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Founding Sins: How a Group of Antislavery Radicals Fought to Put Christ into the Constitution
The Covenanters, now mostly forgotten, were America's first Christian nationalists. For two centuries they decried the fact that, in their view, the United States was not a Christian nation because slavery was in the Constitution but Jesus was not. Having once ruled Scotland as a part of a Presbyterian coalition, they longed to convert America to a holy Calvinist vision in which church and state united to form a godly body politic. Their unique story has largely been submerged beneath the histories of the events in which they participated and the famous figures with whom they interacted, making them the most important religious movement in American history that no one remembers.Despite being one of North America's smallest religious sects, the Covenanters found their way into every major revolt. They were God's rebels--just as likely to be Patriots against Britain as they were to be Whiskey Rebels against the federal government. As the nation's earliest and most avowed abolitionists, they had a significant influence on the fight for emancipation. In Founding Sins, Joseph S. Moore examines this forgotten history, and explores how Covenanters profoundly shaped American's understandings of the separation of church and state. While modern arguments about America's Christian founding usually come from the right, the Covenanters have a more complicated legacy. They fought for an explicitly Christian America in the midst of what they saw as a secular state that failed the test of Christian nationhood. But they did so on behalf of a cause--abolition--that is traditionally associated with the left. Though their attempts to insert God into the Constitution ultimately failed, Covenanters set the acceptable limits for religion in politics for generations to come.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 21, 2016
Despite what many modern Evangelical Christians claim, America was NOT established explicitly as a Christian nation. The Reformed Presbyterians (Covenanters), from our nation’s very founding, decried this notion based on two highly significant defects in our Constitution: 1) it refused to acknowledge the Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ; 2) it allowed for the godless institution of slavery. The RPs stood as virtually a lone voice of dissent on both these issues at our country's founding. This very well written and researched tome, seen from an outsider’s perspective, clearly establishes the Reformed Presbyterian argument. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in religion’s influence in our country’s history and concerned for why things wound up the way they are today, regardless of what you believe SHOULD be the case.
July 7, 2022
Upon reading historian Joseph Moore’s “Founding Sins,”I couldn’t help but think of the title of the old Clint Eastwood Western, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.”
The Good: Radical Abolitionists
Early Scottish Covenanter Samuel Rutherford, in his famous “Lex, Rex,” wrote: “Slavery of servants to Lords or Masters, such as were of old amongst the Jews, is not natural, but against nature.” Scotch-Irish Covenanters brought this mindset with them when they crossed the Atlantic. Moore’s research shows that (1) Covenanters antislavery antedated the Quaker abolitionist movement, (2) Covenanters uniquely articulated a strong Biblical argument against modern slavery, (3) Southern Covenanters (who split and became known as the Associate Reformed Church, or AR) became the lone voice of dissent against slavery, proposing viable alternatives (American Colonization Society), and (4) Covenanters clearly enunciated slavery as the major cause of the Civil War (what they termed, “the Slaveholders rebellion”). Moore notes, “The first radical thing Covenanters did to slavery was to call it sin.” In contrast to mainline Southern Presbyterian theologians such as Thornwell, Dabney and Palmer, Covenanters challenged the notion that Old Testament slavery in the Bible had any bearing upon American slavery. For example, Old Testament slavery did not allow for the sale or transfer of slaves and prohibited “man-stealing” (kidnapping). The Hebrew slave system (better termed indentured slavery) forbade escaped slaves to be recaptured and returned (Deuteronomy 23:25); this being in diametric opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act. The theocratic system also required release of slaves every 50 years (Year of Jubilee), and did not allow the oppression of (racial) strangers (Exodus 22:21). In response to Southerner’s abhorrent practice of that “peculiar institution,” Covenanters became early supporters of abolitionists, such as John Brown, as well as conductors of the Underground Railroad, and unlike Quakers, they had no qualms about using force to free slaves or protect runaways from being captured. “Agitation for the manumission of slaves, fundraising for the ACS, illegally teaching slaves to read, and advocacy for the legality of slave marriages” made AR Covenanters odious to their Southern neighbors. Lastly, Moore notes that prior to the Civil War, slave attendees in AR churches varied between one-quarter to one-half of local church membership. Many AR Covenanters had to flee north to escape violent persecution by Sothern slaveholders.
