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The Bill of Rights — Madison’s Leadership • Freedom of Religion • Liberty of Conscience · Voices Of Life

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Welcome to Voices of Life, a journey through
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the American story and the soul of ordered liberty.
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In this week's reflection, we explore the Bill
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of Rights, the amendments, and the enduring promise
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that freedom carries across generations. From
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the quiet conviction of James Madison, to the
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courage of Reconstruction, to the moral awakening
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of the Civil Rights era. The Constitution continues
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to grow as the nation grows. This is the story
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of liberty protected, justice pursued, and conscience
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preserved. And together, we step into the living
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promise of America. Welcome to the Voices of
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Life podcast, a ministry of the Church for Life.
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I'm Pastor David. In week five of our six -week
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journey through the American story, today we
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explore ordered liberty, the Bill of Rights,
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the amendments, and the American promise. This
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first segment is devoted to the Bill of Rights,
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how it was formed, why it matters, and how it
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shapes the conscience of a nation. We begin with
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James Madison, a quiet man whose mind helped
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define the soul of the republic. James Madison
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did not look like a revolutionary. He was small
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in stature, soft -spoken, often sick, and rarely
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dramatic. But his intellect was unmatched, his
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understanding of human nature was profound, and
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his commitment to liberty was unwavering. When
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the Constitution was drafted in 1787, Madison
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believed the structure alone would protect freedom.
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He trusted the separation of powers. He trusted
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checks and balances. He trusted the people's
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virtue. But the states were not convinced. Many
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citizens feared that the new federal government
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might become too powerful. They wanted guarantees,
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explicit protections for individual rights. At
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first, Madison resisted. he worried that listing
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rights may imply that the unlisted rights did
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not exist he feared that enumerating freedoms
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could limit them yet madison listened he listened
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to the debates in the state's ratifying conventions
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he listened to the pastors who preached about
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conscience he listened to ordinary citizens who
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wanted assurance that liberty would not be swallowed
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up by power. Madison changed his mind, not out
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of political pressure, but out of moral conviction.
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He realized that liberty must be guarded, not
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only by structure, but by promise. And so, Madison
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became the architect of the Bill of Rights. He
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drafted amendments. He refined language. He negotiated
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with Congress. He persuaded skeptics. Madison's
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leadership was quiet. but decisive he understood
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that the republic needed more than a constitution
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it needed a covenant a set of principles that
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declared without ambiguity that the government
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would respect the dignity of the human person
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the bill of rights was not an afterthought it
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was a moral foundation a declaration that liberty
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is sacred a promise that freedom would be protected
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so freedom of religion in the first amendment
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congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
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of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise
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thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or
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of the press or the right of people to peacefully
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assemble and to petition the government for redress
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of grievances So this is what the First Amendment
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does. It establishes, it's the establishment
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of, what the First Amendment does, Establishment
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Clause. Government cannot create, endorse, or
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favor a religion. This protects the pulpit from
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the state. Free Exercise Clause. Government cannot
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interfere with personal religious practice. This
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protects conscience. Freedom of speech. Citizens
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may speak truth, criticize leaders, and express
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ideas without fear. Freedom of press. Journalists
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may publish freely. Government cannot silence
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reporting. I think those words are kind of important.
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Journalists can publish freely and government
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cannot silence reporting. Reporting is a kind
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of important word there. Freedom of assembly.
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People may gather, protest, worship, and organize.
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Freedom to petition. Citizens may challenge government
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actions and demand accountability. Now in historical
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context, the First Amendment rises from centuries
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of religious persecution in Europe, dictated
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worship parliaments punished dissent churches
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were entangled with crowns the founders had seen
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conscience crushed under political power it was
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a constitutional purpose the first amendment
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protects five freedoms that together form the
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architecture of liberty religion worship without
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coercion speech truth without fear press information
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without censorship assembly community without
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intimidation, and petition, accountability without
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punishment. From a pastoral meaning, this is
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an amendment that protects the sacred conversations
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between God and the human heart. It ensures that
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faith is voluntary, not forced, authentic, and
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not coerced. In our modern relevance, every debate
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about expression, worship, protest, journalism,
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or political dissent traces back to this amendment.
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The First Amendment is the sanctuary of the American
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soul. The place where conscience breathes freely.
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Let's move on to the Second Amendment. The Second
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Amendment provides a well -regulated militia
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being necessary to the security of a free state.
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the right of people to keep and bear arms shall
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not be infringed. What does the Second Amendment
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mean? Well, there was the Militia Clause. Its
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states may maintain organized defense forces.
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The Individual Right Clause, which people may
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own and carry firearms, and more recently has
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been way expanded for open carries and concealed
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weapons throughout the country. The purpose clause,
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the amendment exists to preserve a free state,
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meaning liberty protected from tyranny. The historical
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context is the founders had lived under a monarchy
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that used standing armies to intimidate citizens.
