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From: gks@vax135.UUCP (Ken Swanson)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,net.religion.christian
Subject: Christian Roots of the U.S.
Message-ID: <1583@vax135.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Sep-86 09:41:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: vax135.1583
Posted: Mon Sep  8 09:41:15 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Sep-86 06:08:39 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs
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Xref: linus talk.religion.misc:7 net.religion.christian:4584

The following is based on excerpts from a sermon, "Church and State," by
Rev. Dr. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida.

PART I
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Question:	Did the founders of this nation intend it to be a secularist,
		neutral, humanist nation; or did they believe that this was
		a nation created to the glory of God and that it was to be a
		godly, Christian state?

Evidence:
  *  	In 1606 the First Charter of Virginia was drawn up prior to the arrival
	of settlers from England at Jamestown, Va. in 1607.  The charter, in
	part, declares
		"We greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their
		desires for the furtherence of so noble a work, which may,
		by the providence of almighty God, hereafter tend to the
		glory of His divine majesty, in propagating the Christian
		religion to such people, as yet live in darkness and miserable
		ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in
		time bring the infidels and savages, living in those parts,
		to human civility, and to a settled and quite government ..."

  *	On Nov. 11, 1620, as their ship, the Mayflower, lay off the shores of
	Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrims joined together and signed the Mayflower
	Compact:
		"In the name of God, Amen" ... "Having undertaken for the glory
		of God, and advancements of the Christian faith, and honor of
		our kind and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in
		the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly
		and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another,
		covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body
		politic ..."
	Governor William Bradford described the first thing the Pilgrims did
	when they arrived on these shores:
		"Being thus arrived in good harbor and brought safe to land,
		they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven ..."

  *	The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was the first written 
	constitution (1639) which created a government in this land:
		"Forasmuch as it hath pleased the Almight God by the wise
		disposition of His divine providence so to order and dispose
		of things ..."  "And well knowing where a people are gathered
		together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace
		and union of such a people there should be an orderly and
		decent government established according to God ... to
		maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the gospel of
		our Lord Jesus which we now profess, as also the discipline
		of the churches, which according to the  truth of the said
		gospel is not practiced amongst us ..."

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Ken Swanson
AT&T Bell Labs
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