The Baptists and the Bill of Rights
In 1976, commemorations of America’s bicentennial were everywhere – in government, in education, and in entertainment. Brief cartoons appeared on Saturday mornings on children’s television telling about the history of the country, the operation of government, and most importantly, the principle of liberty.
These cartoons began with questions set to music, “Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.? Do you know about the government? Can you tell me about the Constitution?” Unfortunately, nearly half a century later, for most children (as well as adults) the answer to these questions is no.
Here is something too few know: How did we get our Bill of Rights, and how does it make our nation unique?
On March 7, 1788, a Baptist preacher named John Leland called for a special meeting of the Virginia Baptist General Committee to consider whether Baptists in the state should support ratification of the new federal constitution. Baptists in general did not oppose a federal union, but they were deeply concerned about the lack of guarantees for complete religious liberty in the proposed constitution.
Because the Bible teaches that individuals, not the state or some other entity, are accountable for themselves to God, Leland and the Baptists believed in the rights of conscience. No one should be subject to any civil penalties because of religious belief or unbelief. They believed, so long as decency and safety were respected, people should have complete freedom to practice and propagate their faith. They also believed in separation of church and state. This does not mean, as so many today mistakenly think, that religious people and religious sentiment should have no role in government. It means government has no role in religion to control religious expression, to tax religious institutions or activities, or in showing favoritism toward any religious organization.
The 6th article of the proposed constitution banned religious qualifications for holding political office, but the Baptists were convinced this was inadequate. The Baptist Committee recommended unanimously that the constitution be amended to include religious safeguards. (Other Virginians such as Patrick Henry and George Mason also opposed the proposed constitution for similar reasons.)
John Leland published a booklet entitled Objections to the Constitution. The first of his objections began, “There is no Bill of Rights.” The last objection demanded protection against the dangers of unrestrained political power.
Leland was nominated as a delegate to the state convention to consider ratification. His opposition was a man who happened to also be a friend and neighbor, James Madison. Madison was perhaps the most influential of the authors of the proposed constitution. The two men met privately to discuss their differences. Madison agreed with Leland that indeed the constitution as proposed did need amending. He assured Leland that, if elected to the first congress, he would propose the amendments suggested by Leland.
John Leland risked his reputation, and perhaps his liberty as well, by taking Madison at his word. He withdrew his candidacy and supported Madison.
The proposed constitution was ratified by Virginia and two-thirds of the states (as required) to become the Constitution of the United States in June 1788.
And Madison kept his word to Leland and the Virginia Baptists. In 1791, the Bill of Rights, containing ten amendments, was ratified. The first amendment guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to peaceably assemble, and freedom to petition government. But the first freedom it protects is religious freedom. “Government shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
When Leland read the Bill of Rights containing the first amendment, he wrote to Madison that he was “completely satisfied.”
Thus, due to the influence of Baptists, and particularly one Baptist evangelist, a Baptist distinctive became the law of the United States. And the United States of America became the first nation in world history to guarantee the complete religious liberty of its citizens.
David A. Oliver is the pastor of Ashley Baptist Church in Belding, MI.