Simply counting and documenting the founders many references to the bible, i think tells us little except that the bible was a useful resource for this generation of americans. In the book, i try to move beyond the sufimple observation that they frequently cited the bible. That all most goes without saying. I want to move on and examine how the founders used the bible and thousand mhow it may have i their founding project. Which biblical texts appealed to them and why do they think these texts spoke to them in their own time and situation . A study of the founding generations uses of the sacred text must be attentive, must be attentive to the purposes for which the bible was invoked. And, again, not merely to the fact that they read and frequently referenced it. The founders uses of the bible, they use the bible for a variety of reasons and for diverse reasons ranging from the primarily literary to the fro foundly theological. They use the bible as we sometimes they use the bible as we sometimes use the bible today, first, to enrich a common language in cultural vocabulary through illusions, phrases, figures of speech, proverbs, and the like. Let me give you a few simple examples. In counseling a patient rather than an intemper rent approach, john adams wrote to james warren in april of 1776, i quote, the management of so complicate and mighty a machine as the United Colonies requires the meekness of moses, the patience of job, and the wisdom of solomon added to the value of adam, end quote put have know a little bit about your bible to appreciate whats being communicated. I think a fairly illustration of what im speaking here. But let me give you a slightly more substantive example. And here i turn to a very familiar biblical metaphor. Were owl familiar with abraham link conss biblical metaphor of a house divide. Hes drawing on the gospels, matthew chapter 12 and mark chapter three. This is a power metaphor in the sense if n which he uses it. It captures the nations precarious predicament on the threshold of a bitter civil war more powerfully than a wordy dissertation. Now lincoln is at his prime a couple of generations or more after the period that im speaking about. But i think its interesting to note this is a metaphor thats often used in the political discourse of the american founding and used by a variety of figures in very political contexts. Take for example, George Washington observed in the midst of this struggle with Great Britain if the house is divided, the fabric must fall, he says. We see a similar allusion to this particular melt for in the federalist papers and it shows up with some frequency elsewhere in the political settings of the time. Secondly, the bible was used to enhance the power and weight of rhetoric through its identification with a venerated, authoritative sacred text. So the mere identification of biblical language with political discourse today adds a kind of seriousness, a graphia tous to what the speaker is saying. Im particularly impressed with how its taken a step further with biblelike language in political receipt okay rick the the using of words, phrases, imagine relationship or cadences that resemble, imitate, or evoke the language of a familiar bible translation. And, again, in the american experience, the translation must frequently imitated would have been the king james bible. A mere resemblance of this particular translation infuses rhetoric with so lem knitty and sanctity and authority. Consider, for example, a few lines from per ps hat most famous example of revolutionary retder rick. Had is patrick henrys give me liberty or give me death speech. Now, as that speech has been passed down to us in somewhat contested form, let me read to you a few lines, the famous lines that you will recall. He says, why stand we here idle . What is it that gentlemen wish . What would they have . Is life so deer or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery . Forbid it, almighty god. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, bif me liber give me liberty or give me death. There are quite a few allusions to biblical language, why stand we here idle or is plilife so d . But then theres that set up. But as for me, this echoes the language of genesis and that covenant between god and abraham and perhaps more famously it takes us to the language of joshua and that famous speech joshua is speaking on behalf of the lord and he says, but as for me and my house, we will serve the lord. So hes bringing to very powerful effect this biblical language. Hes not quoting the bible, but hes using biblical language to add a graffa toss, if you will, to the speech he is giving. Third, the bible was used then as it is sometimes used today to identify and define normative standards for ordering and judging public life. Im going to give you a number of examples of this in just a second. Fourth, the bible was used to marshal Biblical Authority and support a specific political agenda and policy objectives. And, it was also used to gain insights into the character and designs of god, especially as they pertain to gods providential oversight of the material world. And more specifically, his dealings with men and nations. I think we heard in the last session about franklins famous speech and the constitutional convention. I think we see hence of this particular use of the