Religion and the Continental Congress, 1774-1789: Contributions to Original IntentHow did the constitutional framers envision the role of religion in American public life? Did they think that the government had the right to advance or support religion and religious activities? Or did they believe that the two realms should remain forever separate? Throughout American history, scholars, Supreme Court justices, and members of the American public have debated these questions. The debate continues to have significance in the present day, especially in regard to public schools, government aid to sectarian education, and the use of public property for religious symbols. In this book, Derek Hamilton Davis offers the first comprehensive examination of the role of religion in the proceedings, theories, ideas, and goals of the Continental Congress. Those who argue that the United States was founded as a "Christian Nation" have made much of the religiosity of the founders, particularly as it was manifested in the ritual invocations of a clearly Christian God as well as in the adoption of practices such as government-sanctioned days of fasting and thanksgiving, prayers and preaching before legislative bodies, and the appointments of chaplains to the Army. Davis looks at the fifteen-year experience of the Continental Congress (1774-1789) and arrives at a contrary conclusion: namely, that the revolutionaries did not seek to entrench religion in the federal state. Congress's religious activities, he shows, expressed a genuine but often unreflective popular piety. Indeed, the whole point of the revolution was to distinguish society, the people in its sovereign majesty, from its government. A religious people would jealously guard its own sovereignty and the sovereignty of God by preventing republican rulers from pretending to any authority over religion. The idea that a modern nation could be premised on expressly theological foundations, Davis argues, was utterly antithetical to the thinking of most revolutionaries. |
From inside the book
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Page 15
... proposal by George Ma- son of Virginia to include a bill of rights in the Constitution . The almost uniform belief of ... proposed Constitution was considered by the various state ratifying conventions . A strong antifederalist element ...
... proposal by George Ma- son of Virginia to include a bill of rights in the Constitution . The almost uniform belief of ... proposed Constitution was considered by the various state ratifying conventions . A strong antifederalist element ...
Page 16
... proposal against estab- lishment modeled after those of Virginia , New York , and North Carolina.64 It is clear from the amendments proposed by the various states that none favored the establishment of religion by Congress . But what ...
... proposal against estab- lishment modeled after those of Virginia , New York , and North Carolina.64 It is clear from the amendments proposed by the various states that none favored the establishment of religion by Congress . But what ...
Page 17
... proposed , among others , the fol- lowing amendment : " The civil rights of none shall be abridged on ac- count of ... proposal supports his thesis that : the religion clauses ultimately adopted by Congress were meant to deny to Congress ...
... proposed , among others , the fol- lowing amendment : " The civil rights of none shall be abridged on ac- count of ... proposal supports his thesis that : the religion clauses ultimately adopted by Congress were meant to deny to Congress ...
Page 18
... proposed amendment was referred to a specially formed select committee , of which Madison was a member . The committee changed the wording of the amendment proposal several times but even- tually settled on the following language : " No ...
... proposed amendment was referred to a specially formed select committee , of which Madison was a member . The committee changed the wording of the amendment proposal several times but even- tually settled on the following language : " No ...
Page 19
... proposed amendment would prohibit nondis- criminatory governmental aid to various forms of religion . This gives support to his own view of the historical meaning of the Establishment Clause : Congress desired to encourage religion ...
... proposed amendment would prohibit nondis- criminatory governmental aid to various forms of religion . This gives support to his own view of the historical meaning of the Establishment Clause : Congress desired to encourage religion ...
Contents
3 | |
The Political Status of Religion in the Founding Era | 25 |
Religion and the American Revolution | 39 |
A Summary View of Politics and Religion in the Continental Congress | 57 |
Chaplaincies and Days of Religious Observance under the Continental Congress | 73 |
Religious Dimensions of the Declaration of Independence | 95 |
Religion and Federalism during the Confederation Period | 117 |
A National Seal and a National? Bible | 137 |
The Continental Congress and Religious Liberty | 151 |
Virtue and the Continental Congress | 175 |
The Continental Congress Original Intent and Modern Constitutional Adjudication | 199 |
Appendix A | 231 |
Appendix B | 239 |
Notes | 247 |
Bibliography | 285 |
Index | 303 |
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accommodationist acts adopted Amendment American Revolution appointed Articles of Confederation authority Baptists believed Benjamin Rush Bible Bill of Rights Boston Britain British Carolina Catholic century chaplaincies chaplains Christian church church-state citizens civil religion colonies colonists committee Constitution Continental Congress debate Declaration of Independence delegates disestablishment divine England Establishment Clause faith fast days favor federal government Federalist founders founding fathers framers Franklin free exercise God's governmental gress human Ibid interpretation Isaac Backus James Madison John Adams Journals of Congress jurisdiction legislative letter Massachusetts ment minister morality natural law North Carolina Northwest Ordinance original intent Pennsylvania Philadelphia pietists practice prayer principles proclamations proposed protection Providence Puritan Quakers Quoted ratification religion clauses religious freedom religious liberty religious tests republican revolutionary Samuel secular separationist sermon Supreme Court thanksgiving Thomas Jefferson thought tion tradition U.S. Supreme Court United University Press Virginia virtue vols Washington William wrote York
Popular passages
Page 162 - AND WHEREAS, It hath pleased the Great Governor of the world to incline the hearts of the Legislatures we respectively represent in Congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union.
Page 58 - Thucydides, and have studied and admired the master states of the world r— that for solidity of reasoning, force of sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion, under such a complication of difficult circumstances, no nation, or body of men, can stand in preference to the General Congress at Philadelphia.
Page 15 - They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted, and on this very account would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted; for why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do?
Page 57 - When your lordships look at the papers transmitted us from America, when you consider their decency, firmness, and wisdom, you cannot but respect their cause, and wish to make it your own.
Page 49 - But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
Page 42 - There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.