18thcentury political culture. This presentation will examine the founding generations appeal to scripture to answer fundamental political questions, and to form an emerging constitutional tradition. Daniel dries deck is with american university, where he earned american universities highest faculty award. His Research Interests include constitutional law and the intersection of politics, law, and religion in American Life. Book, i encourage you to get it and enjoy it. Dreisdech. Come dr. [applause] prof. Dreisbach thank you very much. It is a real pleasure and a joy to be here today in this magnificent facility in this tremendous resource that we have here in the nations capital. Let me also say it is a real joy for me to share the platform with two scholars from whom i have learned a great deal over the years. I think kay and the team for organizing todays event. This morning, i have going to be drawing on my book, reading bible with the founding fine fathers, andng to the founding of the american Constitutional Republic. I will be talking about the emergence of a constitutional tradition. In the last third or so of the 18th century, we are talking about the american founding and by that term i am referring to that time in the life of the nation when americans, the colonists began to agitate for their rights as englishmen. Believing they had failed to secure those rights, they embark on the pursuit of independence and having secured independence, they have this tremendous task of building a new nation, building the institutions of government and the like, in the wake of a devastating war, and having won this independence. I am referring to the last third or so of the 18th century. The Founding Fathers read the bible. There are many quotations from and alusions two, familiar, and of scare, biblical task text. They commit themes season their rhetoric. The phrase ands and cadences of the King James Bible, and it is in fact the King James Bible for the most part that these americans are reading. If you know the king james, you know it has very distinct language. It has very distinct rhythms, and you hear these cadences and rhythms when you listen to the discourse of the founding era. It is going to be this biblical language from this particular english bible that is going to inform their written and spoken words. The ideas of scripture are going to shape their habits of mind and inform their political pursuits. The bible was the most accessible and authoritative text for most 18thcentury americans. Communicators, and politicians are going to a deftly use the bible to reach their audiences. Christian as, both well as skeptical founders, including some who doubted the bibles divine origins, appeal to scripture in their political rhetoric and discourse. In themous study american Political Science review on the sources cited in the political literature of the american founding, a political scientist reported the bible was than anye frequently european writer or European School of thought. The bible, he found, accounted for approximately one third of the citations in the literature he surveyed. The book of deuteronomy alone was the most frequently cited work followed by the spirit of the laws. Deuteronomy was referenced nearly twice as often as john lockes writings, and the apostle paul was mentioned about as many times as william blackstone. It is an interesting question, why is deuteronomy so appealing to this generation of americans . I think there are several responses. First, deuteronomy is a digest. It condenses the books and laws of moses, which has exerted significant influence on american law going back to the fears. 10 commonwealths and continuing first. Commonwealth and continuing. Texts one are government and the responsibilities of citizenship that refined in the new testament, but what is particularly appealing in the accounts of deuteronomy is americans, in the wake of independence, in the aftermath of this war, they have to build a new government. They see in the history of israel having departed from egypt, the same exercise taking place, the building of a new nation with its various political institutions. This has a particular attraction to americans and the founding era, who see themselves engaged in a similar project. Now to be sure, they are drawn to many other texts. Yes, deuteronomy is particularly appealing, but they will look to texts like romans 13 which speaks of the obligations to be in submission to those in authority over you. They will be particularly drawn to the exodus narrative. This is a story about liberty and liberation that they think speaks very much to their own circumstances. They are also drawn, perhaps inappropriately, to some of the new testament texts that speak of liberty. Liberty, wherein christ has made us free, a in thepopular text literature of the american founding. I might call it christian liberty, that they are appropriating or misappropriating it for a political purpose. They are also drawn to the great covenant text that we find in the Old Testament. 28iticus 26, deuteronomy tell the story of a nation forming a covenant with god. They are drawn to a variety of biblical texts. Now, i think we should perhaps pause to ask this question. Are the many references to christianitys sacred text that we find in this political discourse, are these merely rhetorical ornaments . Are they without substantive significance . Should students of the founding be attentive to the bibles influence on the political and legal developments of this period . In other words, did the founders use the bible in ways that mattered . One can acknowledge that the founding generation red and referenced the bible, and simultaneously doubt that the bible exerted consequential influence on their political and legal projects. Simply counting and documenting the founders many references to the bible i think tells us little, except that the bible was a familiar and useful literary resource