bible. How does god deal with nations . What does he expect of nation . But i think its important to recognize these very distinct uses of the bible. Its important insofar as it is misleading to read spiritual meaning into literary and political use of the bible just as it is mislead doing exactly the opposite. So lets keep these various ways in which the bible is used very clearly set in our minds. Regrettably theres a tendency among scholars today to discount or even dismiss the influence of the bible on the founding and on the founders. Many scholars in the academy describe the founding era a time sandwiched between two great religious revivals as an age of enlightenment in which the founding generation in the words of one modern scholar rejected or deemphasize the bible and political rhetoric, end quote. Again, i think this is a fairly common sentiment that one hears from scholars today. I suspect, for example, that we could walk the few blocks from where we are down to the library of congress and we would find shelf after shelf of books written on the profound influence of a john locke on barron da mont es skew. But i think we would be hard pressed to find more than a handful of books that focus on the bibles influence on the american founding. Again, i think that reflects sort of the landscape of modern scholarship. The founding generation in the last third or so of the 18th century drew on and synthesized diverse, intellectual traditions informing their political thought. Among these diverse traditions were british constitutionalism and ive depicted here magna carta, the great english jurist, sir william blackstone. They also drew on enlightenment ideas in a variety of forms and expressions. And i have locke and mont askew. They also drew on republican traditions both ancient and modern, and i have representing this and, again, there are many other figures that we could illustrate this with, but i have here cicero and mock velly both from the an chents as well as for more modern thinkers. Now, the thesis that i advance in my book is this. Both the hebrew and christian biblical traditions must be studied alongside these other perspectives if we want to truly understand the ideas that shape, that inspired the founding of the american constitution republican and our great experiment in republican selfgovernment and liberty under now law. Im speaking of the bic blikal contrac traditions. And im speaking with the christian tradition. And ive shown that here. But also theyre drawing on protestant ideas. And particularly influential we have john calvin. Again, we could illustrate each of these points with oth ore figures, b other figures but theres a variety of perspectives that americans are reading, studying and drawing on. And my point here is the bible must be included in this in this range of perspectives that they are drawing on. Interestingly, George Washington identified the bible among the significant contributions to the american experience. He once remarked that the foundation of the american empire was laid at a near Perfect Moment in human history. Not at some gloomy age of superstition. It was an epic when above all the pure and benign light of revelation has had an emule rating influence on mankind and increased the blessings on society, end quote. It is an interesting statement its made in a letter we sometimes call the circular letter to the states written in anticipation of his resignation in commander and chief to the continental army. The main point of this paragraph is to say the founding of this new nation comes at a most propishs time, and he goes through a laundry list of the evidence that leads him to say that. The learning and arts and sciences are greater than its ever been before. Commerce is richer and more fulfilling than ever before. And then at the end at this list he says, and above all, above all, the pure and bah line light of revelation has had ameliorating influence on man c kind and i creased the influence on society. How did the political pursuits, again, the founders drew on diverse per inspectstives and some doubted christianitys transcending claims and doubted the bibles divine origins. I suggest that many looked to the scriptures for insights into human nature, civic virtue, social order, political authority, and other ideas that are going to be absolutely essential in creating a new policy, creating a new political order. Perhaps most important there was broad agreement that the bible was essential for nurturing the civic virtues that give citizens the capacity for selfgovernment. In various conveptiontions, in particularer is months and private papers, founding figures appealed to the bible for principles, precedence, models, normative standards to define their community and to order their political experiments. So let me just some very specific ways, several ways but very specific ways in which the founders drew on scripture in framing an american constitutional tradition. And i want to suggest three different ways in which this influence takes place. First, general theological or dock trienal propositions regarding human nature, conform perceptions of law in civil government. We could illustrate each of these in multiple ways, but im going to offer a couple illustrations of what im speaking of here. Here, consider for example the doctrine of original sin in