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They believed a free people must be able to defend
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themselves. And that is still true today. For
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the constitutional purpose, well, two intertwined
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principles, a well -regulated militia for collective
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defense, and the individual right to keep and
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bear arms. From a pastoral point of view, it
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reflects the biblical principle that stewardship
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includes protection of family, community, and
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nation. And why it's relevant today, it's central
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to debates about self -defense, public safety,
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and the limits of governmental power. The Second
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Amendment declares that liberty must be defended,
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not only by law, but by the people themselves
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let's look at the third amendment no soldier
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shall in time of peace be quartered in any house
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without the consent of the owner nor in time
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of war but in a manner to be prescribed by law
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what amendment three does is protect citizens
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from forced housing of soldiers born from abuses
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under king george the third affirms the sanctity
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of the home. Now, we place this in historical
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context. British troops were quartered in colonial
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homes without consent. The founders saw this
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as a violation of dignity and privacy. The constitutional
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purposes protects the citizens from forced housing
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of soldiers. From a pastoral point of view, the
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home is a sacred place, a place of rest, family,
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and worship. and in the modern relevance today
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we could say rarely litigated but foundationally
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to the idea that government cannot invade private
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life the third amendment whispers a simple truth
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the home is holy amendment number four the right
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of the people to be secure in their persons houses
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papers and effects against unreasonable searches
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and seizures shall not be violated and no warrants
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shall issue but upon probable cause supported
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by oath or affirmation and particularly describing
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the place to be searched and the persons or things
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to be seized what the fourth amendment does 1.
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Privacy protection. Your body, home, documents,
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and property are protected. 2. New and reasonable
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searches. Government must have jurisdiction.
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3. Warrants require probable cause. A judge must
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approve searches. 4. Warrants must be specific.
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No general warrants, like those used by the British
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agents. The historical context here is British
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agents used general warrants to search homes
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without cause. The founders rejected such abuses.
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For the constitutional purposes, it protects
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against unreasonable searches and seizures. It
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requires probable cause and specific warrants.
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From a pastoral meaning, it affirms human dignity,
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that people are not objects to be inspected at
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will. and it's relevant today because central
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to debates about surveillance, digital privacy,
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and police authority. The Fourth Amendment is
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the guardian at the door defending the dignity
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of private life. Amendment 5. No person shall
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be held to answer for a capital or otherwise
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infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment
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of grand jury. Except in cases arising in the
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land, of naval forces or in the militia when
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in actual service in time of war or public danger
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nor shall any person be subject to the same offence
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to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb nor
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shall they be compelled in any criminal case
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to be a witness against himself nor be deprived
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of life liberty or prosperity without the process
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of law nor shall private property be taken for
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public use without just compensation. So what
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does that all entail? Well, grand jury requirement.
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Serious federal charges require grand jury review.
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Double jeopardy protection. You cannot be tried
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twice for the same offense. Self -incrimination
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protection. You cannot be forced to testify against
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yourself. Four, due process clause. Government
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must follow fair procedures. Five, takings clause.
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Government may not take property without providing
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fair payment. Now, in historical context, the
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founders feared arbitrarily prosecution and government
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coercion. For constitutional purposes, it provides
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grand jury review, protection from double jeopardy,
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protection from self -incrimination, protection
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for due process, and fair compensation for taken
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property. From a pastoral point of view, Justice
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must be righteous, not reckless. Mercy must temper
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power. And it's relevant today because the basis
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of the Miranda rights, fair trials, and property
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protections. The Fifth Amendment teaches that
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justice must never become vengeance. Amendment
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6. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused
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shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public
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trial by an impartial jury of the state and district.
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wherein the crime shall have been committed,
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and which district shall have been previously
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asserted by law, and to be informed of the nature
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and cause of the accusation, to be confronted
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with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory
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process for obtaining witnesses in his favor,
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and to have the assistance of counsel for his
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defense. So what does that do for us? Well, speedy
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trial. Government cannot delay. prosecution public
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trial trials cannot be hidden impartial jury
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local citizens judge the case for notice of changes
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you must know what you're being accused for notice
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of charges you must know what you're being accused
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of five confrontation clause you may face your
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accusers six compulsory process you may call
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witnesses in your defense and seven the right
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to counsel, you may have an attorney, even if
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you can't afford one. Now in historical context,
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trials in England were often delayed, secret,
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and biased. So for our constitutional purpose,
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the Constitution guarantees a speedy trial, public
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trial, and partial jury, notice of charges, confrontation
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of witnesses, and right to counsel. So from a
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pastoral point, I look at this as truth must
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be pursued in the light. not hidden in the darkness.
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And it's relevant today because the foundation
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of criminal justice rights, that is so important
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to our country today. Amendment 6. The Sixth
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Amendment ensures that justice walks in daylight.
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In suits of common law, where the value in the
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controversy shall exceed $20, the right of trial
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by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried
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by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any
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court of the United States than according to
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the rules of the common law. What amendment 7
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does here guarantees jury trials in civil cases,
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protects jury findings from being overturned.
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Historically, civil disputes were often decided
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by cities or royal courts. And constitutionally,
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this preserves jury trials in civil cases. From
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a pastoral point of view, I look at this as community
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judgment reflects shared moral responsibility.
