Family Talk Lecture by James Dobson

Introduction

• Host: James Dobson of Family Talk, a listener-supported ministry.
• Reference to Ronald Reagan's description of the United States as a "shining city on a hill".
• America is viewed as a concept based on faith, freedom, liberty, and inalienable rights.
• The focus of the lecture: Christianity's impact on American history.

Guest Introduction

• Guest: David Barton, founder of Wall Builders.
• Barton's focus: Educating the public on America's forgotten history and heroes.
• Noted for his best-selling books and named one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals by Time Magazine.

Historical Context: The American Revolution

• The U.S. is the longest ongoing constitutional republic.
• The need to understand American history beyond economic perspectives.
• Emphasis on the spiritual and biblical foundations of the American Revolution.

Pre-Revolution History

• Go back 150 years before the Revolution to understand the spiritual roots.
• Pilgrims and Puritans’ influence: Geneva Bible and anti-autocratic views.
• Biblical influence on American culture and governance (e.g., free enterprise from 1 Timothy 5:8).
• Initial educational laws aimed to teach children to read the scriptures.

Sermon and Biblical Influence

• Ministers preached on various events (solar eclipses, tornadoes, etc.) with biblical references.
• Execution sermons explored government power and biblical justification for civil actions.
• Artillery sermons discussed the military's biblical basis.

The Role of Religion in the Revolution

• King George III seen as transgressing both biblical laws and the British constitution.
• Early objections rooted in biblical principles (e.g., James Otis’ writings on taxation).
• Civil disobedience aligned with biblical heroes and moral law.

Influential Figures and Events

• Ethan Allen: Captured Fort Ticonderoga invoking "the great Jehovah and the continental congress."
• Rev. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg's transition from clergy to military.
• The impact of religious sermons and the role of clergy in promoting revolutionary ideas.

Conclusion of the Revolution

• Treaty of 1783 began with acknowledgment of the Holy Trinity.
• Washington’s reminder for Americans to imitate Jesus for national happiness.

Post-Revolution Reflections

• John Adams' vision for July 4th as a day of devotion to God.
• The early July 4th celebrated as a religious holiday.

Closing Thoughts

• Encouragement to visit Wall Builders for resources on American history.
• Availability of the program on CD for further study.
• Call for listener support for ongoing ministry efforts.