humankinds radical depraf vitty. The fall that we read about in genesis chapter three. Im going to suggest to you that this prompted the founding generation to design a constitutional system that would prevent the concentration of power, and it would check the abuse of power vested in fallen human actors. It seems to me that one cannot understand the most basic fundamental features of american constitutional design, and here im referencing limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, representative government, rufl law. You cant understand these features of constitutional architecture without starting from this proposition that theyre looking at human nature as a fallen in a fallen state. And if you vest power in these human actors, you must check the exercise of that power. This constitutional design, in other words, reflects a biblical anthropology, a biblical understanding of who we are as humans. Another example, oaths of office required in many state constitutions and statutes in the founding era were often explicitly, explicitly premised on a belief in a future state of rewards and punishments and they often times used that precise phrase, a future state of rewards and punishments. An acknowledgement of a life hereafter where we must stand and answer to how we conduct ourselves in the here and now. Second, the founding generation saw in the bible political and legal models that they saw tougo incorporate into their political and legal systems. Again, i fwoont giwant to give examples, dont want to suggest this slift exhaustive but tuft a couple examples. First we might reflect on republican or representative government. Republican or representative government. Americans believed that the hebrew Common Wealth described in the Old Testament provided a model for republican government. Im going to come back to this point a little bit later, so i mention it here and well elaborate in a second. A second example would be this very idea of due process of law. Due process of law, by which we mean procedural fairness and the equality of all persons before the law. This is this is a principle thats explicitly articulated in the both the fifth and the 14th amendments to the United States constitution. And the founding generation were often quick to point out that you can find principles of due process sprinkled throughout scripture especially in the laws of moses. They were particularly drawn to the first nine versus in exodus 23, an interesting text thats been described throughout history as the Ten Commandments of justice, or the decka log of due process. They saw here principles of due process that were worthy of emmulation in their own system. Let me give you one more example, and that is separation of powers, separation of powers. There were americans who saw in scripture models for the separation of powers. The form of government thats described in deuteronomy chapters 16, 17, 18 establishes the distinct and separated branches of prophet, priest, or king. Each office was assigned specific functions and spheres of influence. Each of these branches enjoyed full autonomy and independence from the others and each was subject to the rule of law. No brench in this particular model that we read about in deuteronomy could claim priority over the others in antiquity, rank, power, or divine favor. We are going to find there are americans who are pointing to this precise scripture to say, look, heres a model. A model of separation of powers. Now, i think this is a good point to pause and make a point that i would want to make frequently throughout this talk, and that is to say they often times looked at scripture when looking at models not necessarily for the specific nuts and bolts of what this might look like in application, but when they saw or what they believed to see which was a model of republicanism or a model of due process or a model of separation of powers, it reassured them that these were ideas that enjoyed devine favor. And, again, they may look elsewhere, separation of powers. Theyre theyre very drawn to the writings of someone like mont askew who writes on this very topic for the most specific nuts and bolts. But its presence is an idea of scripture comforts the pieous of this that god approves of this as a political principle. Third, the bible may have influenced some specific provisions written into the United States constitution. Let me give you, again, several examples. And im going to start with an example that we might agree is arguably insignificant, right . But lets start with what we read about in article one, section seven, clause two. It accepts sundays from the ten days within which a president must veto a bill. I take this to be an implicit recognition of the lords day or this idea of sabbath commemorating the creators creation of the seventh day forest. We read about in genesis chapter two, the forth commandment that it be kept free from secular defilement. And in the christian version, the resurrection of gees success from the dead. Heres another example. In article 3, article 3 section 3 clause 1, theres a requirement that convictions for treason be supported by the testimony of two witnesses. This is a requirement that conforms to familiar biblical mandate for conviction and punishment. And well find multiple passages that speaks to the importance of having more than one