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It's relevant today, still used in civil lawsuits
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nationwide. The Seventh Amendment gives ordinary
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citizens a voice in justice. Amendment 8. Excessive
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bail should not be required, nor excessive fines
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imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
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What Amendment 8 does is protects against excessive
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bail, excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment.
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So the founders had seen torture, excessive bail,
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and brutal penalties. Constitutional purpose
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prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and
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cruel and unusual punishment. From a pastoral
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point, the punishment must reflect justice, not
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cruelty. And it's relevant today because it's
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central to debates about sentencing, prisons
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and the death penalty. The Eighth Amendment insists
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that justice must never lose its humanity. Amendment
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9. The enumeration in the Constitution of certain
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rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage
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others retained by the people. What Amendment
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9 does is it declares that people have rights
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beyond those listed. It declares that people
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have rights beyond those listed. protects unenumerated
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rights from historical content that the founders
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feared that listing rights might imply others
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didn't exist for constitutional context it protects
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unenumerated rights freedoms not written but
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still real from a pastoral meaning human dignity
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is larger than any document and it's relevant
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today because the basis for privacy rights and
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other implied liberties. The Ninth Amendment
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reminds us that freedom is bigger than parchment.
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Amendment 10. The power not delegated to the
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United States by the Constitution nor prohibited
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by it to the states are reserved to the states
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respectively or to the people. So what does Amendment
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10 do? It defines federalism. Federal government
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has limited powers. All other powers belong to
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states or the people. In historical content,
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the founders feared centralized authority. And
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from our Constitution, it reserves undelegated
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powers to the states or the people. I do want
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to comment here that this particular amendment
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has been very hard to define by the courts because
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the federal courts have taken a lot of liberties
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over state courts, and they have not even mentioned
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that the powers could still be to the people
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or to the state, but they're saying, no, it's
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a federal provision, but it's not listed in the
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Constitution. So this one is probably the most...
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well, the second most debated amendment out of
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all. From a pastoral point, I look at this power
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must be shared to remain righteous. You know,
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that goes back to our checks and balances that
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they put in the three divisions of government,
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the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary.
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It goes both ways when it comes to state and
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federal. It's relevant today because it's the
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foundation of federalism. the tenth amendment
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keeps liberty balanced preventing power from
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gathering all in one place the first amendment
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begins with worship before speech before press
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and before assembly and before petitioning worship
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congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
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of religion or prohibiting the free exercise
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thereof These words are the cornerstone of the
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American identity. They declare that faith is
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not the governments to command. They declare
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that the conscious is not the states to coerce.
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They declare that the worship is not the crowns
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to regulate. The founders understood that religion
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shapes character. It forms conscious. It teaches
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virtue. It anchors morality. Freedom of religion
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is not merely a political right. It is a spiritual
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safeguard. It protects the sacred conversation
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between God and the human soul. In colonial America,
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churches were centers of community life. Pastors
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preached about liberty, justice, and righteousness.
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Sermons shaped public opinion. Faith communities
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nurtured civic virtue. The founders believed
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that a free people must be a worshiping people,
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not because government should enforce religion,
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but because faith strengthens the moral fabric
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of society. You might recall the First and Second
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Continental Congress. They were always searching
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for providence. They always started with prayer.
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They ended with prayer. So the First Amendment...
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protects two essential principles. No establishment.
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The government cannot impose a state religion.
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Free exercise. The government cannot hinder personal
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worship. Together, these principles create a
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space where faith can flourish freely. Freedom
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of religion is the first freedom because it protects
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the foundation of all other freedoms. The human
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conscience. Liberty of conscience is one of the
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most Beautiful ideas in the American story. It
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is the belief that every person must be free
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to seek God, to hear God, and to obey God without
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fear. Consciousness is God's gift. It is the
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inner sanctuary where the Spirit whispers truth.
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It is a place where conviction is born. When
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conscious is coerced, faith becomes hollow. When
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conscious is threatened, worship becomes fear.
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And when conscience is violated, the soul becomes
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wounded. America at her best protects that sacred
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space. The founders understood that conscience
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must be free. They had seen the dangers of religious
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persecution in Europe. They had witnessed the
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suffering caused by state -controlled religion.
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Liberty of conscience is not political. It is
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pastoral. It is the space where God speaks to
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the human heart. As pastors, we defend liberty
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of conscience not because it is politically convenient,
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but because it is spiritually essential. We guard
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it because it is the soil in which authentic
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faith grows. The Bill of Rights protects conscience
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so that faith may flourish without fear the bill
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of rights is an american experiment in ordered
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liberty it is a belief that freedom must be protected
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defined and cherished ordered liberty is not
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freedom from responsibility it is freedom with
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responsibility it is liberty shaped by virtue
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madison understood that the republic would survive
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only if the people remained morally grounded.
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Rights without righteousness become rebellion.
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Liberty without virtue becomes lawlessness. The
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Bill of Rights calls us to be people worthy of
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the freedom we inherited. As we conclude this
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segment, we remember this truth. Liberty is fragile.