The Bad: Religious Tyranny
Adherence to abolition, exclusive Psalm-singing, and acknowledging Christ as King of kings served as an accurate “barometer of Covenanter authenticity.” Regarding the last point, Covenanters enacted the 1638 National Covenant and the 1643 Solemn League and Covenant in England and Scotland. These historic covenants bound the United Kingdom to what is called the Establishment Principle, i.e. the civil magistrate being covenanted to God and maintainer of the one true religion (Presbyterian). American Covenanter William Findley later posed the pertinent question: who spoke for God in these national covenants? This ultimately led to persecuted Presbyterians becoming the persecutors, the “Presbyterian Taliban,” who would coerce religious obedience. “Where they had been against religious conformity when forced upon them . . . now they were for it . . . What Charles I sought to do to the Scots, Covenanters now sought to do to the English.” Sadly, when in power, Covenanters found tolerance intolerable, Samuel Rutherford even blasted “abominable liberty of conscience.” This of course led to decades of “chaos, bigotry, religious tyranny and war,” culminating in the 1689 Act of Toleration which granted some degree of freedom of worship. As Covenanters crossed the Atlantic, they tended to bring their “Holy Scotland” concept with them to the United States. American Roger Williams (himself a victim of Puritan persecution), first articulated a doctrine of separation of church and state in reaction to the Solemn League and Covenant in “The Bloody Tenet of Persecution for Cause of Conscience.” As the early nation emerged favoring toleration, early Covenanters (or as Moore terms them, “fringe” Presbyterians) decried these secular efforts, going so far as declaring the founding fathers to have been cast into the “depths of eternal Hell” for their secularized constitution. Later, William Findley, an AR Covenanter congressman responded to “fringe” Presbyterian Samuel Wylie with his articulate “Observations on the Two Sons of Oil” decrying the abuses arising from the 1638 and 1643 national covenants. However, Findley and other Covenanters still supported a constitutional amendment acknowledging the supreme reign of Jesus Christ as King of kings in what soon became known as the “God amendment." This movement became so popular that even Abraham Lincoln became convinced of the NRA (National Reform association) bid to make America a constitutional Christian nation. However, the nation ultimately rejected these efforts, primarily from fear of a return to “That terrible old lion, Persecution.”
The Ugly: Racial Backsliding
Covenanters had a laudable legacy of fighting slavery and desiring a constitutional amendment formally declaring America to be “One nation, under God.” This is in spite of their historical legacy of intolerance and persecution. What changed to turn this rich history so ugly? Due to siding with the Confederacy during the Civil War, Southern AR Covenanters became increasingly anti-reconstruction. Southern churches began to disproportionately discipline African-American members, relegate African-Americans to sub-member status, and ultimately force church divisions along racial lines. AR members, elders, and even pastors became increasingly supportive of violent racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Sadly, Moore noted that by the end of the 19th century, “ARs were now more Southern than Scottish, and more Confederate than Covenanter.” Thankfully, most Northern Covenanter churches resisted these degenerate tendencies.
In summary, secular liberals are correct in denying that America was founded as a Christian nation. Our forefathers explicitly rejected old-world establishment principle models out of fear of fostering persecution. However, the Covenanters were right in noting that America’s founding problem was two-fold: (1) lack of acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Lord of the nation, and (2) allowance for unbiblical slavery. I pray that Joseph Moore’s excellent research might open the eyes of America as to its need to confess Christ in the way of putting off persecution and seeking justice for all.
