 33-34) explains that the
Pilgrim fathers knew that without some form of binding government established upon religious
principles, they would have no hope of succeeding in the New World. As a result, the Pilgrims’
dependence on God and government is just one biblical principle obvious in the Mayflower
Compact.
The Mayflower Compact also demonstrates the Pilgrims’ understanding of the Great
Commission. One of the objectives that the Pilgrims had in coming to the New World was
evangelism: the Compact states this desire as “having undertaken, for the glory of God and
advancement of the Christian Faith” (Bradford 1985, 77). The Pilgrims understood that man was
placed on this earth to glorify God. One of the most basic ways that a Christian can glorify God
is through obedience to God’s commands. The Pilgrims desired to fulfill Christ’s command in
Mark 16:15 (KJV): “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The
Pilgrims were literally going “into all the world” when they settled in New England. It is hard to
understand why anyone would try to deny America’s biblical foundation when one has such
obvious proofs as the Mayflower Compact.
Another famous original American document that reflects the Christian faith of the
founders is the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration closes by stating that the people
had “a firm reliance on the Protection of divine Providence.” American Government and
Economics in Christian Perspective points out the significance of the acknowledgment of God in
the Declaration of Independence:
The Christian elements in the Declaration of Independence are seen in the
acknowledgement that God is the Creator and the Sovereign of the universe. Only when
the doctrine of Creation is affirmed can individuals have true worth. When a society
denies the doctrine of Creation, the individual has no meaning apart from his ability to
benefit the state. The signers in the last paragraph are willing to risk their lives, their
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fortunes, and their honor because of their confidence in Divine Providence. (Hicks 1984,
62)
Belief in a Creator and in that Creator’s sovereignty are two of the most foundational Christian
beliefs. Another of these foundations is the belief that God judges mankind. American
Government and Economics in Christian Perspective goes on to state that “the Declaration also
recognizes God as the Supreme Judge of men and nations” (Hicks 1984, 62). The signers of the
Declaration knew that God judges man for his actions, and they had no fear that their Declaration
of Independence would incur the wrath of God. Since this nation’s beginning in 1776, God has
blessed America because of her biblical foundation.
Second, America’s biblical foundation is evident in the lives of the Founding Fathers and
early statesmen. Faith was not limited only to the best known of the Founding Fathers, but was
so widespread that it would be unusual to find one of the founders who did not believe in the
God of the Bible. According to John Eidsmoe (1987, 51), in Christianity and the Constitution, 34
percent of all quotations by the Founding Fathers are directly from the Bible; if both indirect and
direct quotations are combined, 94 percent of their quotations are derived from Scripture. If those
men were not avid students of the Bible, they would not have referred to it with the frequency
and reverence that they did.
One Founding Father whose life demonstrates America’s biblical foundation is Dr.
Benjamin Rush. Dr. Benjamin Rush was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence;
he was also a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. According to B. J.
Lossing (1995, 103), this doctor was dedicated to fulfilling his calling regardless of the
circumstances because he had a firm belief in the sovereignty of God. He esteemed his study of
Scripture as one of his most important studies; it was his faith in God that kept him unmoving in
the face of turmoil. Thus, the principles of the Bible influenced all of Dr. Rush’s choices.
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Lossing (1995, 103) goes on to describe Dr. Rush as "zealous and consistent in his Christian
faith."
Rush’s dedication to the Bible and the Christian faith helped to establish this country’s
biblical foundation.
Another fervent Christian patriot is Samuel Adams. The Christian History of the
Constitution (Hall 1973, 332) quotes historian George Bancroft who states that Adams spent so
much time in prayer that "his house was a house of prayer." Consequently, Adams’s faithfulness
prepared him to lead others in America’s fight for independence . Catherine Millard (1995, 67)
records that Adams was trusted and respected by his fellow Americans because they knew that
his actions were governed by God. That respect and honor given to Adams by his fellow
countrymen was not shared, however, by the British. Lossing (1995, 35) records that they wanted
the colonial patriot silenced, and they made him considerable offers to keep silent, but Adams
staunchly refused, content in his "peace with the King of kings" to defend his people against the
British monarchy.
Adams was just one of many men who helped to establish America’s biblical
foundation.
