An Interview with David Barton
What can Christians do to return the U.S. to a “Christian nation?’
The aspect of Christianity that could pertain to civil government was – in Dewitt Clinton’s words – “in reference to its influence in this world.” The Founders understood that the principles of Christianity provided at least six societal benefits for a society – benefits readily received even by those who were not Christians, and even those who despised Christianity. Everyone in a society can enjoy the benefits of the principles of Christianity, even without being an adherent of Christianity.
What six benefits did the Framers believe that Christianity provided for everyone in a nation? First, they believed that Christian principles produced a civilized society – a society controlled by good manners. As Samuel Adams explained: “A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.” But what was the source of good manners – something vital to the existence of a civilized society? According to John Hancock: “Manners, by which not only the freedom but the very existence of the republics are greatly affected, depend much upon the public institutions of religion.” Signer of the Declaration Robert Treat Paine further explained: “I believe the Bible to be the written word of God and to contain in it the whole rule of faith and manners.” Manners benefit a society, and manners are the result of Judeo-Christian teachings, even if one rejects Christian theology. Respect for women, parents, the elderly, the poor, etc., all benefit society and all are derived from Judeo-Christian teachings.
Second, they believed that Christian principles produced individual self-government, and no self-governing nation could long exist without self-government in its citizens. What was the source of individual self-government? Thomas Jefferson (who rejected much Christian theology) openly acknowledged: “The precepts of philosophy and of the Hebrew code laid hold of actions only. He [Jesus] pushed His scrutinies into the heart of man, erected His tribunal in the region of His thoughts, and purified the waters at the fountain head.”
For this reason, early Speaker of the House Robert Winthrop succinctly declared: “Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or a power without them, either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man, either by the Bible or the bayonet.” That is, the more citizens have of internal self-government, the less they need of external government force and regulation. For this reason, John Adams concluded: “[W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry [hypocrisy] would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”