witness for certain kinds of prosecutions. Ive offered here on the screen the language that we find in deuteronomy chapter 7 verse 6. At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. And, again, were going to find multiple other biblical texts that speaks to this same principle. Let me offer you one last example. And, again, there are others but one last example to illustrate this possibility that specific biblical texts inform specific constitutions provisions. And i want to turn here to the 5th amendment, the 5th amendment to the constitution where we find a prohibition on double jep pard, that is to say trying someone twice for the same offense. This is lang twhath was crafted by the First FederalCongress Meeting in new york in the summer of 1789. Where did this idea come from . Where did this idea come from . Well, historians tell us that in a commentary written in 391 by saint jerome, he suggests that this is a principle to be found in the book of the prophet nayium, chapter one verse nine where we read affliction shall not rise up the second time. Now, we can depay the whether the saint here is on good ground in his interpretation of this text, but the point here in this setting is this is an idea that from saint jerome works its way into canon law, the law of the church from the from canon law it becomes part of the customary law and later common law of the england. And from england it cross dollars the atlantic with those first eveninglish colonnists and woven in the colonies and when the column iftists begin to wri their first contutions in 1776, its going to become a part of declaration of rights at this moment and it eventually works its way into the 5th amendment in the United States constitution. I like this example because this is an instance where the research has been fairly clear on this lineage in terms of the transiti transmission of the idea from a millennium and a half ago to the present. In fact the Supreme Court of the United States has from time to time drawn attention to this very lineage, the origin of this idea of double jeopardy going back to saint jeromes interpretation of the book of nay hem. Now more broadly and more generally speaking, many founders thought the bible was essential to their constitutional experiment in republican selfgovernment. Republican selfgovernment. Now irrelevant speak here of small art republicanism, im speaking here of a political arrangement, not a particular party. So what did small republicanism mean to americans in the following era . It meant at least this. Popular government committed to the rule of law in which government authorities der viefd from the consent of the governed and exer skies sized through representatives freely and fairly chosen by the people. Let me draw your attention to what strikes me as a rather extraordinary turn of phrase. A turn of phrase i encountered on more than one occasion as i was work thong book. John adams, john adams described the bible as the most republican book in the world. The most republican book in the world. Now, i have picked up my bible thousands of times over the course of my life, but i got to be honest with you, ive never once picked it up and said, now for some good republican reading, right . Its not exactly what im thinking when i pick up the bible. But hes not alone. Hes not alone among his contemporaries in making this claim. I have some lapping wage from john ticcenson, a founder we should all be more familiar with, somewhat forgotten in our own time but he was acclaimed in his own timesa the penman on revolution. On more than one occasion he makes almost precisely this same statement. Here i have him saying the bible is the most republican book that ever was written. And, again, even these two are not alone among their contremp rears rare flis ma contemporariries. Its a divine handbook for doctrine, proof, correction, struction, and righteousness. But it is it republican . And in what sense is the bible republican . What are they talking about here . Well, as ive already mentioned, there were americans in the founding era who believe the hebrew republic which encompassed about a half millennium, they see in the hebrew commonwealth a form of government that they perceive to be republican in nature. Its a republican government well designed to promote political prosperity. And political discourse and conventions ander is months of the founding era includes numerous appeals to the hebrew republic as a morch for their own political experiments. Let me give you an example. In an influential 1775 massachusetts election sermon Samuel Langdon who was at the time he gave the speech the president of harvard college. He later serves as a delegate to new hampshires ratifying convention. He says this, and i quote, the jewish government according to original constitution which was divinely established, was a perfect republican, a perfect republican. The civil pollaty of israel is excellent general model. At least some orders of it may be copied to greater advantage in more modern establishments, end quote. And, again, youre going to find i think many similar expressions from this period in American History where they are first describing that form of government they read in scripture as republican, and then suggesting hey, folks, theres some things that we can learn about republicanism from this