for this generation of americans. In the book, i try to move beyond the simple observation that the founders frequently cited the bible. I think that almost goes without saying. I want to move on and examine how the founders used the bible, and how it may have influenced their founding project. Appealed toal texts them, and why did they think these texts spoke to them in their own time and situation . A study of the founding generations use of the sacred texts must be attentive to the purposes for which the bible was invoked, and not merely to the fact that they read and frequently referenced it. The founders uses of the bible, they used the bible for a variety of reasons, and for diverse reasons ranging from the primarily literary and political to the profoundly theological. As wesed the bible sometimes use the bible today, first, to enrich a common language and cultural vocabulary through distinctly biblical references. Let me give you a few simple examples. In counseling a patient rather than an intemperate approach to the crisis confronting the tolerate colonies, john adams wrote to james moran in 1776 the management of so complicated 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 valor of daniel. You have to know a little bit about your bible to appreciate what is being communicated. I think a fairly simple illustration of what im speaking here. Let me give you slightly a slightly more substantive example. I turn to weigh familiar biblical metaphor. We are all familiar with abraham lincolns implication of a house divided, drawing on the gospels. This is a powerful metaphor in the sense in which lincoln uses it. It captures the nations precarious political predicament on the threshold of a bitter civil war more powerfully than a wordy dissertation. Of course, lincoln is at his prime a couple more best couple of generations or more after the period im speaking about, but this is a metaphor 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 midstgton observed in the of this struggle with great britain, if the house is divided, the fabric must fall, he says. We see a similar allusion to this metaphor in the federalist papers, and it shows up with some frequency elsewhere in the political settings of the time. Used to, the bible was enhance the power and weight of rhetoric through its identification with a venerated, authoritative sacred texts. The mere identification of biblical language with political discourse today adds a kind of seriousness, a gravitas to what the speaker is saying. I am particularly fascinated how this is taken one step further. Although less obvious, but perhaps as significant as the use of bible like language in political rhetoric. That is to say the use of words, phrases, imagery, or cadences that resemble, imitate, or evoke the language of a familiar bible translation. In the american experience, translation most free most frequently imitated wouldve been the King James Bible, a mere resemblance to the language and intonations of this particular translation infuses rhetoric with solemnity and sanctity and authority. Consider, for example, a few lines from perhaps the most famous example of revolutionary rhetoric. This is patrick henrys give me liberty or give me death speech. As that speech has been passed down to us in somewhat contested form, let me just read to you a few lines, the famous lines you will recall. Why stand we hear idle . What is it that gentlemen wish . Would they have that life is so dear and peace is so sweet 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, give me liberty or give me death. There are quite a few references and allusions to biblical language. Why stand we hear idle . Dear, and then there is that really powerful set up where he says but as for me. This echoes the language of genesis of the covenant between god and abraham, and takes us to the language of joshua in that famous speech, speaking on behalf of the lord. When he says, for me and my house, we will serve the lord. He is bringing two very powerful effect this biblical language. He is not quoting the bible, and that is what i find fascinating, but he is using biblical language to add a gravitas, if you will, to the speech that 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. I am going to give you a number of examples in a second. Fourth, the bible was used to marshall Biblical Authority and support a certain political agenda and policy objectives. It was also used to gain insight into the character and designs of god, especially as they pertain to gods providential oversight of the material world. More specifically, his dealings with men and nations. We heard about franklins famous speech in the constitutional convention, and we see hints of this use of the bible. How does god deal with nations . What does he expect . It is very important to recognize these very distinct uses of the bible. It is important in so far as it is misleading to read spiritual meaning into literary and political use of the bible, just as it is misleading to do exactly the opposite. Lets keep these various ways in which the bible is used very clearly set in our minds. There is a tendency among scholars today to discount or dismiss the influence of the bible on the founding and the founders. Many scholars in the academy describe the founding era, a time sandwiched between two great religious revivals, as an age of enlightenment and rationalism in which the founding generation rejected or deemphasized the bible and political rhetoric. I think this is a fairly common sentiment that one hears from scholars today. I suspect, for example, we could walk a few blocks from where we are to the library of congress and we would find shelf after shelf of books written on the profound influence of john locke or behringer montesquieu on the american founding. We would be lucky to find a handful of books on the bibles influence of the american founding. That reflects the landscape of modern