The Good: Radical Abolitionists
Early Scottish Covenanter Samuel Rutherford, in his famous “Lex, Rex,” wrote: “Slavery of servants to Lords or Masters, such as were of old amongst the Jews, is not natural, but against nature.” Scotch-Irish Covenanters brought this mindset with them when they crossed the Atlantic. Moore’s research shows that (1) Covenanters antislavery antedated the Quaker abolitionist movement, (2) Covenanters uniquely articulated a strong Biblical argument against modern slavery, (3) Southern Covenanters (who split and became known as the Associate Reformed Church, or AR) became the lone voice of dissent against slavery, proposing viable alternatives (American Colonization Society), and (4) Covenanters clearly enunciated slavery as the major cause of the Civil War (what they termed, “the Slaveholders rebellion”). Moore notes, “The first radical thing Covenanters did to slavery was to call it sin.” In contrast to mainline Southern Presbyterian theologians such as Thornwell, Dabney and Palmer, Covenanters challenged the notion that Old Testament slavery in the Bible had any bearing upon American slavery. For example, Old Testament slavery did not allow for the sale or transfer of slaves and prohibited “man-stealing” (kidnapping). The Hebrew slave system (better termed indentured slavery) forbade escaped slaves to be recaptured and returned (Deuteronomy 23:25); this being in diametric opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act. The theocratic system also required release of slaves every 50 years (Year of Jubilee), and did not allow the oppression of (racial) strangers (Exodus 22:21). In response to Southerner’s abhorrent practice of that “peculiar institution,” Covenanters became early supporters of abolitionists, such as John Brown, as well as conductors of the Underground Railroad, and unlike Quakers, they had no qualms about using force to free slaves or protect runaways from being captured. “Agitation for the manumission of slaves, fundraising for the ACS, illegally teaching slaves to read, and advocacy for the legality of slave marriages” made AR Covenanters odious to their Southern neighbors. Lastly, Moore notes that prior to the Civil War, slave attendees in AR churches varied between one-quarter to one-half of local church membership. Many AR Covenanters had to flee north to escape violent persecution by Sothern slaveholders.
The Bad: Religious Tyranny
Adherence to abolition, exclusive Psalm-singing, and acknowledging Christ as King of kings served as an accurate “barometer of Covenanter authenticity.” Regarding the last point, Covenanters enacted the 1638 National Covenant and the 1643 Solemn League and Covenant in England and Scotland. These historic covenants bound the United Kingdom to what is called the Establishment Principle, i.e. the civil magistrate being covenanted to God and maintainer of the one true religion (Presbyterian). American Covenanter William Findley later posed the pertinent question: who spoke for God in these national covenants? This ultimately led to persecuted Presbyterians becoming the persecutors, the “Presbyterian Taliban,” who would coerce religious obedience. “Where they had been against religious conformity when forced upon them . . . now they were for it . . . What Charles I sought to do to the Scots, Covenanters now sought to do to the English.” Sadly, when in power, Covenanters found tolerance intolerable, Samuel Rutherford even blasted “abominable liberty of conscience.” This of course led to decades of “chaos, bigotry, religious tyranny and war,” culminating in the 1689 Act of Toleration which granted some degree of freedom of worship. As Covenanters crossed the Atlantic, they tended to bring their “Holy Scotland” concept with them to the United States. American Roger Williams (himself a victim of Puritan persecution), first articulated a doctrine of separation of church and state in reaction to the Solemn League and Covenant in “The Bloody Tenet of Persecution for Cause of Conscience.” As the early nation emerged favoring toleration, early Covenanters (or as Moore terms them, “fringe” Presbyterians) decried these secular efforts, going so far as declaring the founding fathers to have been cast into the “depths of eternal Hell” for their secularized constitution. Later, William Findley, an AR Covenanter congressman responded to “fringe” Presbyterian Samuel Wylie with his articulate “Observations on the Two Sons of Oil” decrying the abuses arising from the 1638 and 1643 national covenants. However, Findley and other Covenanters still supported a constitutional amendment acknowledging the supreme reign of Jesus Christ as King of kings in what soon became known as the “God amendment." This movement became so popular that even Abraham Lincoln became convinced of the NRA (National Reform association) bid to make America a constitutional Christian nation. However, the nation ultimately rejected these efforts, primarily from fear of a return to “That terrible old lion, Persecution.”
