The Colonial Era Founders: Under Attack from All Sides

            -The secular humanists, for at least the past several generations

            “The founders were not Christians; they were, at most, Deists.  They intended, and in fact did, establish an atheistic republic, based on the tenets of Secular Humanism.  They never intended for America to be governed by God’s Law.”

            -Certain Christian Theonomists, 2014

The battle over the nature of America’s founding and its practical implications for today has been fought by Christians over two fronts for several generations.  On one front the battle is with the Secular Humanists, quoted above.  The debate is far from over, but on balance it could be argued that Christians have made some gains.  The other front is within the church itself, against the apathy-fueled ignorance of the “hide-in-the-church-and just-preach-the-Gospel”  crowd.  Progress on this front is perhaps harder gained.

It is a source of some alarm that there is now emerging a third front.  Ironically, it is a hybrid of the first two in that its adherents are within the church, but their position and arguments are identical to those of the secular humanists quoted above.  These are Theonomists; not all Theonomists, just some.  The motive for trashing and thrashing practically every effort of the colonial era founders, and twisting every good word they wrote into something bad,  is perhaps known only to them, and surely differs from one to the next.  It is tempting to conclude that in many cases it is a misguided competition: “I’m more Theonomic than you; here, I’ll prove it”.

There is a vast and important difference between making accurate observations and drawing useful and accurate conclusions.  It seems that the founders’ detractors are adept at making observations but for some reason(s) hit a disconnect when drawing conclusions.

Human nature seems compelled to run to extremes at every chance.  Surely we can detect and analyze flaws in the thinking, writing, and legislation of the founders without twisting the truth and convicting and condemning them every step of the way in all they said and did.  Surely we can discern the differences and disagreements between those founders who were Christians, those who were not, and those for whom it is hard to tell.   Surely we can admire and utilize the best of their work without making an idol of it.  Surely anyone whowants to see the plain truth can see that the founders operated imperfectly within a philosophical framework that was orders of magnitude more Christian than that in which the American public operates today, and factor that into any conclusions.  And surely we can work to implement Godly law in our nation more effectively if we don’t hand over to the enemy  the intellectual capital on a silver platter.

~ Jim Mogel