Dan, I have a great respect for the founding fathers. They did a great job (not perfect, but still great). Some of them were deists. Most were probably Christians at least in name. Even Jefferson, who clearly stated in personal letters that he didn't believe in the divinity of Christ, wrote that he considered himself a Christian.
However, I can't see what influence Christianity had on them that guided them in their political / public lives. Christianity had ruled Europe for 1400 years and it had never created anything there remotely similar to what the founding fathers created here. The only political theory that I am aware of being promoted by Christians prior to the establishment of the United States was the divine right of kings. Christian churches have not generally been democratic institutions - though a few denominations are today. Most Christians, then as now, probably considered the total depravity of humans a basic point of faith. Why would people believing thus devise a system of government which gave the reins of power to the depraved populace, most of whom did not even belong to a church?
Note I am not saying that I am opposed to the idea that the founding fathers were influenced in their political decisions by their religious beliefs. I'm saying I don't see that they were. I am open to explanations. What specific features of our system of government (respresentative democracy, separation of powers, freedom of press, speech, association, religion, etc. etc.) did they derive from their religious beliefs?
Thinking about it some more as I type I suppose one could say that the history of religious wars in Europe could have convinced the founding fathers that religion should not be established here. I guess that's an influence of a sort.
Bruce |