The Ugly: Racial Backsliding
Covenanters had a laudable legacy of fighting slavery and desiring a constitutional amendment formally declaring America to be “One nation, under God.” This is in spite of their historical legacy of intolerance and persecution. What changed to turn this rich history so ugly? Due to siding with the Confederacy during the Civil War, Southern AR Covenanters became increasingly anti-reconstruction. Southern churches began to disproportionately discipline African-American members, relegate African-Americans to sub-member status, and ultimately force church divisions along racial lines. AR members, elders, and even pastors became increasingly supportive of violent racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Sadly, Moore noted that by the end of the 19th century, “ARs were now more Southern than Scottish, and more Confederate than Covenanter.” Thankfully, most Northern Covenanter churches resisted these degenerate tendencies.
In summary, secular liberals are correct in denying that America was founded as a Christian nation. Our forefathers explicitly rejected old-world establishment principle models out of fear of fostering persecution. However, the Covenanters were right in noting that America’s founding problem was two-fold: (1) lack of acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Lord of the nation, and (2) allowance for unbiblical slavery. I pray that Joseph Moore’s excellent research might open the eyes of America as to its need to confess Christ in the way of putting off persecution and seeking justice for all.
February 9, 2016
This is an interesting look at the history and political theology of a small sect, or small group of sects. Also interesting is to read the writing of someone from the outside, as I am part of one of these Christian denominations today. The focus of the book is the transplanting of Scotch Irish Covenanter Presbyterians to the new world and how they develop and apply their political theology to a new country that has broken ties with their native government. The challenge is to find the role if any that the old covenants (National Covenant, Solemn League and Covenant, etc.) have within a new political landscape that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible. Contrary to modern claims of Christian founding fathers and the influence of Christianity to the new American government, the Covenanters decried the failure of US leaders and the constitution to acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ as king over the nations.
The books also details the some of the earliest abolition efforts by American covenanters and their work as part of the underground railroad. While it is good that the book includes several of what Moore refers to as Presbyterian fringe groups, the trouble is that it is too easy to lump together the good work or sin of one group, and apply it to whole.
The two issues are treated as twin issues in this history, that the failure of the US to acknowledge God is linked to the moral failure of it's institutionalized racial slavery. A pretty large segment of the book also gives accounts of the late 19th century work of RP's in founding the National Reform Association that for decades attempted to have the nation correct this by the inclusion of a Christian amendment to the constitution.
This would be of interest to anyone who enjoys history, religion politics, and church / state relations.
The books also details the some of the earliest abolition efforts by American covenanters and their work as part of the underground railroad. While it is good that the book includes several of what Moore refers to as Presbyterian fringe groups, the trouble is that it is too easy to lump together the good work or sin of one group, and apply it to whole.
The two issues are treated as twin issues in this history, that the failure of the US to acknowledge God is linked to the moral failure of it's institutionalized racial slavery. A pretty large segment of the book also gives accounts of the late 19th century work of RP's in founding the National Reform Association that for decades attempted to have the nation correct this by the inclusion of a Christian amendment to the constitution.
This would be of interest to anyone who enjoys history, religion politics, and church / state relations.
December 30, 2023
I appreciated how this book set these ecclesiastical events and figures within the context of American political and cultural history. And especially how it highlighted the diversity within the American Covenanter tradition—consisting of five denominations at one point, and various groups within them (whom Moore consolidates as hard-liners and Engagers) at various periods with different proposals for how to address America's political and moral ills, and how even the hard-liners softened their stances over time with regard to juries, taxes, military service, interdenominational cooperation, immediatism vs gradualism, etc. There were also several interesting accounts absent from other Covenanter histories, such as how their paths crossed with men like Washington and Lincoln, etc. Good book!
October 31, 2016
I enjoyed reading more about the Covenanters and their attempts to Christianize the nation, or at least get it to recognize God in its laws. Our nation's constitution rejected God's dominion and in so doing set America down the path where "we the people" will do anything we like without acknowledging God's law.
I thought the author did a good job tying in the abolitionism of the Covenanters and giving an overview of their background. Maybe they were "fringe" but I happen to agree with them in nearly all aspects :)
I thought the author did a good job tying in the abolitionism of the Covenanters and giving an overview of their background. Maybe they were "fringe" but I happen to agree with them in nearly all aspects :)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews