Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
John Adams 1798
How do you know what’s right? But the question presupposes that there is such a thing as right or some standard to which we compare or measure ourselves. If there is no standard, then everything is relative.
Purportedly, the smartest man who ever lived wrote in Ecclesiastes that there is “nothing new under the sun.” He was wrong because in 1905, Einstein postulated his theories of relativity, where the speed of light is the universal standard. And then in the 1920s, the theories of quantum mechanics were shown to undergird the entire universe, even light. These two concepts were revolutionary and “new under the sun.”
Leaving physics aside, I’ve been considering whether there are standards in the affairs of humankind. I believe there are but two sexes, at least on this planet. I don’t believe there are eight billion standards of right thought and action. But then I believe the “me too” movement and “my truth” were frauds.
The universe is vast, wondrous and mysterious. Einstein’s theories of relativity have been proven and beautifully describe the vastness of the cosmos. Likewise, quantum theories have been proven and show the utterly mysterious subatomic realm. These concepts of physics fascinate me, but they are impractical in the function of daily living. So, the Creator gave us a practical standard for living. I believe the Bible is the North Star for navigating our ship on the ocean of life.
I have read the Bible several times and attend a weekly Bible study. While I believe all scripture is useful for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16), I am not fundamentalist in Biblical interpretation, but I am evangelical. I believe scripture should be read, considered, sifted through our conscience and applied in daily life.
In 1521, the priest Martin Luther was on trial for his life. Having discovered problems in biblical translations and issues within the bureaucracy of the church, he had recommended reforms. However, his opinions put him at odds with the Church hierarchy, which demanded that he recant or face excommunication and execution. His famous defense should be read in its entirety, but the conclusion is a profound statement of conscience:
“I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council, because it is clear that they have fallen into error and even into inconsistency with themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to God’s word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
The Latin term Sola Scriptura is associated with Luther. It is translated as “only scripture” as the instructional guide for living. Apparently, Luther felt that scripture should be contextualized in a person’s life through reason and conscience. His resistance to Church dogma led to the Reformation, where Protestants left the Catholic (universal) Church.
I more readily identify with the concept of Prima Scriptura, where scripture is foremost, but interpretation is necessary. Perhaps because I was once a Methodist, I admire the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. In the 1700s, Wesley described what is now known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. I use the acronym STER to remember Wesley’s emphasis on scripture first, but interpreted in the context of tradition, experience and reason. Like Luther and Wesley, the Bible remains my North Star.
The Founders of our country were men of diverse faith. Even those who were atheists or non-committal lived in a world of spiritual reality. The Declaration of Independence was the acme of 18th-century Enlightenment thought. But of greatest importance was the notion 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.” Those brave men signed their names to the document which would change the world, pledging their “lives, fortunes and sacred honor.” Benjamin Franklin said, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
John Adams and the Founders understood that the ultimate arbiter of morality is God’s law rather than man’s law. It is against the law to steal or give false testimony, but more importantly, stealing and lying are violations of God’s Commandments. You may be punished for breaking man’s law, but Martin Luther refused to compromise God’s Law.
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay were the primary authors of our Constitution, which was shaped by the other 52 delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. In fact, the three principals published a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers to explain the Constitution to citizens and gain support for the new framework of government, which was ratified (adopted) in 1788.
It is interesting that God is not mentioned in the Constitution. Perhaps the Founders were focused on creating a secular government allowing diversity of beliefs. It may be apocryphal, but when Alexander Hamilton was asked why God is not mentioned in the Constitution, he is said to have quipped, “We forgot.”
Next month is the 250th anniversary of our country, and I maintain that we have two North Stars. The Constitution is a secular document of man’s laws, which does not establish a religion, but is built on God’s precepts. And we have the Bible, the story of God’s creation and interaction with mankind and provides a framework for morality, successful living and salvation. We are doubly blessed.