scholarship. The founding generation in the last one third or so of the 18th century, drew on and synthesized diverse intellectual traditions in forming their political thought. Among these traditions were british constitutionalism, and i have depicted here magna charta, the great english jurist sir william blackstone. They also drew on enlightenment ideas in a variety of forms and expressions, and just asl representative examples i andocke i have lock montesquieu. Representing this, and there are many other figures we could illustrate this with, but i have here cicero and machiavelli, both from the ancients, as well as from more modern thinkers. The thesis that i advance in my icok is this both the hebre 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 Constitutional Republic and our great experiment in republican Self Government and liberty in law. I am speaking of the biblical traditions as we find in the hebrew scriptures and more broadly about that christian tradition. I have illustrated this with a depiction of the apostle paul. In the american experience, they are drawing on protestant articulations of political ideas. Particularly influential, we have john calvin. We could illustrate each of these points with other figures, variety ofthere is a perspectives that americans are reading and studying and drawing on. My point here is the bible must be included 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 in some gloomy age of ignorance and superstition. It was epic, he said, when above of thepure and divine light and increased the blessings of society. This is an interesting statement. It is made and a letter that we sometimes call the circular rhetoric letter to the states in anticipation of his resignation as commander in chief of the continental army. The founding of this new nation comes at a most propecia is time. And he goes through a laundry list of what needs him to say that. The learning and the arts and sciences are greater than they ever were before. Commerce is richer and more fulfilling. At the end of this list he says, above all, the pure and benign ht has had a malia rating how did the bible informed the founders political and legal pursuits . Again, the founders drew on diverse perspectives and they come from diverse theological backgrounds. Some doubted christianitys transcended claims and doubted the bibles divine origins. I suggest many look to the scripture for insight into human nature, civic virtue, social order, political authority, and other ideas that are going to be absolutely essential in creating a new polity, 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 conventions and representative assemblies of the age as well as pamphlets, political sermons, founders appealed to the bible for principals, precedents, models, normative standards to define their community and order their political experience. Let me suggest some specific ways, several specific ways in which the founders drew in scripture in framing an american constitutional tradition. I want to suggest three different ways in which this and list takes place. First, general theological or forminal policies conceptions and institutions of law and civil government. We could illustrate each of these in multiple ways, but i am just going to offer a couple illustrations of what i am speaking of here. Consider for example the doctrine of original sin and humankinds radical depravity. The fall that we read about in genesis chapter three, i suggest to you that this prompted the founding generation to design a cause to shuttle system that would prevent the const constitutional system that would prevent the concentration of power and would check the power in fallen human actors. One cannot understand the most they sick, fundamental features of american constitutional design, and here i am referencing limited government, rule ofon of powers, law, you cannot understand these features of constitutional architecture without starting from this proposition but they are looking at human nature as a fallen, in a fallen state. If you vest power in the 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, oats of office oaths of office were often explicitly, explicitly premised on a belief in a future state of rewards and punishments. They often time use that precise phrase a future state of rewards and punishments, and acknowledgment of a life hereafter where we must stand an answer to how we conduct ourselves here and now. In founding generation saw the bible political and legal models that they sought to incorporate into their political and legal systems. Again, i want to just give you a few examples. Do not want to suggest this list is exhaustive, but just a couple examples. First, we might reflect on republican or representative government. Republican or representative government. Americans believed that the hebrew commonwealth 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 we will elaborate in a second. A second example would be this very idea of due process of law, due process of law, by which remain procedural fairness and the equality of all persons before the law. This is a principle that is explicitly articulated in both the fifth and 14th amendments to the United States constitution. 