Our Threatened Freedom

Is the First Amendment Being Misrepresented

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Political Studies

Lesson: 14-169

Genre: Conversation

Track: 014

Dictation Name: Vol. B – Part 01 – Is the First Amendment Being Misrepresented

Location/Venue: Unknown

Year: 1980’s – 1990’s

[Dr. Rushdoony] Is the First Amendment being misrepresented? This is R.J. Rushdoony with a report on our threatened freedom.

Lately a number of groups have attacked the Church and churchmen for getting involved in politics. These criticisms are aimed in particular against evangelical groups which have been formed lately to deal with various moral issues and legal attacks on churches and Christian schools.

These critics charge that such activities are a violation of the First Amendment, and the separation of church and state.

The fact is, however, that the First Amendment was written to prevent the establishment of a national church by the federal government. A substantial number of Americans in 1781 were foreign born, or had close ties with either Britain or colonial Europe. They knew that a state church easily and readily becomes a corrupt church, because it is not answerable to the people. Even more, they knew that when a civil government establishes and supports a church financially, that church will tend to be silent where civil corruption is concerned. Being financially supported by the state, it will usually be unwilling to criticize or indict the hand that feeds it.

The American War of Independence was extensively made a fact by the colonial clergy. They were opposed to the establishment, by Parliament or by crown, of a state church over all the colonies. The colonial clergy was vocal in calling attention to the moral failures of British or royal rule. As a result, the colonists felt very strongly when the Constitution was adopted that the great need for the United States was a free church and a free state. They wanted a free church precisely they felt the need for a strong and independent voice to call attention to the religious and moral issues in politics. They felt it was necessary for the church to speak freely and effectively, and not to be silenced by state control.

The whole purpose of the First Amendment was thus to make sure that the church would have a free and uncontrolled voice in public affairs.

The colonists were afraid of big government, they were even more afraid of the combination of a powerful civil government and a church. The freedom of the church was to help ensure the protection of the people against a power hungry state.

As a matter of fact, both in colonial and early constitutional America, an important aspect of church life was the preaching of election sermons, to spell out the moral and religious issues at stake in civil and political affairs.

It would be a disaster if that moral voice were silenced.

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