Recommendation by Dr. D. James Kennedy

“Webster’s new volume 1776 Faith: the Christian worldview of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is one of the most intriguing new books on the subject which I have seen.  His in-depth examination of the signers, their faith and worldviews go a long way toward enlightening the American people concerning the founding of this country.  I heartily recommend it to every American and hope it will have a very wide reception.”

Dr. D. James Kennedy September 16, 2005

[Phil Webster does not have a Doctorate but he appreciates the thought]

Henry Salvatori Award for American Citizenship (One Among Many)

Why Bother About the Christian Worldview of the Founding Fathers?

     There are quite a few reasons not to be concerned about the Founding Fathers and their Christian base. One is just to live your life in pleasure without considering any consequences to one’s life. In the current academic climate, it is not a popular position to maintain. The Christian worldview is being wiped out of our nation’s future. Why should someone concern themselves with studying the Christian worldview of the United States? This article will check on these aspects in our education systems, court systems, local governments, assistance to Christian minorities in other countries and the need for divine guidance on our government policies.
      In our educational system, the humanists have successfully won the battle of keeping our history secular. When the Christian worldview is mentioned, the bad examples are shown (as if there were no bad aspects of a totally secular society). On the university level, 106 of the first 108 colleges in the nation were started with the Christian faith. How is the status of the Christian faith on college campuses that you know? Are the teachers at these universities teaching Marxist or Christian worldviews?
      In the court systems, we see decisions going against a Christian worldview, but there are positive decisions assisted by groups like Liberty Counsel with Mat Staver. How many Protestants were on the Supreme Court at the founding of the nation? As someone who portrays the first Chief Justice John Jay, I tend to notice such things. How many are there now? Today there are zero Evangelical Protestants on the Supreme Court, that’s right- zero! We currently have 6 Catholics and 3 Jewish members; diversity is fine, but there appears to be no place for Evangelical Protestants. Evangelical Protestants need not apply!
      How many town governments have ceded the freedom of religion (saying a simple nonsectarian prayer to ask for divine guidance for deliberations) to small vocal anti-God forces? How is your county/state doing on this? Our country once had a strong voice defending Christian minorities in countries around the world, either during the Cold War with communist countries or Third World dictatorships. How are we doing with that lately? Reagan and Thatcher helped shine the light on communism in the Soviet Union by assisting people like Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Solzhenitsyn became a hero of the Western Press but they stopped touting him when he started talking about his faith in God.
      Our Founders wanted the Christian worldview to impact our decisions on government. As imperfect sinners, they saw their need of God’s Word changing them and guiding them. Check out my postings in 2008 about “Direct our Deliberations.” Behold what John Adams said on February 22, 1756: “Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their very own law book and every member should regulate His own conduct by the precepts there exhibited.”

Booksignings 2010 and 2011

June 5, 2010 William and Mary College Bookstore (Barnes and Noble)
June 19, 2010 Annapolis (MD) Mall Borders
July 3, 2010 Chick-fil-A Easton, MD
July 10, 2010 White Marsh Mall (Baltimore MD) Borders Express
July 24, 2010 King of Prussia (PA) Mall Borders/
July 31, 2010 Dover (DE) Borders Express
Oct. 9, 2010 Fairfax (VA) Borders
Oct. 18-19, 2010 Yorktown VA Celebration
Oct. 23, 2010 Manassas (VA) Borders
Nov. 6, 2010 Easton MD News Center
Nov. 13, 2010 Germantown MD Borders
Nov. 20, 2010 Richmond VA Borders (I had to cancel this because my wife's sister was in Hospice care in Wilmington, NC)

March 19, 2011 Greensboro Lifeway Christian Bookstore, Greensboro, NC
March 26, 2011 Richmond Borders, Glen Allen, VA Cancelled due to Borders closing the store
April 16, 2011 Harrisonburg, VA (Barnes and Noble)
May 28, 2011 Springfield VA Borders
July 2, 2011 Annapolis MD Mall Borders

Bloomberg Excludes Clergy at Tenth Anniversary of 9-11 Citing Separation of Church and State

