Pastors and the American Revolution

Recently I decided to look into the part pastors played in leading up to, and through, the American Revolution.

Many of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were pastors. It seems pastors routinely preached against the tyranny of the King, especially the acts against religious freedom. Many Anglicans remained loyal to the king, as would be expected, but many did not. Even prayers were changed from praying for the health etc of the king to be prayers for Congress. Many of these pastors, of various denominations, stepped out of the pulpit and fought. They carried their Bible in one hand and a musket in the other.


http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel03.html
http://www.newswithviews.com/Anghis/roger183.htm
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/revwar.html
http://www.christianheritagemins.org/articles/Preachers and Pulpits of the American Revolution.pdf


As I said, I just started digging a bit.

Any thoughts?

Does anyone have any books they'd recommend on this? I'd especially appreciate being able to read the applicable sermons.

 

Last night just before bed I found this. It's The Pulpit of the American Revolution. I downloaded it as an epub file for my iPhone. I saved it to my laptop first then did a drag and drop to my library.

http://archive.org/details/thepulpit00thoruoft


What treasures you have found!

I skimmed through this "Pulpit" and it made me sick to see what our Nation has become. God help us. :tear:

 

Interesting passage:

Fast forward over 200 years......

 

So what you are saying is that the modern version of separation of church and state is just that.

 

It would seem to me that in the 1960's the "separation of church and state" got redefined. America was started as a Christian nation, but with no expressly endorsed denomination. In fact the phrase isn't even part of our founding documents.

However, I am trying to stay focused on the role pastors played in American society in that era for now. One thing I am really wanting to see is the Scriptures and rationale for preaching against the king, and even joining the fight directly.

 

Incomplete List of Clergy in American Revolution:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_clergy_in_the_American_Revolution

 

Jonathan Mayhew "A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers"

Harvard graduate and Congregationalist minister, Jonathan Mayhew (1720-1766) served the West Church in Boston from his ordination in 1747 until his death. The Discourse was first published in Boston in 1750.

 

Haven't heard of Jonathan Mayhew for years, I guess it was when I was in school. Wasn't he an Unitarian or just very, very, very liberal?

Good read, how often we forget history and all the types and sizes that are in the past.