In response to "The church and the Constitution" in the Public Forum Nov. 19, when I read letters claiming that America is not a nation based on Judeo-Christian principles, I wondered what history books the writer has been reading. Space limitations prevent detailing all the supporting evidence; these are a few examples:
Mayflower Compact -- the first government charter drafted solely in America declared, "Having undertaken for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith (we) combine ourselves together into a civil body politic for... furtherance of the ends aforesaid."
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut -- the first constitution written in the United States: "When a people are gathered together, the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people, there should be an orderly and decent government established according to God."
John Adams: "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity... I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God; and that those principles of liberty are as unalterable as human nature."
James Madison; "We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future... upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
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Finally, the Supreme Court in Church of the Holy Trinity v. the United States wrote: "It is also said, and truly, that the Christian religion is a part of the common law... This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present Hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation... (T)hese are not individual sayings, declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people... These and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation."
Rick Chambers
Willmar