Bloomberg Excluding Clergy, Firemen and Police From Tenth Anniversary of 9-11

New York City Mayor Bloomberg certainly knows business matters. However, in matters of the Constitution on First Amendment matters he is lacking. It is beyond words to describe the mayor’s lack of understanding and insensitivity while he is excluding clergy, New York City firemen and policemen. Since he puts the issue as a Constitutional issue, let us bring in New York’s expert on the subject: John Jay. As a New Yorker and the first Chief Justice under the Constitution of the United States, Mr. Jay may have something to tell us.
In December 23, 1776 in the dark days after the defeats at Brooklyn, White Plains, Fort Washington and Fort Lee and then retreating into New Jersey, Mr. Jay was asked by the New York Assembly to address the people of New York. In his address, Mr. Jay mentioned God and having faith in God 33 times. This address was translated into German and distributed at the expense of Continental Congress. Granted, this was before the Constitution. However, the members had no doubts about Mr. Jay’s Christian convictions. In today’s environment he would not have been allowed to be confirmed. However, under the Constitution with the Founders of the country he was confirmed.
The nation’s capital for 1789 was in New York City (not Philadelphia which was 1790-1799 and then Washington from 1800 since). President George Washington was inaugurated in New York. He took the oath of office and swore on a Bible and stated “So help me God.” After the inauguration, where did the President go? He and others attended a communion service in New York City. Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton’s widow) remembered Mr. Washington taking communion. When John Jay had the first session of the Supreme Court under the Constitution, there was a four hour communion service in New York City. The President and the Chief Justice wanted God’s blessing on our new nation.
Under the Constitution, George Washington recommended two days of Thanksgiving and Prayer (1789 and 1795). John Adams recommended two days of Thanksgiving and Prayer (March 23, 1798 and March 6, 1799). [Many experts attribute Adams to be a Unitarian but check out the documents of the prayer days and one will see the most Trinitarian description (Most High God, the Great Mediator and Redeemer and the Holy Spirit). Jefferson had no national days of prayer but did have days of prayer in Virginia when he was governor. Madison, who directed a huge part in the ratification of the Constitution, recommended four days of Thanksgiving and Prayer (1812, 1813, 1814 and 1815). That totals 8 recommended days of Thanksgiving and Prayer by the first four Presidents under the Constitution. Please note that people were not guillotined for not attending- the days were recommended.
Doesn’t the Senate and House of Representatives have chaplains? How long have they been there? Since the Founding? Even though it is recommended for Congressman and Senators to hear the morning devotion and prayer, do they all pay attention? Do some Congressmen skip attendance, ignore or just do not listen to the Chaplains? The Senate and House of Representatives have had benefit of clergy. Why not allow that for the grieving people of New York. George Washington, John Jay and James Madison (who were very acquainted with the federal government in New York when it was the nation’s capital) are pointing a finger at you, Mr. Bloomberg. They are saying that this is not right!
Punishments by the British during the American Revolution included sentences of various punishments. The most severe included “without benefit of clergy.”

Founding Fathers Lecturer

My public presentation consists of John Jay presenting the Christian worldview with the help of Mr. Franklin’s technology with Power Point. Here are the presentations:

1- 1776 Faith- The Christian worldview of the signers of the Declaration of Independence (60 minutes)
2- Constitutional Faith- The Christian worldview of the signers of the Constitution (45 minutes)
3- 7 instances of Divine Providence on our young nation. (30 minutes)
4- The influence of the Great Awakening on the Founders/ the Christian colleges of the era and the Christian music of the era (45 minutes)
5- The early state constitutions (30 minutes)
6- All 50 states mention God in their state constitutions (50 minutes)
7- The first four presidents promoted general tolerant Christianity (30 minutes)
8- Defending Delmarva During the American Revolution (55 minutes)
9- African-American Contributions of the American Revolution (45 minutes)

If you would like a presentation for your church, Christian high school, college, homeschool group,civic group please contact me at

1776faith@gmail.com

Experts or Trusted Amateurs in the American Revolution

American Revolution/ Founding Fathers Experts

In studies of the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers, it is wise to get the opinions of experts. How does one go about that? There were experts back in the 1770s but which kind of expert do you want? One type of expert may have exceeding great qualifications but in the long run should not be trusted. Just because someone has a Ph.D. does not mean they are right (or that they are wrong either). Let us look at some of the experts of those days and then check out some lower qualified amateurs.

General Charles Lee had more qualifications in the military field than George Washington. He had experience in the British army in Europe as well as America. If he was given command instead of Washington, we would probably not have the priority given to the chaplaincy in the military (which Washington established). Lee dragged his heels in New Jersey in late 1776 and later at the battle of Monmouth.

General Gates had more experience than General DeKalb because of his victory at Saratoga. Continental Congress put Gates in charge of the Southern Campaign. At the battle of Camden in South Carolina the expert Gates took the straightest line through area without roads to engage the enemy whereas DeKalb wanted to take “the bypass area” with roads, supplies, food and where he could pick up local militia. At the battle itself, the expert took off on horseback for 90 miles in three days. DeKalb was not given an order to retreat. He stayed along with 800 men from Maryland who gave up their lives on the battlefield.

General Henry Knox was a bookseller in Boston. He would probably be laughed at by the British for being a general. His feat of carrying cannon captured at Fort Ticonderoga through the snowy hills to Dorchester Heights was a game changer. The expert would have called it off. An expert probably wouldn’t have accomplished that feat but the perspiring amateur got it done.

Nathanael Greene was a manufacturing Quaker. Quakers were not supposed to get involved in war. Greene saw that he could not just stand by and do nothing. Greene did not have the qualifications on his resume to be a general but he was the man that would be the successor if anything would happen to General Washington. Greene had excellent skills in the area of logistics and gathering supplies.
Which would you rather have in North Carolina/ South Carolina in 1780, Gates' expertise or Greene's amateur status?

A characteristic of these amateurs is that they could be trusted unto death. When life hangs in the balance, who can you trust?