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It must be guarded. It must be taught. It must
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be cherished. Above all, it must be anchored
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in the conscience of the sacred place where God
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speaks to you in soul. Some people point out
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that when this country was founded, it was founded
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on the Judeo -Christian beliefs. And when other
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religions came into the country, they were saying,
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oh, but it's not that religion. It's not that
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religion. And personal... relationships with
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God, whatever you and whoever you call God, is
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that freedom that is guaranteed by this Constitution.
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It doesn't mean that we all have to say, oh,
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well, maybe we need to change. It doesn't mean
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that at all. It means that that's that person's
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belief. We respect it. And where does that person's
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religious rights end? Where yours begins, or
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where mine begins. And the same goes on for everybody
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else. So we need maybe to at least respect another
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person's religion, even if we don't agree with
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it. I mean, there's nothing wrong with having
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different points of view. We'll start off now
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in segment two. And in the first segment, we
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explored the Bill of Rights, the covenant of
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conscience that anchors American freedom. Now
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we turn to the early amendments that followed
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11 through 15. These amendments tell a story
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of struggle, repentance, reconstruction, and
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redemption. They reveal a nation wrestling with
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justice and a constitution capable of growth.
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The constitution did not remain unchanged after
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1791. It grew. It adapted. It responded to crisis
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and corrected injustices. The 11th Amendment,
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sovereignty preserved. The 11th Amendment protects
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states from certain lawsuits, preserving the
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balance between federal and state authority.
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The first major change came with the 11th Amendment
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in 1795. It limited federal judicial power. preventing
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certain lawsuits against states. This amendment
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affirmed the principle of state sovereignty,
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a reminder that the federal government is powerful
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but not absolute. So what that means is it limited
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federal court power. Citizens cannot sue a state
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in federal court without that state's consent.
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It protects state sovereignty. States retain
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immunity from certain lawsuits. In a historical
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context, it passed after Chisholm v. Georgia
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in 1793, where the Supreme Court allowed a citizen
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to sue a state. States pushed back, demanding
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protection. And that's where Amendment 11 came
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into play. We know for sure that over time, the
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federal courts have intervened in state matters.
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And depending on what it was, because remember,
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it says certain types of lawsuits. And that's
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not... what's defined very well. Amendment 12,
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order and elections. This was done in 1804. The
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electors shall meet in their respective states
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and vote by ballot for president and vice president.
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So what does this mean? Separate ballots. Electors
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can cast one vote for president and one vote
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for vice president. It prevents election chaos.
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Fixes the problem from election of the 1800 when
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Jefferson and Burr were tied. It strengthens
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executive stability, ensures the president and
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vice president are chosen intentionally. So the
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12th Amendment reshaped the election process
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for president and vice president after the chaotic
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election of 1800. The nation realized the original
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system needed refinement. The 12th Amendment
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created separate ballots. So these early amendments
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were structural adjustments to the machinery
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of government to make things run smoother. But
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then came the great turning point. The 13th and
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14th and 15th Amendments. The Reconstruction
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Amendments is what they refer to. These amendments
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were not structural. They were moral. They were
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spiritual. They were the Constitution's confession
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and its repentance. The 13th Amendment abolished
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slavery, ending a sin that had stained the nation
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since its birth, which it inherited from Britain.
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and other countries around the world, which had
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been going on longer than we probably keep calendars.
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So officially, slavery was abolished in December
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of 1865, but it didn't actually go into effect
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until January of 1866. And it says, neither slavery
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nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment
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for crime, whereof the party shall have been
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duly convicted, shall... exist within the United
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States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
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So it abolished slavery nationwide. And the last
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slaves were released in New Jersey in January
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of 1866. It ended involuntary servitude, except
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as punishment for a crime. Marks the constitutional
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repentance a moral turning point after the Civil
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War. The 13th Amendment and slavery, the Constitution
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moment of repentance was so critical. And again,
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we were a country from birth. We started with
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slavery because we inherited and didn't know
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better. Although, if you look back at the Continental
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Congress, the first Continental Congress, they
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actually discussed putting an end to slavery.
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when they would get themselves free from Britain.
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And there was a lot of debate, but in the end,
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it didn't make it to paper. But it did now, in
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1866. The 14th Amendment established citizenship
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due to process and equal protection, declaring
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that every person, regardless of race, possesses
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inherent dignity. So the amendment... stated
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all persons born or naturalized in the United
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States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.
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And that is a very crucial point right there.
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Subject to the jurisdiction thereof. And there
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are several paragraphs. This is kind of the abbreviated
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part. Our citizens, no state shall make or enforce
30:52
any law. which shall abridge the privileges or
30:55
immunities of citizens, nor shall the state deprive
30:59
any person of life, liberty, or property without
31:02
due process of law, nor deny to any person within
31:05
the jurisdiction the equal protection of laws.