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 verses in exodus 23, an interesting text described throughout history as the 10 commandments of justice or the decalogue of due process. They saw here principles of due process that were worthy of emulation in their own system. Let me give you one more example. That is separation of powers, separation of powers. There were americans who saw in scripture models for the separation of powers. A form of government described in deuteronomy chapters 16, 17, and 18 establishes distinct and separate branches of prophet, priest, and king. Each office or branch was assigned specific functions and spheres of influence. Each branch enjoyed full autonomy and independence from the others. Each was subject to the rule of law. No branch in this particular model that we read about in deuteronomy could claim priority over the others in antiquity. Rank, power, or divine favor. Americans are pointing this pointing to this precise model of scripture, here is a model of separation of powers. This is a good point to pause and make a point i would want to make frequently throughout this talk, and that is to say the oftentimes 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 divine favor. They may look elsewhere. Separation of powers, they are drawn and attracted to the writing of someone like montesquieu who writes on this very topic for the more specific nuts and bolts, but its presence is an idea in scripture, comforts the pious among this company of americans that god approves of this is a political principle. 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. Lets start with what we read about in article one, section seven, klaus two. It accepts sundays from the 10 days in 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 sanctification of the seventh day for rest. Genesis chapter two, the fourth commandment that sabbath be kept free from secular defilement. In the christian tradition, the resurrection of jesus from the dead. Here is another example. Three, section three, one, there is a requirement that convictions for treason must be supported by the testimony of two witnesses. This is a requirement that conforms to familiar biblical mandate for punishment. Both the Old Testament and new testament speak of the importance of having more than one witness for certain kinds of prosecutions. I have offered on the screen the language that we find in deuteronomy chapter seven, verse six. At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he who is worthy of death be put to death, but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. We will find multiple other biblical texts that speaks to the same principle. Let me offer you one last example, and again, there are last example to illustrate this possibility that specific biblical texts and forms specific informs specific constitutional provisions. The fifth amendment to the constitution, we find a prohibition on double jeopardy. That is to say, trying someone twice for the same offense. This is language that was crafted by the First FederalCongress Meeting in new york in 1789. Where did this idea come from . Historians tell us that in a commentary written in 391 by saint jerome, he suggests this is a principle to be found in the book of the prophet mayhem, where we read a flexion shall not rise up the second time. We can debate whether the saints is on the ground of his interpretation of this text, but the point of this setting is this is an idea that from saint jerome works its way into canon law, the law of the church. From canon law, it becomes eventually part of the customary law and later common law of england. And from england, it crosses the atlantic with those first english colonists. Is woven into early legal articulations in the colonies. When the colonists, now independent, right there 1st constitution in 1776, it will become a part of constitutions and declarations of right at this moment. It works its way into the fifth amendment of 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 transition of an idea from able any m and a half ago to the present. Millennium and a half ago to the present. The Supreme Court has from time to time drawn attention to this lineage, the origin of this idea of double jeopardy going back to saint jeromes interpretation. More broadly and more generally thought, many founders the bible was essential to their constitutional experiment and republican selfgovernment. Republican selfgovernment. I speak here of small r republicanism, a political arrangement, not a political party. Republicanism r mean to americans in the founding era . Popular government committed to the rule of law in which government authorities derive from the consent of the governed and exercised 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 working on this book. John adams described the bible as the most republican book in the world. The most republican book in the world. I have picked up my bible thousands of times over the course of my life, but i have got to be honest with you. Said,r picked it up and now, for some good republican reading. It is not what im thinking when i picked up the bible. But he is not alone among his contemporaries in making this claim. I have some language from john dickinson, a founder we should all be more familiar with, somewhat forgotten in our own time that a claimed in his own time as the penman of the revolution. He makes almost precisely this same statement. Here i have him saying the bible is the most republican book that ever was written. Two are notthese alone among their contemporaries in making the statement. The bible is many things to the christian. It is gods word, the counsel of god, a divine lamp, for instruction in righteousness, but is it republican . Is it republican . And in one set what sense is the bible republican . What are they talking about here . As i have mentioned, there were americans in the founding era republicved the hebrew , they see in the hebrew commonwealth a form of government that they perceived to be republican in nature. It is a republican government welldesigned to promote political prosperity, and political discourse in pamphlets, conventions, and political discourse provides numerous appeals to the hebrew republic as a model for their own political experiments. Let me give you an example. In an influential 1775 massachusetts election sermon, Samuel Langdon who was the president of Harvard College and later served as a delegate to new hampshires constitutional ratifying the jewish government according to the original constitution, which was to finally established, was a perfect divinely established, was a perfect