Founders feared government, not religion
John Winn's letter, "Calls to prayer not priority of Founders," correctly quotes the Founders about separation of church and state, but he does not illuminate their purpose. The Founders' purpose was not to protect the state from religion, but to protect religion from the state.
The Founders wrote of their frank fear of the power of the state. They knew their own flaws as men. They were cautious in granting power to government because such power is always exercised by men no less flawed than they. They crafted elaborate multi-dimensioned checks and balances.
Nowhere did they express a fear of religion. Because religion had such a pronounced influence on American life, they knew its positive impact in the public forum. They wanted to protect the church in its many forms, to keep it an independent, robust and influential teacher of morality and righteousness. Because they feared government corruption of religion, they prohibited the federal government from establishing a national religion.
The modern firestorm about separation of church and state misappropriates the Founders' words to argue for prohibition of prayer in schools and government. This so fouls the Founders' intent, its very absurdity should give us pause.
These men hoped Americans would always be guided by virtue, fostered by truly free religion. They expressed that hope in their 1777 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, asking Americans to pray that God would "take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under His nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom. ..."
By government proclamation they asked their country to pray for God to prosper religion.
Richmond.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement