There was a lot of bloodshed to get to that point, but the Constitution of the United States of America was signed on September 17, 1787 by 38 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. It took until June 21, 1788 to get the required 9 out of 13 states to ratify the document. Subsequently, the government did not begin functioning under the new constitution until March 4, 1789. Today, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest written constitution in operation in the world.
I was not an avid student of history in my younger years. As the years of life add up it is easy to now see the folly of such a dismissive attitude toward past events. The present moment that we have the opportunity to experience has been shaped by these historical events in monumental ways. The gift of freedom is a cherished treasure that did not come without a significant price.
The world in which we live is a complex place. While it is easy to sit in my living room and criticize our governmental leaders while watching the evening news, I also realize that their task of governing the country is no small endeavor. This becomes more and more evident as the polarization of America grows ever deeper and wider. Seeking the common good seems to be a foreign concept in the current political climate. On the other hand, could it be that there is just no majority viewpoint as to what is the common good?
My growing concern for our country is the lack of moral persuasion exuded by the Church. Separation of Church and State has been so twisted through the years that the Church has been pushed more and more into the background so as to have little or no influence in the civil discourse of ideas. If the Church does not have a place at the table in the arena of public life, who or what will be the determining influence that shapes the current thinking in regard to the common good.
Preaching and teaching on Christian values greatly impacted our nation in its early years. There is much written documentation to verify that assertion. Now, preachers are frequently badgered into silence about anything that is related to politics or cultural values. Some want the IRS to strip a church of its tax-exempt status if the preacher mentions anything politically oriented in the sermon. Is that really what was intended from the founders of our country? Historical documents would certainly indicate that it is not.
On the flip-side, there are many people sitting in the pews who do not want to hear anything even remotely related to politics from the pulpit. Since many cultural values are shaped by politics and even mandated into law by legislation and court decisions, how does a preacher avoid wading into politics if the sermon covers the topic of morality? If the preacher talks about any of a vast array of topics regarding morality, it can be assumed that the sermon has entered politics. For instance, how would a preacher address any of these things without potentially being considered political?
Abortion
Contraception
Same-sex attraction
Outreach to the immigrant
Death Penalty
Persecution of Christians
As fewer and fewer people attend church services on a regular basis it is only a logical progression that the Church will continue to lose its influence in shaping cultural values. Furthermore, as some Christian denominations accept abortion, same-sex unions, and other behaviors once considered taboo, the remaining denominations holding fast to traditional moral values are viewed as obsolete, out of touch, and irrelevant. The end result is that the value system once espoused by churches of most major denominations has been called into question at best, and completely disregarded at worst.
What does this have to do with our country and our constitution? Read the pertinent documents from our country’s early history. Look at the biblical inscriptions etched in stone on many of our government buildings. Look at the role of religion in the shaping of our country and you will clearly see that the founders emphasized the necessity of faith for the republic to effectively function under this type of governance structure. All of this begs the question, “What happens now as our country moves away from the founding Christian principles? How long can we last with this system of government as the Christian foundation becomes more and more despised and is incrementally removed from all of public life? Is the streak of 227 years of functioning under the same constitution drawing to a close?
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