The father of the constitution USA turned out to be John Calvin

 

-- "Christian background American Constitution: faith and choice of the founding fathers" reading

This paper / Axin

 

In the "constitution of the America Christian background" in one book, the author John Edmore at the outset, quoted the USA scholar Dr. Smith:

 

If you ask an ordinary Americans, who is the real founder American father, our great republic, he may suddenly can't answer it. If he heard the famous German historian Frank (RANKEThe answer), he's sure to be startled at -- the most profound contemporary ideas of scholars said: "John Calvin is the founder America real."[1]

 

Chinese like love to the credit in the battlefield, so the author of this book it slightly modified, I think that Calvin is the father of the constitution America.

19The USA history mogul Bancroft himself is not Calvin's, but he has a word famous: "one does not respect the history, do not respect Calvin's influence, the USA free origin is poorly understood."

 

Scholar Loran Patna research:

 

According to estimates, in USA revolution300Million americans,90Million people have Scotland or Scotland -- of Irish descent,60Million is a British puritans,40Million belongs to Germany or Holland reformation. In addition, the Anglicans in their "thirty-nine creed" has also acknowledged that the Calvin doctrine; many French Huguenot also came to the western world.

Therefore, it is not difficult to find, the colonial population of about 2/3 Calvin received school education.[2]

 

So, Calvin reformed as a theological system, and set up the Constitution and government what relation? A relationship. Because the Calvin doctrine and the other theological system, are included on the world and human nature. A person's world view and the view of human nature determines the reality on the choice of the government. As Adams Madison in the "Federalist Papers" article51The article: "the government itself is not humanity embodied?"

So, we may ask, Calvin reformed of the world and human nature, which deeply influenced the America constitution?

 

1    Total depravity of human nature

The Calvin doctrine emphasizes human total depravity -- humans are born guilty, not pleasing to God, but can not rely on their own

Remove thoroughly to knowledge, goodness, self-control method.

The fact of the existence of human crime of course does not mean that people can not do good deeds. God put his common grace to mankind,

And bring it through human reason and conscience. But Calvin thinks, the internal justice of things is very complex, so the defects. If it is not controlled, is an almost inevitable bring pride, arrogance and corruption.

1787Years, America founders in Philadelphia constitution, is this humanity's idea of. Therefore, they view as the foundation design American regime in this human nature:

◆                   First of all, the government must have enough power to curb public evil impulse. Too weak regime could not restrain people, will eventually fall into anarchy and chaos.

◆                   The ruler is also guilty, so can not give the absolute power, otherwise the ruler will use these powers to strengthen their own forces, oppressed the people, eventually become dictator.

 

In the1787Years of the constitutional convention, the vast majority of America sages have to face the problem, is all about how to sin and right

To set up a corresponding check and balance mechanism. In this regard, they introduced Calvin reformed theology and governance mode.

 

2 Covenant Theology      

The Calvin doctrine generally believe in covenant theology. The central idea of covenant theology of God and man is agreed by two aspects: the law and the covenant of grace.

The covenant of law includes the revelation of God to the Old Testament Law -- the commitment, and humans do; the covenant of grace is God's promise of salvation through human believe Jesus Christ cross big power and complete

Covenant theology in the government building, is: the power of the ruler is given by God; but God gave the rulers through people power, people build a regime and the choice of the particular person for their rulers, the rulers according to the will of God.

Born in the Puritan theology, by Calvin of Rock's "social contract theory" is the government of Saint secular expression.

To Americans, St. on final in the constitution preface the statement: "we the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,...... But for the United States to develop and establish this constitution."

 

3 Limited government

The Calvin doctrine not only believe that the government is appointed and established by God, but also believe that God only gives a government of limited powers. God gives the government the power at the same time, also to limit the power of.

 

People according to the will of God, only to give the government of limited powers, and give conditional -- if the rulers

In violation of the contract clause, the people to retain their right to rescind the contract. Therefore, if the rulers in violation of the contract clause, failure of free people, his power is the loss of legal sources. In this case, there is no need to continue to follow him. In fact, he should be resisted. Resist the ruler is the duty of a Christian -- may be necessary to use force.[3]

 

4 The local church governance

The Calvin doctrine generally use the Presbyterian or Congregational Church in governance.

Each church Presbyterian Church governed by local elders governance, between the church and the church composed of different local religious conference. Congregational Church governance form is more democratic, each local church is autonomous, own property, have the right to appoint ministers, choose the clerk.

The actual experience of Presbyterian Church or congregational governance make America settlers have local autonomy, help to form the basis of representation or decentralized regime, the latter two are the cornerstone of the constitutional system USA.[4]

 

5 Pay attention to "Bible" applicable law

 Calvin stressed the need to apply the regulations about the morality and law as a principle. Al Sturm said: "the reformed theology pay close attention to the law of God from source to the sovereignty of God and the fall of man and the two Calvin principle.

The first law is that the universe is God the creator; in this context, the various forms of law, particularly through the implementation of government power law, the criminal tendencies under control.

Therefore, in American,"IN GOD WE TEUST""; we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal to god."

America become prostrate legal country in the sovereignty of God.

 

Calvin stood behind the God is reformed.1787Years6Month2Day, in the controversy over, Washington felt despair, have81Year old Franklin release conference speech:

 

Front4,5A small achievement Week conference is sad that human intelligence is not perfect. In the human mind, the delegates also need is: "the father of lights give me reason."

 

He reminded delegates memories during the war of independence, also in this hall, how they regularly pray to god. He said:

 

We forgot the powerful friends? Or do we think that they no longer need his help? Gentlemen, I live a big age, older, the more convinced I see truth -- God governs human affairs.[5]

 

America really lucky, they did not forget god. And together they pray to god. Thus was born the constitution of the United states.

The constitution became the pursuit of human freedom lighthouse.

 

Wang Yi in the "free" the rise of translation and wrote the foreword says:

 

Reformed theology and political ethics, a strongest and most conservative Macedonian line for the freedom of man construction. This line, from Germany and Switzerland began, a short stay in France and Holland, then great tradition formed in Scotland and England, until the West North America, where seed germination, establish a penetration of the spirit of Calvin liberal constitutional system.[6]

 

Wang Yi described a freedom of the most concise, the most beautiful figure. I'm after careful study, the following supplementary to the view of Wang Yixiong:

 

Reformed theology and the liberal tradition, later from Scotland and Canada again across the sea, came to an island of Formosa -- Southeast Asia (Taiwan), where take root, finally formed a great tradition.

As Wang Yi said, the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Taiwan is to promote the decisive minority Taiwan free.

Shi Mingde in his memoirs "spring" said:

 

The Presbyterian Church leaders because the mind full of love and the spirit of care, based on Taiwan1700Happiness and security million people, was published with the Kuomintang regime position inconsistent "country is the statement" and "Universal Declaration of human rights", was immediately heavy encirclement.

Bureau of investigation spy has repeatedly with sinister "smile" I said: in addition to "beautiful island", "church" is their desire to catch big fish. "".[7]

 

I think, do not understand the Presbyterian Church in the Taiwan free process, cannot understand Taiwan to free the footsteps.

Axin.2013Years1Month23Day.