republic. Least some principal laws and orders of it may be copied to great advantage in more modern establishments. You are going to find, i think many similar expressions from periodiod from this in American History where they described this form of government as republican and suggesting, there are things we can learn about republicanism from this model as we embark in our own nation building. Let me state that i think is obvious, most of what the founders knew about the hebrew commonwealth they learned from the bible. They were well aware that ideas like republicanism found expression in traditions apart from the hebrew experience, and they studied these traditions, ancient and modern. Yes, they studied the roman republic. They studied more modern theorists who wrote about republicanism. But the republic that was described in the hebrew scriptures reassured them. It reassured them that republicanism was a political system that enjoyed divine favor. 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 h than the model was aic republicanism, it handbook for good republican citizenship. It is a handbook for republic can republican citizenship. The bible more than any other source taught the civic virtues required of citizens in order to govern themselves in a republic. Historian james hudson at the library of congress described the essential connections of religion, virtue, and republican selfgovernment, he describes this as the founders, the founding generations deluges him. Ism. Illig hudson was suggesting this was a common view in the american founding. Religion is necessary for virtue and morality, therefore religion is necessary for republican government. The political discord of the founding era is replete with expressions of religions vital contributions to a republican regime. This idea is espoused by americans from diverse intellectual, religious, and political transitions traditions. David ramsey, the first major historian of the American Revolution in his book on the American Revolution says this remember that there can be no political happiness without liberty. There can be no liberty without morality. There can be no morality without religion. Listen to the words of benjamin rush, a venerated signer of the declaration of independence. The only foundation for the useful education in a republic is to be laid with religion. Without religion or can be no virtue and without virtue can be is aterty, and liberty the center of all governments. A selfgoverning people had to be virtuous and controlled from within by an internal more compass, because why . The Great American experience and spare meant yes, the authoritarian ruler can use the whip to compel people to behave in the order which you want them, but clearly the whip and rod is unacceptable for a free, selfgoverning people. What is going to replace that whip . It is that internal moral compass, nurtured by the civic virtues that are instilled in the language and the lessons of scripture. Say theid john adams bible was the most republican book in the world . I think we know. He tells us. He thinks it is the most republican book in the world because he believes that without national morality, a republican government cannot be maintained. And because he believed that the bible contains the most perfect morality and the most refined policy that was ever conceived upon earth. What is he telling us . It is republican because this is a republican handbook for citizenship. It teaches citizens in a republic how to behave in an orderly, decent fashion, giving citizens the capacity for selfgovernment in a republican regime to succeed. So let me conclude with this question. Does it matter whether we acknowledge the bibles contributions to the founding . Doesnt matter whether the bible is studied alongside other intellectual influences on the Founding Fathers . 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 thatose diverse influences this generation of americans is studying . Yes, i think it does matter. It matters if one wants to understand the broad range of ideas that shaped the founders political thoughts, their actions and 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 illiteracy of our own age inevitably distorts the connect conception americans have of themselves as a people, their history, and bold political experiment. Thee political publics increasing unfamiliarity with the bible makes it harder and harder for americans to understand their , or to and their mores 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 study the bible and its role in the life of the nation. The 19th century historian John Wingate Thorton described the bible as the great political textbook of the patriots. Not an uncommon sentiment that we find in the histories of the 19th century, but here is an interesting statement. Comes from a more modern source. Some years ago, Newsweek Magazine reported the bible has exerted an unrivaled 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. That is a stunning statement, and we could have an energetic debate about whether this provocative statement can be defended or not. But clearly, there is an acknowledgment 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 puritan fathers to the Founding Fathers, americans look to the bible for guiding civic virtue, responsible citizenship, and other concepts essential to the formation of a well ordered polity. Yes, the framers to run diverse political and legal traditions and one of the most important but least studied of the sources of influence on our political culture in our constitutional tradition is the bible. Constitution contains many features and content and design familiar to a bible reading people, and we cannot understand adequately our constitutional tradition where the Historic Events that produced our great political experiment in republican selfgovernment without referencing the bible. 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. [applae]