 The philosophical postulate for that erosion was expounded by Georg Hegel in
the early part of the 19th century. The belief of an absolute Being that was
responsible for the creation of the universe gave sway to the belief that
thoughts and situations were relative as related to other, confounding
information. The thought (thesis) was challenged by the confounding
information (antithesis), and formed a new, but different, thought
(synthesis). This philosophy was strengthened by the Darwinist presentation
of evolutionary theory that postulated only the strongest survive (or is
synthesized). This philosophical and "scientific" persuasion initiated a
shift in the educational curriculum for the succeeding generations.
Prior to that time there is enough evidence that the founding fathers of the
United States founded the Republic on Christian living principles that based
the educational system squarely on the belief in the Almighty and the rights
they wrote into the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were
granted by the powerful God of the universe and not granted by the
government. These founding fathers knew they did not grant "inalienable"
rights through the formation of a government, but only acknowledged those
rights were from God.
Thomas Jefferson shared his thoughts regarding who gave life and liberty
while the Colonies lived under British rule:
"The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of
force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them." --Thomas Jefferson: Rights of
British America, 1774. ME 1:211, Papers 1:135
Two years later Thomas Jefferson's thoughts were penned when he wrote these
familiar words in the Declaration of Independence,
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable rights;
that among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to
secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of
government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people
to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its
foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to
them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."
--Declaration of Independence as originally written by Thomas Jefferson,
1776. ME 1:29, Papers 1:315
During the time of the founding fathers there were three major universities
established where some of them attended: Harvard University, Yale University
and Princeton University.
Harvard University had published requirements that stated,
"Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider
well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus which is
eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the
only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning."2
To help each student accomplish that, Harvard established guidelines to
follow:
"Everyone shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day
that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein."3
Some of the founding fathers who chose to attend Harvard University were
John Adams, John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Whether these men practiced
Christian living or not might be open for debate, but they did attend a
university that encouraged them to do so.
Yale University had similar requirements for those attending:
"Seeing God is the giver of all wisdom, every scholar, besides private or
secret prayer…shall be present morning and evening at public prayer."4
Those founding fathers that chose to attend Yale University included William
Samuel Johnson and William Livingstone, both men signed the Constitution.
Another notable who attended was Noah Webster.
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Princeton University published in its founding statement:
"Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of
Christ."5
Almost one-third of the more than two hundred founding fathers
attended Princeton. Among the most notable were James Madison, who
of course became President of the United States, and Benjamin Rush
and John Witherspoon both of whom signed the Declaration of
Independence.
In his farewell address George Washington, the first President of
the United States told the people:
"Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political
prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In
vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should
labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these
firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere
Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to
cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions (sic)
with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is
the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of
religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of
investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge
the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion.
Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on
minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to
expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious
principle."6
What a statement from George Washington. He placed great importance
on "Religion and Morality" and warned that no matter what education
a person receives, it should not be expected "that national morality
can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
Over the years and to the current day those "religious principles"
that George Washington spoke of have been excluded and national
morality has slipped significantly. Regardless, however, of what the
current interpretation of the Constitution regarding morality issues
may be, it is clear that the founding fathers firmly established the
Constitution on the belief that God is Absolute and His laws form
the foundation upon which this government's laws should rest.
It is difficult to believe that upon reading some of the thoughts of
men like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington regarding their
beliefs in God and morality that they would advocate the elimination
of Christian moral living being taught. This is especially true when
one reads some of the founding statements of the universities like
Harvard, Yale and Princeton attended by some of these founding
fathers.
Today's modern education structure and curriculum reflect much more
of Hegelian and Darwinian philosophical values than they do the
philosophical values of men like George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson.
Jim Killebrew
References
1 Declaration of Independence
2 David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: Wall Builder
Press, 1988), p. 91, Quoting Peter G. Mode, Sourcebook and
Bibliographical Guide for American Church History (Menasha, WI:
George Banta Publishing Co., 1912), pp. 74-75.
3 Id.
4 Steve McDowell and Mark Beliles, America's Providential History
(Charlottesville, VA: Providence Press, 1989), p. 111.
5 Ibid. p. 93.
6
farewell text
[By JIM KILLEBREW]
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