31:09
So what does this do? Well, this is going to
31:12
be a long one. So the citizenship clause says
31:14
anyone born or naturalized in the U .S. is a
31:16
citizen. The privilege or immunities clause states
31:18
cannot violate fundamental rights. the Due Process
31:21
Clause that protects life, liberty, and property
31:24
from state abuse. The Equal Protection Clause
31:27
states must treat all people equally. And five,
31:32
the most litigated amendment in history was this
31:35
particular one, basis for civil rights, privacy
31:38
rights, marriage rights, and so much more. So
31:42
the 14th Amendment proclaims citizen, due process,
31:45
and equal protection. It is the moral background
31:47
of the American civil rights. But that amendment
31:50
was made specifically for the freed former slaves,
31:57
because there was a debate in Congress, should
32:00
we send these slaves back to Africa, get them
32:04
back with their families, or should we just go
32:06
ahead and let them become citizens? And that
32:07
was what went on, and the 14th Amendment is what
32:10
the decision was. But it was specifically for
32:13
them. It was not meant for anything else. based
32:16
on the legislative intent from all the writings
32:18
we researched in congress a few days ago the
32:23
u .s supreme court in the matter of trump versus
32:27
barbara decided on june 30th 2026 and just recently
32:30
released chief justice roberts relied extensively
32:37
on the british common law or english common law
32:41
particularly calvin's case to explain the original
32:45
public meaning of citizenship clause on the 14th
32:48
amendment he also relied on the court's own precedence
32:53
in the united states versus wong kim arc which
32:56
itself grounded its interpretation in english
32:59
common law the majority had ruled i think it
33:02
was five to four that um The president cannot
33:06
do an executive order to dismiss birthright citizenship.
33:11
But there certainly, and maybe it was the wrong
33:14
way, or maybe it was the way it was done. Who
33:16
knows? But either way, Roberts explained that
33:18
the 14th Amendment adopted the common law rule
33:22
of just solely citizenship by birthplace. The
33:26
phase subject to the jurisdiction of. incorporated
33:30
the tradition common law understanding that nearly
33:33
everyone born within the sovereign's territory
33:36
owes allegiance and is subject to the laws with
33:40
only narrow historical exceptions such as children
33:44
of foreign diplomats, children of occupying enemy
33:47
forces, certain tribal Native Americans at the
33:50
time the amendment was adopted. Interestingly
33:53
enough, after the Civil War, if the Confederacy
33:56
actually succeeded, from the United States, wouldn't
34:01
everybody there would have had to take an oath
34:03
back of citizenship? Did they still have citizenship?
34:06
You know, no one ever brought that up. But my
34:09
question and the way we look at it here is that
34:13
Roberts ignored prior Supreme Court precedent.
34:16
He says he quoted it, but he only quoted selected
34:19
sections. His opinion relied on both the British
34:24
common law and... Something that Supreme Court
34:28
Justice Gray had said in U .S. Supreme Court
34:32
President, especially United States v. Wong Kim
34:35
Ark, which had been a leading birthright citizen
34:38
case for more than a century. The case was very
34:45
different than this. Trump was talking about
34:47
illegal aliens or people that are non -citizens
34:50
having babies. What this case is about is people
34:55
who were legal. The case arose out of Wong Kim
34:58
Ark, who was born in San Francisco in 1873 to
35:02
Chinese parents legally residing in the United
35:05
States. Legally residing in the United States.
35:10
They returned from a trip from China, because
35:12
they'd gone back to China in 1895, and they were
35:16
denied re -entry by federal officials at the
35:18
time. And they were saying, oh, no, no, no, you
35:20
weren't, you know, your child's not a citizen,
35:23
and so on and so forth. And at the time, the
35:26
Chinese Exclusion Act sharply restricted Chinese
35:28
immigration, and they were applying that to them.
35:32
And the government argued that Wang was not a
35:35
U .S. citizen, despite his birth in California.
35:38
The key there was his parents legally resided
35:42
in California. So when we look at that, and together
35:49
with the Supreme Court decision, which was Elk
35:52
v. Wilkins, which was November 3, 1884, that
35:56
case did not hold that Indians were subject to
36:01
the 14th Amendment. Okay. We gave citizenship
36:05
to the freed slaves, but we didn't give it to
36:08
the Indians who we had treaties with? But that
36:13
was a Supreme Court decision at the time. And
36:17
that in itself tells you that, okay, we don't
36:21
recognize you as... legally within, because they're
36:25
looking at Native tribes, sovereign nations.
36:27
I mean, it goes to a lot of things with treaties,
36:29
and we won't get into that here, but rather it
36:32
held Native Americans were born as members of
36:34
a recognized tribal nation that were not automatically
36:38
made U .S. citizens by citizenship clause in
36:41
the 14th Amendment. That is a Supreme Court decision.