model as we embark in our own nation building. Now, let me state what i think is obvious, which is most of what the founders knew about the hebrew commonwealth they learned from the bible. Now, they were aware that ideas found expressions and traditions apart from the hebrew experience and they studied these but ancient and modern. Yes, they stud dit rope man republic, yes, they sudden stid more modern theyre wloift wrote about it. But the republic that was described in the hebrew scriptures reassured them that republicanism was a political system that enjoyed divine favor, and this was reason enough for them to think more deeply about what role republicanism should play in their own form of government. But for john adams, more important than the model of hee brayic republicanism, the bible was republican because it was an indispensable handbook for good republican citizenship. Its a handbook for republican citizenship. In particular, the bible more than any other source taught the civic virtues required of citizens in order to govern themselves in a republic. Now historian james mudson at the library of congress has described the essential connections among religion, virtue and republican selfgovernment that refined in the political thought of the founding he describes this as the founding generations silla gymnastic gymnastics. Hudson was suggest this was a common view in the american found. Virtue and morality are necessary for free republican government, religion is necessary for virtue and morality, therefore, religion is necessary for republican government. The political discourse of the founding era is replete with expressions of religions vital contributions to a republican regime. This idea is espoused by americans from diverse religious, intellectual and political tradition. David ramsey, a delegate to the Continental Congress in the first major historian of the American Revolution. In fact, in his book on the American Revolution he says this. He says, remember that there can be no political happiness without liberty, that there can be no liberty woult morality and there could be no morality without religion, end quote. Or listen to the words of benjamin rush, a veteran signer of the declaration of independence. He says in 1786, the only foundation for a useful republic is to laid in religion. Liberty is the object in life of all republican governments. In other words, a selfgoverning people, a selfgoverning people had to be virtue with us. They had to be virtuious and controlled from within by an immoral compass because the Great American experiment is throwing off external control of an authoritarian rulers whip and rod. Yes, the authoritarian ruler can use the whip to compel people to behave in the order in which you want them. But clearly the whip and the rod is unacceptable for a free, selfgoverning people. And whats going to replace that whip . Its that internal moral compass. Nurtured by the civic virtues that are instilled in the language and the lessons of scripture. So why did john adams say, high did john adams say the bible was the most republican book in the world . Well, think we know, right . He tells us. He thinks its the most republican book in the world because he believed that without national morality, a republican government cannot be maintained. And because he believed that the bible contains the most per sfekt e infect morality and the most refined poll say that was ever conceived upon earth, right . What is he telling census itus . Its a republican handbook for citizenship. It teaches citizens and republic how to behave in an orderly, decent, fashion. Thereby giving citizens the capacity for selfgovernment and for a republican regime to succeed. So let me conclude with this question. Does it matter . Does it matter whether we acknowledge the bibles contributions to the founding . And does it matter whether the bible is studied alongside other intellectual influences on the Founding Fathers . And, again, we acknowledge that the founding generation is drawing on diverse intellectual, political traditions. But is it important for us to include the bible in our study of those diverse influences that this generation of americans is studying . Yes, i think it does matter. I think it matters if one wants to understand the broad range of ideas that shaped the founderss political thoughts, their actions, and their deeds. An awareness of the bibles contributions to the founding provides insights into the identity of the American People and their experiment in republican selfgovernment. Indeed the widespread biblical i will literacy of our own age inevitably distorts the perception americans have of themselves as a people, their history and their bold political experiment. The late political theorist William Casey mcwilliams said the publics unfamiliar air the with the bible makes it harder and harder for americans to understand their origins and their more rays, or to put words to their experiences. Lacking knowledge of the bible, americans are likely to be literally inarticulate, unable to relate themselves to American Life and culture as a whole. This danger alone should inspire americans to stud dit bible in its role in the life of the nation. The 19th century historian john wing Gate Authority ton described it as the great textbook of the patriots. Not an uncommon sentiment