Thursday, July 14, 2005
History for Mommies
...Daddies, and other true Americans. Countdown to One Nation Under God release by crm: 17 days
Calvin’s Resistance Theory
“If [political authorities] command anything against [God}, let it go unesteemed. And here let us not be concerned about all the dignity which the magistrates possess.” Institutes; IV:XX:32
Consent of the governed – “In social contract theory this is where the governments’ power is grounded.”
Social Contract Theory – “A political theory in which the people form a government by common consent and thereafter cooperate for social benefit (common good). On this view the function of government is not to be served but rather to serve the interests of the governed. As soon as government no longer fulfills this function, it ceases to be legitimate.” (Amos, Gary and Gardiner, Richard; Never Before in History)
A distinct line can be traced from the American Revolution and America’s Founders back to resistance theories. John Knox, the writing Vindiciae Contra Tyrannos of 1579, the Westminster Confession (1646), Samuel Rutherford, and John Locke…carried on the theory to influence heavily James Otis, John Hancock, Samuel Adams (the Sons of Liberty), and John Adams. John Witherspoon argued that if Americans yield their civil liberties on taxes, then they will next be forced to yield their religious liberties. (Collins, Varnum; President Witherspoon; 1925)
John Adams noted that the religious aspect of the conflict between America and England greatly contributed to the colonists’ revolutionary spirit. (Adams, Charles Francis, ed. 1969; The Works of John Adams)
The American Revolution was not about stamps and tea, nor quite so much about taxes without representation, as we were all so carefully taught in public school. I daresay, it was an all out effort to break from the Church of England, thus the King, once and for all. As my eldest son has observed, taxes would not have been an acceptable reason to resist political authority. A religious people, America’s settlers knew the definitions above and believed resistance could not be condoned without an injustice against their Lord, Almighty.
Calvin’s Resistance Theory
“If [political authorities] command anything against [God}, let it go unesteemed. And here let us not be concerned about all the dignity which the magistrates possess.” Institutes; IV:XX:32
Consent of the governed – “In social contract theory this is where the governments’ power is grounded.”
Social Contract Theory – “A political theory in which the people form a government by common consent and thereafter cooperate for social benefit (common good). On this view the function of government is not to be served but rather to serve the interests of the governed. As soon as government no longer fulfills this function, it ceases to be legitimate.” (Amos, Gary and Gardiner, Richard; Never Before in History)
A distinct line can be traced from the American Revolution and America’s Founders back to resistance theories. John Knox, the writing Vindiciae Contra Tyrannos of 1579, the Westminster Confession (1646), Samuel Rutherford, and John Locke…carried on the theory to influence heavily James Otis, John Hancock, Samuel Adams (the Sons of Liberty), and John Adams. John Witherspoon argued that if Americans yield their civil liberties on taxes, then they will next be forced to yield their religious liberties. (Collins, Varnum; President Witherspoon; 1925)
John Adams noted that the religious aspect of the conflict between America and England greatly contributed to the colonists’ revolutionary spirit. (Adams, Charles Francis, ed. 1969; The Works of John Adams)
The American Revolution was not about stamps and tea, nor quite so much about taxes without representation, as we were all so carefully taught in public school. I daresay, it was an all out effort to break from the Church of England, thus the King, once and for all. As my eldest son has observed, taxes would not have been an acceptable reason to resist political authority. A religious people, America’s settlers knew the definitions above and believed resistance could not be condoned without an injustice against their Lord, Almighty.