36:44
Judge Roberts ignored it. The majority of the
36:49
current Supreme Court ignored that. What had
36:53
to happen later on was the act by Congress in
37:00
1924. And that's where Congress effectively superseded
37:07
the result of Elk v. Wilkins by passing the Indian
37:10
Citizenship Act of 1924, which declared that
37:13
all non -citizen Indians born within the territorial
37:17
limits of the United States be and they are hereby
37:22
declared to be citizens of the united states
37:25
and as a result native americans born in the
37:27
united states became u .s citizens by federal
37:29
statute regardless of the tribal membership so
37:31
there was absolutely two cases historically that
37:37
showed that illegals would not qualify for citizenship
37:43
but yet the supreme court ignored it so what's
37:46
going to probably happen is we'll probably see
37:48
some acts from well we may see some action from
37:51
congress we may see a constitutional convention
37:52
but i think that this is something that everybody
37:55
wants to go ahead and get right and do the fair
37:58
and right thing um we owe it to our ancestors
38:02
all those that came over legally did the right
38:04
things and and i have to say that i usually don't
38:07
get into the political end of it and i'm not
38:09
looking at this politically i'm looking at this
38:10
as a matter of practicality so wanted to bring
38:14
that up clarify that explain that to everybody
38:18
Moving on, 15th Amendment, guaranteed voting
38:21
rights regardless of race, affirming that political
38:24
participation is a fundamental expression of
38:27
human equality. The 15th Amendment guarantees
38:29
those rights. It declares political voice belongs
38:32
to all. These amendments, from a trilogy of redemption,
38:36
the 13th, 14th, and 15th, they declare the Constitution
38:39
is not frozen in time. It can grow toward righteousness.
38:43
It can correct injustice. It can heal wounds.
38:47
and that's very important and some people keep
38:49
want to look back and they can't get over it
38:51
and i'm not saying that after this amendment
38:53
these men's will pass there weren't obstructionists
38:57
that tried to stop it they did they tried the
38:59
court's patience they tried justice's patience
39:02
but eventually um i think the final redemption
39:07
came in 1965 with the civil rights act that really
39:11
is what really outlined the details of what needed
39:15
to happen and how it should happen. And there
39:18
was no way that you can plead ignorance otherwise.
39:21
But understand, Reconstruction was one of the
39:24
most difficult chapters in American history.
39:26
The Civil War had ended, the Union was preserved,
39:28
but the nation was broken, morally, socially,
39:30
and spiritually. Four million formerly enslaved
39:33
men, women, and children stepped into freedom.
39:37
But freedom without protection is fragile. Freedom
39:39
without justice is incomplete. And freedom without
39:42
opportunity is hollow. Reconstruction sought
39:45
to rebuild the South, protect freedmen, and establish
39:51
a new foundation for American equality. And,
39:53
you know, Reconstruction might have gone a lot
39:55
better had Abraham Lincoln not been assassinated
39:58
by John Wilkes Booth. He was very, very committed
40:04
to putting everything back together in the most
40:10
generous and less abrasive way. But unfortunately,
40:17
he did get assassinated and things took a few
40:21
years of stumbling. But schools were built, churches
40:25
flourished, families reunited, communities formed,
40:28
but resistance grew. Violence erupted, laws were
40:33
twisted. As I was saying, people, you have these
40:34
obstructionists. freedmen were oppressed reconstruction
40:39
reveals both the promise and the peril of american
40:41
liberty it shows that the progress is possible
40:43
but not guaranteed it shows that justice requires
40:48
courage and persistence it shows that the constitution
40:52
can grow but only when the nation is willing
40:55
to confront its sins reconstruction was not merely
40:59
political it was spiritual it was it it asked
41:03
whether a nation torn by sin could be restored
41:08
by truth. In the midst of the national division,
41:12
the church carried a sacred calling, the ministry
41:15
of reconciliation. Think about it. Ministry of
41:19
reconciliation. The gospel declares that Christ
41:22
breaks down dividing walls. He heals wounds.
41:25
He restores relationships. The church must stand
41:29
where Christ stands, between broken people, calling
41:33
them toward forgiveness. justice and a new creation.
41:37
During Reconstruction, churches became centers
41:40
of hope. Freedmen gathered to worship freely
41:44
for the first time. Pastors preached about dignity,
41:48
equality, and redemption. Congregations formed
41:52
schools, mutual aid societies, and community
41:55
networks. The churches became a refuge, a place
42:00
where formerly enslaved people could learn to
42:03
grow and heal. But the church also faced its
42:06
challenges. Some congregations resisted reconciliation.
42:11
Some Christians clung to prejudice. Some pulpits
42:16
remained silent when they should have spoken
42:19
out. The ministry of reconciliation requires
42:22
courage. It requires truth. It requires humility.
42:25
The church must confront sin, not ignore it.
42:28
The church must speak truth, not soften it. And
42:31
the church must extend grace. not withhold it.
42:35
Reconciliation is not weakness, it is strength.
42:38
It is the willingness to confront injustice and
42:41
pursue healing. The Reconstruction Amendments
42:45
call the church to be a moral witness, a beacon
42:49
of hope, and a nation seeking redemption. And
42:53
totally the way things were, especially in the
42:58
South. Some white churches would not allow blacks
43:01
to come in. Where the other way around, it worked
43:05
very well. But sooner or later, congregations,
43:10
someone broke the ice, got things going. Sometimes
43:14
it was the pastor, preacher. Sometimes it was
43:19
the deacon. Sometimes it was the congregation
43:20
itself. And it was all over the place with that.
43:24
And sometimes the pastor wanted to let... The
43:28
blacks sent to the white church, and the congregation
43:30
said, if you do, you're gone, and threatened
43:34
to fire them. And that's where the pastor took
43:37
the policy. The bad pastors, in my opinion, took
43:41
the political way out and just, oh, well, okay,
43:43
I won't do anything. The strong, courageous pastors
43:47
would have stood up to them and said, I'm going
43:49
to let them in, and if you want to fire me, fire
43:51
me. I'll move on to another church. Because why
43:55
would you want to stay in a church as a pastor?
