Now nearly 100 years older, the nation is perhaps awakening to her book's reminders. She went on to write that there was an intimate relation of the New England minister to the thought life of eighteenth-century New England.
She wrote to make clear the similarity and the unmistakable link between Puritan theology and fundamental political thought.
Here is how our new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, put it last week:
I don't believe there are any coincidences in a matter like this. I believe that scripture, the Bible, is very clear that God is the one that raises up those in authority.
And I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific time.
It was in 1962, our national motto, "In God We Trust," was adorned above this rostrum. The little guide that they give tourists, constituents, and visitors to the House, on page 14, tells you the history. It says:
"These words were placed above us, this motto was placed here as a rebuke of the Cold War-era philosophy of the Soviet Union. That philosophy was Marxism and Communism, which begins with the premise that there is no God."
"This is a critical distinction that is also articulated in our nation's birth certificate. The famous second paragraph that we used to have children memorize in school" -- and they don't do that so often anymore, but they should.
G.K. Chesterton was the famous British philosopher and statesman. He said one time, "America is the only nation in the world that is founded upon a creed." He said, "It is listed with almost theological lucidity in the Declaration of Independence."
What is our creed? "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal."
And they're endowed by the same "inalienable rights, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness."
That is the creed that has animated our nation since its founding and has made us the great nation that we are.
And we're in a time of extraordinary crisis right now. And the world needs us to be strong. They need us to remember our creed and our admission.
Those close to Mike Johnson weren’t surprised by his allusion to many verses in the Bible inlcuding Daniel 2:21: “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”
Probably a third of his answers to the questions involved Scripture references.
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins noted that The Louisiana Republican’s campaign for the speakership was “through prayer, not politics.” |