 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 that 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."1 — Declaration of Independence as originally written by Thomas
Jefferson, 1776. ME 1:29, Papers 1:315
During the time of the Founding Fathers, three major
universities were 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 who chose to attend Yale University included
William Samuel Johnson and William Livingstone, and 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 200 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.
 ___ References
1 Declaration of Independence
2 David Barton,
"The Myth of Separation" (Aledo, Texas: Wall Builder
Press, 1988), p. 91, Quoting Peter G. Mode, "Sourcebook and
Bibliographical Guide for American Church History" (Menasha, Wis.:
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
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Note: For a greater detail of early education in America, see David
Barton, "Education and the Founding Fathers" (Aledo, Texas: Wall Builder
Press, 1993).
[By JIM KILLEBREW]
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