Early statesmen also contributed to America’s biblical foundation through their beliefs
and lives. The lives these men led speak volumes about their faith. After all, Christianity was the
driving force of their lives, and they could not help but speak of it. Daniel Webster, one of
America’s greatest statesmen and orators, is a perfect example of a political figure influencing
America’s spiritually. Catherine Millard (1995, 165, 169) records that this influential figure in
American history said that the Bible had always been an integral part of his life and a primary
part of his education; even his final words indicated that doing the will of his Heavenly Father
had been the main desire in his life. Consequently, Webster’s consuming dedication to God was
evident as he served his country. According to Foster and Swanson (1983, vi), Webster was not
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only aware of the important role that Christianity played in the life of a nation, but patriotism
also flowed strongly through his heart. Webster wanted America to remain free and strong, far
surpassing any nation on earth; but he knew America’s success was only possible through God’s
blessings. As a result, Webster urged people to remember the biblical heritage of their country
and implored them to hold tightly to those principles of Christianity which had permeated the
lives of the Founders. His life was just one more that helped to establish America’s biblical
foundation.
Another early statesman whose life contributed to America’s biblical foundation is
George Washington. Throughout his life, Washington’s actions often revealed his personal faith,
but his inauguration ceremony exhibits Washington’s desire to set his country on a godly course.
During his Inaugural Address, Washington repeatedly referred to God’s influence on this nation,
and, as J. Michael Sharman (1995, 18-19) records, Washington publicly acknowledged that
ignoring biblical principles would cause America to lose God’s blessing. Washington was
acutely aware that America’s success came from God and that America would continue to
succeed only with God’s help. He requested to be sworn in on an open Bible and, according to
Millard (1995, 85), concluded his oath with the phrase "so help me God,” thereby setting
precedents that are still followed more than two hundred years later. Washington’s choices in his
inauguration ceremony reflect his desire to establish America on a biblical foundation.
Third, America’s biblical foundation is evident in the Congressional acts of the
nineteenth century. These Congressional acts illustrate the continuing dependence that America
had on God. Robert Flood (1976, 70), in Men Who Shaped America, states that in 1863 the
Senate asked President Lincoln to declare a day of prayer because of the Civil War. The
president willingly complied and chose April 30 as the National Day of Prayer. This was not the
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first time that America had turned to God in prayer. Benjamin Franklin is one of the best-known
examples of an early Founding Father praying for guidance from God. Almost a century later,
Congress was still turning to God in prayer during crises. During that same era, Catherine
Millard (1991, 380-381) records that Congress passed another act to reflect its continuing
dependence on God. In 1861, Congress sent a proposal to the Honorable Salmon P. Chase,
Secretary of the Treasury, suggesting that American coins reflect America’s faith in order to
prevent any from proposing that America is not a Christian nation. The Secretary of the Treasury
concurred with Congress’s proposition; and on March 3, 1865, Congress passed an act to
inscribe "In God We Trust" on America’s coins. These are but a few examples of Congress
acknowledging America’s biblical roots.
The Christian faith of this nation is clearly evident in America’s early documents and
men and in her Congressional acts. The original documents of the American government were
written to reflect the Bible’s principles and to illustrate the founders’ desires to form a Christian
nation. But one cannot forget that America’s heritage is also evidenced through the actions of her
people and her government. Therefore, when conservatives uphold traditional American values,
the heritage of their belief comes straight from the Holy Scriptures. This Christian faith is truly
an integral part of America’s survival.
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References
Bradford, William. 1985. Excerpt from Of Plymouth Plantation. In Norton Anthology of
American Literature, edited by Nina Baym, Ronald Gottesman, Laurence B. Holland,
Francis Murphy, Hershel Parker, and William H. Pritchard, 60-84. 2nd ed., Vol. 1. New
York: W. W. Norton.
Eidsmoe, John. 1987. Christianity and the Constitution. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 51,
53. Quoted in William J. Federer, America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of
Quotations. Coppell, TX: Fame, 1994.
Evans, M. Stanton. 1994. The Theme Is Freedom. Washington, D.C.: Regnery.
Flood, Robert. 1976. Men Who Shaped America. Chicago: Moody Press.
Foster, Marshall, and Mary-Elaine Swanson. 1983. The American Covenant. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Mayflower Institute.
Hall, Verna M., comp. 1973. The Christian History of the Constitution. San Francisco:
Foundation for American Christian Education, 332. Quoted in Robert Flood, Men Who
Shaped America. Chicago: Moody Press, 1976.
Hicks, Laurel, George T. Thompson, Michael R. Lowman, and George C. Cochran. 1984.
American Government and Economics in Christian Perspective. Pensacola, FL: A Beka
Book.
Lossing, B. J. 1995. Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence: A Reprint of an
1848 Original. Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press.
Millard, Catherine. 1991. The Rewriting of America’s History. Camp Hill, PA: Horizon Books.
———. 1995. Great American Statesmen and Heroes. Camp Hill, PA: Horizon Books.
Sharman, J. Michael, ed. 1995. Faith of the Fathers. Culpeper, VA: Victory.
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Reprinted by permission from College Composition Workshop, 2nd ed., A Beka Book, copyright © 2010
Pensacola Christian College.
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