43:58
that would discriminate. Why would you want to
44:01
do that? And why would you want to go against
44:02
your vows as a pastor? That wouldn't make any
44:05
sense to me. So I want to bring that up too.
44:08
So as we finish this segment, you know, the Constitution
44:11
is not static. It is not frozen in 1787. It is
44:14
not limited to the visions of its framers. The
44:17
Constitution is capable of repentance. It's capable
44:20
to grow, correct, and heal. And I think the 11th
44:24
through 15th Amendments show us as a nation learning
44:27
to confront its sins and pursue righteousness.
44:31
And it didn't happen overnight. It took a little
44:34
while. Went through Reconstruction and a lot
44:37
of other things that were not our best in history,
44:40
but eventually things did work out where they
44:43
need to. So remember, liberty grows when conscience
44:47
is awakened. Justice grows when truth is spoken.
44:50
Reconciliation grows when grace is given. And
44:53
the Constitution grows when a nation seeks redemption.
44:58
So let's step into segment three of our ordered
45:02
liberty. You know, we talked already about the
45:05
Bill of Rights. We talked about reconciliation.
45:08
Now let's turn to the more modern amendments
45:11
to our Constitution. The changes of the 20th
45:16
century, the rise of civil rights, and the biblical
45:20
call to justice found in Micah 6 verse 8. This
45:24
hour is about growth, constitutional growth,
45:28
moral growth, spiritual growth. The 20th century
45:31
was a century of transformation. America entered
45:35
the century with horse -drawn wagons and left
45:38
it with satellites orbiting the earth. The nation
45:42
faced world wars, economic depressions, technological
45:45
revolutions, and cultural shifts. And the Constitution
45:51
adapted. The 16th Amendment established the federal
45:55
income tax, reshaping government's financial
45:58
foundation. It was passed in Congress on July
46:02
2, 1909, and ratified by the states on February
46:06
2, 1913. That is probably one of our not so popular
46:11
amendments to the Constitution. But the federal
46:15
government had to be funded. If you might remember
46:17
back when we were talking about the first and
46:20
second Continental Congress, they had no money
46:22
to pay anybody. How did they get their money?
46:25
You know, the states had money because they were
46:27
inflicting taxes and trade taxes and things like
46:30
that. But the federal government had no authority
46:33
to do so. So it was absolutely important that...
46:38
a funding mechanism in place and that was the
46:40
16th amendment the 17th amendment created direct
46:44
election of senators giving citizens a stronger
46:46
voice in national government and that was really
46:50
a breakthrough so we have two senators for each
46:55
state and we the people get to go ahead and elect
46:59
them by popular vote and that is putting the
47:05
power back to the people literally The 18th Amendment
47:09
attempted prohibition, a moral experiment that
47:13
revealed limits of legislation. And that was
47:17
a prohibition on alcohol for drinking purposes.
47:22
Prohibition begins. And this amendment was passed
47:26
in Congress on December 18, 1917 and ratified
47:30
on January 16, 1919. It was a very short -lived
47:35
amendment and was repealed by the 21st Amendment
47:39
in 1933. We'll talk about it when we get to the
47:42
21st. The 19th Amendment granted women the right
47:47
to vote, expanding the promise of equality. It
47:51
ended women's suffrage. It was a triumph of courage
47:55
and persistence. It was passed by Congress. on
48:01
june 4th 1919 and ratified august 18 1920. that
48:05
was pretty quick turnaround the state that made
48:07
the perfect 36 in the ratification was tennessee
48:10
there is a story behind it which we will dive
48:13
into in a separate podcast on august 18th because
48:17
there is this very big story on how it teetered
48:20
where it might not have passed and and it's interesting
48:23
how um When we did Reconstruction, we gave voting
48:28
rights to the slaves, but women were never included
48:32
in that. Not white women, not former enslaved
48:35
women. Women were not considered eligible to
48:40
vote. And today we look at it and we say, how
48:42
could that ever be? Again, you have to look back
48:45
at the time. How things evolved over the years
48:50
in the various countries. privilege and ownership
48:54
of property. You know, you can't take today's
49:00
standards and apply it 100 years ago or 200 years
49:04
ago because it was a different world. People
49:07
are constantly trying to say, oh, we have to
49:09
make it better for what happened. We have the
49:14
guilt. It was the way things were at the time.
49:18
People accepted things the way they were. As
49:21
they evolved, they accepted the change. Everybody
49:24
did. Some took a little longer than others, and
49:27
that's okay. But at the end of the day, we cannot
49:31
look back and say, well, that was wrong. Well,
49:36
we could say it, but we have to be real about
49:39
the people that were there. We'd have to be in
49:41
their shoes, and we were not. none of us were
49:44
so anyone that wants to come back and say oh
49:46
those people were sinners those people were wrong
49:48
i'm sorry i'm not going to go with that we could
49:50
say that slavery was a moral sin but you know
49:53
what the united states didn't start it they didn't
49:56
invent it it was invented long ago we did a whole
49:59
series on slavery went back into the history
50:02
bc of slavery and It actually was whites enslaving
50:09
whites. It had nothing to do. It was Egyptians
50:10
enslaving Jews. There was all this other slavery
50:13
that went on before Africa was even brought up.
