Thomas Jefferson is considered to be the primary author of the Declaration of Independence but he was assisted by Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston.
Scholars believe these are
Jefferson’s words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The United States of America is the only nation in the world to have as part of
what it understands to be human a right – besides life and liberty – the
pursuit of Happiness.
Think about that for just 5 red-hot seconds. The pursuit of Happiness. A human right.
Not only that, but the pursuit of Happiness is an ‘unalienable Right’. Unalienable: that which can not be given away or taken away.
Why? Because, we say we believe, we are ENDOWED BY OUR CREATOR.
You may not hear it at first, but if you listen more deeply, you can hear the concerns of the founders of this country responding to the monarchy of their former country who believed themselves to be ANOINTED BY GOD as royalty.
“Oh, yeah?” says Jefferson. “I see your ‘anointed by God’ and raise you one ‘endowed by our Creator’.” It’s a high stakes gamble between America and Great Briton with nothing less than ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ on the line.
Jefferson also gave us the idea of ‘separation of church and state’ – which, contrary to popular belief, is not enshrined in our constitution or written into any law. It’s an operating principle which Jefferson articulated and the founders agreed was a way to avoid a theocracy – a system of government ruled by a particular religious doctrine.
We have religious freedom in this country because “we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights”. Which are, they said, “self-evident”. And these are “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
No one can be happy with a particular expression of religion imposed upon them. No one has liberty with the imposition of a particular theology. And, what kind of life can there be if one cannot choose the kind of life one wants or the type of God one wants to worship? Or, have the freedom to not worship any particular God in any sort of way?
We have freedom of religion and freedom from religion.
This morning we hear Jesus say, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown. . .” I want to raise the names of three brave Delawareans who signed the Declaration of Independence: Caesar Rodney, George Read, and Thomas McKean.
Their bravery set in motion the Independence we enjoy today. Rodney, Read and McKean put their names onto a document, the last sentence of which is this: “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
In exchange for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” the founders pledged their “Lives, Fortunes and sacred Honor”. These were the stakes of their high-stake gamble. And, they never got the same credit given to Jefferson or Franklin or Adams.
“Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”
I wonder: Would anyone in this church this morning be willing to do the same? Me? You?
After the constitution was written, Benjamin Franklin was asked, 'What do we have, a republic or a monarchy?' Franklin reportedly replied, 'A republic, if you can keep it.'
Here’s why he said that: A republic is a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives. A democracy is an ideology that helps shape how a government is run. Put another way: a republic is the system of government that allows a country to be democratic!
In the midst of all the
holiday celebrations this weekend, I ask you to consider all the words in all the
documents we’ve heard and all the hymns we’ve sung and ask yourselves: What are
you willing to pledge, not just for life and liberty but the pursuit of
happiness?
And, not just yours, but that of others – others who don’t get to
define your happiness for you, or you for them.
People of different religious
creeds and countries of origin.
People of different colors, clans and tribes.
People of different genders and gender expressions and sexual orientations.
People of different ages and incomes and class status.
People of different physical and intellectual abilities.
This is what Delawareans Rodney, Read and McKean who joined others from their states pledged their “Lives. Their Fortunes. And their sacred. Honor.” For everyone, not necessarily those of their own family or kith or clan or race or creed.
As a republic ruled by democracy, the power of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for ourselves and others is in our hands – yours and mine – because these rights have been endowed to us by our Creator.
This is what we say we believe. This is what we celebrate today, and why we celebrate in this church service this morning.
Let us pray, sisters and brothers, siblings in Christ, that our “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” will always be worthy of such a high calling.
Amen.
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