Simone Lawson
The relationship between the Bible and the US Constitution is a complex one. While the US Constitution does not mention the Bible, God, Jesus, or Christianity, and the First Amendment clarifies that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers did shape the Constitution. The document expresses sensitivity to biblical convictions, for example, by permitting presidents to swear or affirm their oaths and excluding Sundays from the ten-day time limit for a presidential veto. The Founding Fathers, most of whom were Protestants, assured that the Constitution would be inclusive of all faiths. The US Constitution has provided protections for the religious sensibilities of its citizens, with the pledge to the flag including the words under God and the national motto being In God We Trust. However, the Constitution also states that religious belief is not a qualification for public office. While some scholars argue that the Bible heavily influenced America's founders, others disagree, stating that the Bible does not include concepts such as trial by jury, religious freedom, and protection against unreasonable searches, which are guaranteed by the Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| References to God | The Declaration contains several references to God, the Constitution none except for the date at the end, "the Year of our Lord" |
| Influence of Christianity | The Declaration and the Constitution are based on the belief that rights are bestowed by God, not the government. The Constitution does not establish a religion and allows for the free exercise of religion. |
| Influence of the Bible | The Bible was the most cited book in the political discourse of the age. The Founders drew on diverse intellectual traditions including British constitutionalism, Enlightenment liberalism, and classical and civic republicanism. The Bible influenced the Founders' system of checks and balances and separation of powers. |
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What You'll Learn
The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution
The relationship between the US Constitution and the Bible is complex and multifaceted. While the Constitution does not explicitly mention God, Christ, or religion, it is influenced by and reflects biblical convictions and principles. The Constitution is based on the idea that humans are born with rights bestowed upon them by God, a pan-religious concept. It also demonstrates a political vision informed by the Bible, including the separation of powers and checks and balances, which align with a biblical understanding of original sin and the fallibility of mankind.
The Founding Fathers, who drafted the Constitution, were influenced by various intellectual traditions, including British constitutionalism, Enlightenment liberalism, and classical and civic republicanism. They also drew from the colonial and state constitutions, the Great Awakening, and modern Enlightenment thinkers. Many of them were Protestants, with a majority identifying as Episcopalians, Presbyterians, or Congregationalists, while some were Deists, and two were Roman Catholics.
In contrast, the Declaration of Independence, drafted by a different group of delegates, contains several references to God and proclaims that "all men are created equal" with rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The Declaration establishes the moral, philosophical, rational, political, and legal ground of governance, drawing on concepts such as the Law of Nature and Nature's God, popular sovereignty, consent of the governed, and social contract.
The Bible played a significant role in shaping the Founding Fathers' worldview and was the most authoritative and venerated text in late 18th-century America. They recognized a Creator of the universe and applied this perspective to their political theories, often referencing the Bible and biblical ideas in their writings. The Bible was seen as a valuable resource for understanding human nature, civic virtue, social order, and political authority during the formation of a new political society.
In conclusion, while the US Constitution does not directly mention God or the Bible, it is influenced by biblical principles and reflects a political vision shaped by the Founding Fathers' interpretation of biblical convictions. The Declaration of Independence, on the other hand, explicitly invokes God and sets forth the philosophical foundation upon which the Constitution is built, establishing a government based on the consent of the governed and the inherent rights of all individuals.
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The Bible's influence on the Founding Fathers
The Bible was the most accessible, authoritative, and venerated text in late 18th-century America. It was widely regarded as a receptacle of great wisdom and a handbook for ethical and virtuous conduct. Many Americans of this generation, including the Founding Fathers, thought that Christianity and its sacred text were valuable resources for their time and predicament.
The Founding Fathers drew on and synthesized diverse intellectual traditions in forming their political thought, including British constitutionalism, Enlightenment liberalism, and classical and civic republicanism. The Bible, both the Hebraic and Christian versions, was among these intellectual influences. The Puritans in the American colony of Connecticut drafted what is considered to be the first written constitution in the world, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut of 1639. The American colonial constitutions and the state constitutions in the new nation were a strong influence on the governing principles and laws of the United States.
The Bible itself was a very strong, direct influence on the Founding Fathers who drafted and ratified the Constitution. The Founders' devotion to the separation of powers and checks and balances reflected a biblical understanding of original sin and a reluctance to vest unchecked government power in the hands of fallen human beings. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are based upon the precepts of God's Word. The Declaration contains several references to God, the Constitution none at all. The Declaration asserted the divine rights of all men and sourced the legitimacy of political rule exclusively in the consent of the governed. The Constitution gives evidence of a political vision informed, in part, by the Bible, and it includes features that were familiar to a Bible-reading people.
The First Amendment to the Constitution affirms that Congress should make no law “establishing religion,” thus leaving interpretations and applications of the Bible, or other holy books, to individual consciences. The freedom of religion provision in the First Amendment had its precursor in the Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was inspired by the thoughts on religious freedom of Baptist preacher Roger Williams.
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The Bible's impact on the political discourse of the age
The Bible was the most accessible, authoritative, and venerated text in late 18th-century America. It was the most cited book in the political discourse of the age, referenced more frequently than the great political theorists John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu. The Bible was a very strong, direct influence on the founding-era Americans who drafted and ratified the Constitution. The political discourse of the age was deeply influenced by the Bible, with its ideas of human nature, civic virtue, social order, and political authority.
The Bible's teachings on the separation of powers and checks and balances were reflected in the Constitution, showing a biblical understanding of original sin and a reluctance to vest unchecked government power in fallen human beings. The Bible's influence can also be seen in the Constitution's recognition of the human need for law and order and its establishment of a higher law superior to all other laws. The Constitution's preamble, which mentions the need to establish justice, and its first three articles, which assure that no one person or institution has absolute power, are also in line with biblical convictions.
