As we celebrate Independence Day, my thoughts this year go to the meaning of freedom and equality that are the foundation of the core values of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. This year they seem more important, as the COVID-19 pandemic and the political tensions of the past two years continue to challenge us.
So many voices in the media contend that freedom and equality cannot coexist. Yet many stories of scripture declare that they can. In fact, for justice and love to thrive, freedom and equality must coexist. I am grateful that this has been embedded in the Christian faith hands down to me.
From an early age I have had a deep appreciation in how Christian faith and practice played a significant influence on the founders of our country and this state. Did you know Benjamin Franklin’s contribution to the US Constitution and his rationale for a government that reflected a balance of freedom and equality was significantly influenced by his connections to the Iroquois Confederacy? It was collaboration of indigenous people and tribes spanning much of the East Coast.
Franklin’s connections were greatly aided by Christian missionaries who helped him connect to the Iroquois Confederacy, which already had in place “The Great Law of Peace” – a constitution that Franklin and others used as a prototype for the US Constitution. These missionaries played a role in helping Franklin make this discovery.
Did you know Thomas Jefferson was influenced by the writings of many European thinkers who had advocated for personal rights, freedom, and equality? Among them were Christian reformers such as John Wycliff, John Hus, and William Tyndale. Such writings would influence Luther and others to bring about the Protestant Reformation. They would also influence several political revolutions in European history that became the seed bed for western expressions of democracy.
Thomas Jefferson himself remained fascinated by the intricate role of freedom and equality as the foundation of democracy, and the requirement of pulling together to be a community of citizens that chooses to honor both in balance without the threat of violence or the direct oversight of military regime. But how do we strike such a balance?
Did you know the first community to officially observe a celebration for Independence Day was the religious settlement of Moravians in Salem, here in North Carolina? Soon other religious communities led the way. Early on few communities celebrated this day because most citizens were not confident the thirteen colonies could emerge as a sustainable and independent democracy.
It seems to me this year the celebration of July 4 is unique. Following the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with recent the political and social unrest, this is a season for reflecting anew on the core values our Christian religious forebearers had for freedom and equality. Simply put, they understood that unlimited freedom often leads to excesses that prevent equality.
At the same time, unlimited equality often leads to limited freedom. They also understood that justice demands a reasonable limit for both freedom and equality, which was reflected in early Christian settlement community covenants like Salem. I find myself longing today for a deeper expression of working together to support and preserve a balance of freedom and equality without resorting to actions that create more division and isolation.
Paul said: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial.” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Moravians put a premium on the demand for ongoing spiritual development – “until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13). They called upon the community to “adult up.” The older I get, the more I appreciate how many of the Christians spiritual forebearers in America understood that freedom and equality can coexist, but not without out making love and justice the higher calling.
I am grateful that Independence Day falls on Sunday this year. Many faith communities will gather today to pray for our nation and its people. I hope that our mutual prayers will take us further than our aspirations for our country to be the beacon of freedom and equality for the world. They are just the beginning. May they be accompanied by our actions, as well as a renewed effort in mature choices that build a stronger balance for freedom and equality.
Make this month a special time to pray for our community, our state, and our nation to find a deeper passion for freedom and equality that fosters a vision of hope for all people.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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