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The Foundation of Liberty: How Judeo-Christian Principles Built a Nation for All


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As we approach the 250th anniversary of America's founding, we must remind ourselves—and teach the next generation—that this country was built not on shifting ideologies, but on enduring truths. Chief among these are the principles rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition: the sanctity of life, the dignity of every human being, the importance of personal responsibility, and, above all, the gift of free will.

Freedom Rooted in Faith

The Judeo-Christian worldview proclaims that God created man in His image (Genesis 1:27) and gave him the freedom to choose—whether to follow or reject Him. Christianity, uniquely, is not a faith of compulsion but of choice. Christ invites; He does not coerce. That foundational belief in liberty of conscience shaped the American vision. It is no coincidence that a nation rooted in such faith would also champion religious freedom for all—including those of other faiths or no faith at all.

A Nation of Religious Liberty for All

Our Founding Fathers understood, through bitter experience, the tyranny of a government-imposed religion. Under the rule of European monarchs, religion and government were intertwined to the detriment of conscience and liberty. The American experiment was meant to be different.

As Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802, he referenced a "wall of separation between Church & State." But that phrase—so often quoted today—does not appear anywhere in our Constitution. It was never intended to banish faith from the public square. Rather, it was meant to protect the church from the state, not the state from faith.

The First Amendment clearly states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

The intent was to prevent a national church, like the Church of England—not to prohibit religious expression in public life. Today, that phrase “separation of church and state” is often wielded as a weapon to silence Christians in schools, public discourse, and even government. That’s not what our Founders intended. They envisioned a country where all could worship—or not—freely, without coercion or censorship.

Quotes from the Founders

James Madison wrote: "It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage... as he believes to be acceptable to Him."

George Washington said in his inaugural address: "It would be peculiarly improper to omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe..."

John Adams declared: "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity."

America’s Grand Experiment

Only in a country grounded in moral truth and religious liberty could such a diverse people come together in freedom. Only by acknowledging that rights come from God—not government—could we build a society where everyone, from the faithful Christian to the devout Muslim to the agnostic skeptic, can flourish.

This is the miracle of the American Republic: we are not a theocracy, but we are a nation informed by theological truth. Judeo-Christian values gave rise to a culture of liberty, responsibility, and human dignity. That framework, and only that framework, can sustain true freedom.

The 917 Society exists to ensure that the next generation understands these foundational truths. We place a copy of the U.S. Constitution in the hands of every 8th grader—not as a museum piece, but as a currently relevant document grounded in eternal principles.

Let this year be a year of recommitment to truth. May we reclaim the understanding of liberty that our Founders so clearly articulated—where faith is not banned, but celebrated; where government bows to the people, not the other way around; and where the Spirit of the Lord brings true freedom.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." — 2 Corinthians 3:17



 
 
 

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