that we find in the histories of the 19th century. But heres an interesting statement. Comes from a more modern source. Some years ago in a cover story on the bible in america, news week magazine reported, and i quote, the bible has exerted an unrivalled influence on american culture, politics, and social life. Now historians are discovering that the bible perhaps even more than the constitution is our founding document, end quote. Now thats a stunning statement. And we could have a very energetic debate about whether this provocative statement can be defended or not. But clearly theres an acknowledgement of the profound role that the bible played in the larger culture, the political culture, the legal culture of the american founding era. From the pure tan fathers to the Founding Fathers, americans look to the bible for Guiding Principles or political order, civic authority, civic virtue, responsible citizenship and other concepts. Absolutely essential to the formation afr wellordered pollty. Yes, they drew on them in crafting a new cons tuggal republican and one of the most important but least studied of these sofrss influence on our political culture and constitutional tradition is the bible. It contains any features an design familiar to a biblereading people and we cannot understand adequately our constitutional tradition or the Historic Events that produced our great political experiment in republican selfgovernment without referencing the bible. So let me urge you to read the constitution, study the american founding principles, and to better understand the constitution and the founding project, read your bible. Thank you. [ applause ] the hidson institute hosts a Panel Discussion on the future of iraq and the middle east. Live coverage begins noon eastern on cspan 2. Later the commission on security and cooperation in europe looks at the doping of russian athletes and the policy solutions for protecting whistle blowers and combating fraud in sports. Thats live starting at 3 30 p. M. Eastern also on cspan 2. The cspan bus is traveling across the country on our 50 capitals tour. We recently stopped in little rock, arkansas, asking folks whats the most important issue in their state . The thing thats kind of important in arkansas right now is theres a huge hispanic population in our high schools, especially northwest arkansas. So what we see especially here is a lot of the hiss spannics arent coming to college. We have this thing called the live well program. We want for all High School Students to know that they can come to college. For me its really important that not only hiss spannics but everyone has that opportunity and they know theyre like, okay, regardless of whether i have daca or whether i have documentation or whatever circumstance you may be like, you can come to college. Thats what were working on right now for arkansas. The issue thats important for me in arkansas is annual welfare and Animal Rescue with arkansas paws and rhee rescuye. We dont have Law Enforcement backing. We have laws in arkansas but theyre not enforce and very strict. So its a big issue for us because we deal with the animals and we see what they go through and we dont have anyplace for these animals to good, we dont have the funding for them. And people are not held accountable for the abuse they inflict on animals. So thats a big issue for me is just stricter laws and more enforcement of those laws and backing rescues and shelters to hold people accountable for what they do. I really dont want anybody in government doing much of anything. I believe in the states being experimental units for the government, try Different Things and create Different Things and see how they work. Because most of the Big Government ones, if they dont work out very well, it just is very hard on the whole country. And i believe thats what the founders wanted us do is to use the states for lesson. One of the most important issues, i think, for citizens of little rock and the state of arkansas in the area that we would dearly love for our representatives in d. C. To take a look at, and thats the Affordable Care act. This is also the and they talked about the intensity of the flu season. So healthcare is important for each and every individual. While education is important, working is important, but without good healthcare, you cannot perform those to the best of your ability. So i think thats a major issue for little rock citizens, assia arkansasians and all of america. Agriculture is one of the number one industries in our state and we have an upcoming farm bill where theyre passing legislation. They it can look at that to protect our farmers rights. Then we have thing like the poultry industry and the gibson bill and they cannot attach riders to that and allow that to pass and they can protect our farmers. Thats the most important thing is taking care of our constituents at home. Voice dollars from the states on cspan. Vanderbilt university divinity Professor James byrd talked about the bibles use by the Founding Fathers to defend their patriotic convictions. He argued the bible was influential on the founderss decision for war regardless of whether they believed it was the word of god. This talk was part of a symposium hosted by the museum of the bible in washington, d. C. Its 45 minutes. Our Third Session today is the bible and the amen