The Founding Fathers turned prevailing European political theory on its head. In place of the divine right of monarchs, the Declaration asserted the divine rights of all men, and both the Declaration and the Constitution sourced the legitimacy of political rule exclusively in the consent of the governed. The Declaration of Independence, which mentioned God and proclaimed that “all men were created equal,” provided the moral, philosophical, rational, political, and legal ground for governance based on the Law of Nature and Nature’s God, the God-given equality, and unalienable rights of man.
The First Amendment to the Constitution affirms that Congress should make no law “establishing religion,” leaving interpretations and applications of the Bible to individual consciences. This amendment also provides for the “free exercise” of religion, allowing Americans broad freedom to engage in religious activities that do not harm others.
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The Bible's role in shaping the Founding Fathers' worldview
The Bible played a significant role in shaping the Founding Fathers' worldview, influencing their political and philosophical ideas. Late 18th-century America saw the Bible as the most authoritative text, and it was widely referenced in political discourse. The Founding Fathers' beliefs were shaped by a God-oriented worldview based on and consistent with the Bible's teachings.
The Bible directly influenced the Founding Fathers' understanding of human nature, civic virtue, social order, and political authority. They drew on biblical concepts such as original sin and the need for checks and balances to limit governmental power. The Bible's promotion of human worth and the idea that all people are created equal were reflected in the Declaration of Independence's assertion of the inherent rights of all men. The Bible's influence is also evident in the Founding Fathers' recognition of the need for law and order and the establishment of a higher law that supersedes human-made laws.
The Founding Fathers' religious beliefs varied, with some being conventional Christians, some Deists, and others not acknowledging the Bible as the Word of God. However, they all recognized a Creator and applied this perspective to their political theories. The Bible's teachings on republicanism and the separation of powers also resonated with the Founding Fathers' desire to create a government that protected individual liberties and prevented tyranny.
The First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof, further demonstrates the influence of the Bible. The Founding Fathers wanted to ensure that individuals were free to interpret and apply the Bible according to their conscience, without governmental interference. This reflects a biblical understanding of religious freedom and the role of government in relation to religious practice.
While the Bible played a significant role in shaping the Founding Fathers' worldview, it is important to note that other factors also influenced their thinking. These included Enlightenment liberalism, British constitutionalism, and classical and civic republicanism. The Founding Fathers synthesized these diverse intellectual traditions with their biblical understanding to form their unique political thought, resulting in the creation of a nation based on certain Bible-aligned moral and social beliefs.
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The Bible's influence on the principles and laws of the US Constitution
The Bible has had a profound influence on the development of Western civilisation, including the laws and principles of the United States Constitution. The Bible was the most accessible, authoritative, and venerated text in late 18th-century America. It was widely regarded as a source of great wisdom and a handbook for ethical and virtuous conduct. The Founding Fathers of the United States were influenced by this biblical worldview in shaping the nation's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
The Declaration of Independence, which established the philosophical, moral, and legal foundations for the new nation, is steeped in biblical principles. It proclaims the God-given equality of all men and their unalienable rights, echoing the biblical understanding of human beings as created in the image of God and endowed with certain inherent rights and dignity. The Declaration also reflects the biblical idea of popular sovereignty, asserting that political authority is derived from the consent of the governed rather than from any earthly ruler.
While the Constitution itself does not explicitly mention God, Christ, or religion, it is shaped by biblical principles and values. The Constitution's system of checks and balances and separation of powers reflects a biblical understanding of original sin and a wariness of vesting unchecked power in human institutions. The Constitution's protection of religious freedom and its recognition of the human need for law and order are also consistent with biblical teachings. The First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom, for example, allows individuals to pursue their interpretations of the Bible or other holy books without governmental interference.
The Founding Fathers' own words and actions provide further evidence of the Bible's influence on the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin, for instance, invoked the Bible during debates over the qualifications for public office, arguing that rulers should be "men hating covetousness" as advised by Jethro to Moses in Exodus. Thomas Jefferson, while creating his own version of the Bible, removed all the magic performed by Christ, reflecting a rationalist interpretation of Christianity.
In conclusion, while the US Constitution is not directly based on the Bible in a legal or theological sense, it is influenced by the Bible's principles and values. The Founding Fathers, shaped by a biblical worldview, crafted a Constitution that reflected their understanding of human nature, civic virtue, political authority, and the proper limits of government power. The Bible's influence on the Constitution is evident in the document's language, structure, and underlying philosophical foundations.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the US Constitution is a secular document that does not mention the Bible, God, Jesus, or Christianity. The First Amendment clarifies that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." However, it does provide protections for the religious sensibilities of citizens, and some scholars argue that it was heavily influenced by the Bible.
While the US Constitution does not mention God, it has been interpreted as expressing sensitivity to biblical convictions. For example, it permits presidents to swear or affirm their oaths and excludes Sundays from the ten-day limit for vetoing a law. The Preamble also mentions the need to establish justice, which is a concept found in the Bible.
The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, contains a theory of rights that depend on a Supreme Being for their validity. It states that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." This can be seen as an affirmation of the Founders' religious faith, but it is important to note that the Declaration is not based on a specifically Christian understanding of God.
Most of the Founding Fathers were Protestants, with a majority identifying as Episcopalians, Presbyterians, or Congregationalists. Some were Deists, who believed in a “Creator" but did not adhere to a specific religion, and two were Roman Catholics. They intended for the Constitution to encompass citizens of all religious faiths or none at all.