50:18
And even then, there were probably about 40 to
50:23
50 percent, based on the data, slaves were taken
50:28
against their will. The other 40 to 50 percent
50:31
were sold by their tribal chiefs and their families.
50:36
None of it was good. But we can't go back and
50:39
say the people that participated in it necessarily
50:42
and condemn them now because that was a way of
50:47
life then. And slaves were property. And when
50:51
you didn't have your slaves anymore, when they
50:53
were all freed, you lost your property. Does
50:55
that violate the Fifth Amendment? That's a good
50:58
question. People keep talking today about reparations
51:00
for former slave families. Well, what about reparations
51:04
for the... Property that was lost by the slave
51:06
owners. See, you go down this rabbit hole, you
51:10
never get out of it. So we have to learn from
51:13
history, the mistakes made, and make sure they're
51:16
never repeated in the future. That's the importance
51:20
of empathy and futuristic pay it forward. That's
51:27
where we have to look. Moving on to the 20th
51:29
Amendment. Adjusted presidential terms. and secession
51:35
modernizing the structure of leaderships the
51:38
20th amendment was known as the lame duck ends
51:42
amendment because what would happen is the president
51:46
vice president congress they all live elected
51:48
in november but then they weren't able to change
51:56
leadership until march 4th so what this did is
52:00
it changed that the president and vice president
52:03
would change on January 20th, following the November
52:07
election. The Congress would change on January
52:11
3rd. So there was less of a time that went by
52:15
that you didn't have an effective governance
52:18
in the executive branch or in the legislative
52:22
branch. The 21st Amendment repealed prohibition.
52:28
This was the only amendment to ever... overturn
52:33
another amendment. It demonstrated that you cannot
52:36
legislate personal morality when it conflicts
52:40
with widespread cultural norms. People wanted
52:44
to drink. They wanted alcohol. And taking that
52:48
away, you know, it just didn't work. Some people
52:53
say the same thing about drugs. Yeah, well. It's
52:57
an argument that can be made for anything, but
52:59
this was a constitutional amendment, and to see
53:02
how fast it went and that it was done, meaning
53:05
that it was passed by Congress and three -quarters
53:07
of the states approved it. So how that happened
53:12
to begin with still boggles my mind, but either
53:16
way, the 21st Amendment repealed it. 22nd Amendment
53:21
limited presidents to two terms. protecting the
53:26
republic from concentrated power that was the
53:29
premise and it said this amendment was due to
53:33
the popularity of president franklin d roosevelt
53:36
he had an unprecedented four terms in a row that
53:41
he was elected congress passed this on march
53:44
twenty first nineteen forty seven after president
53:47
roosevelt had passed And it was not ratified
53:50
until almost four years later on February 27,
53:54
1951. It should be noted that Congress did not
53:57
restrict terms for representatives, members of
54:01
Congress, or senators. A very hypocritical action.
54:05
They rationalized it by saying no person should
54:09
have the power of the presidency for too long
54:11
a period. But the power of the legislature...
54:16
is much more dangerous. You're making new laws.
54:19
And without term limits, this has demonstrated
54:23
itself over time and time again with career politicians
54:25
that have stayed in the Congress for 30, 40,
54:29
50 years. Would have been nice if it was for
54:31
all, but it turned out the way it is. Maybe in
54:34
the future. 23rd Amendment granted electoral
54:37
votes in the Electoral College. to Washington,
54:41
D .C., recognizing the voice of the capital's
54:44
citizens. You know, the District of Columbia
54:46
was never meant to be a state. It was meant to
54:49
be a place for the national federal government.
54:54
So, you know, it didn't have senators. It didn't
54:57
have members of Congress. And the fact that the
54:59
D .C. government really didn't exist, it was
55:01
run by the U .S. Senate and the federal government,
55:05
not a mayor, which they have today. There's always
55:09
seems to be something going on there where they're
55:11
always having problems. They're always having
55:12
to be bailed out financially. It never seems
55:15
to work out the way it wants, but at least they
55:18
do have, the citizens there do have the right
55:21
to vote and they do have some power with the
55:25
Electoral College. If you look at their license
55:27
plates today, it all says taxation without representation
55:30
to a point that's true, but it's not because
55:33
they get to elect their... dc government and
55:38
they should um now while they can't elect a senator
55:42
or member of congress the dc government is what
55:46
affects them the most as far as taxes and fees
55:50
in the dc metropolitan area so moving on to the
55:55
23rd amendment moving on to the 24th amendment
55:59
24th amendment was for no poll taxes So it abolished
56:06
poll taxes receiving financial barriers to voting.
56:09
Now, I can't figure this out too, but I guess
56:12
at some point where the Constitution said, yes,
56:13
you can vote, but then they said, okay, but you've
56:16
got to pay this fee to vote. And that was a poll
56:19
tax. And, of course, for poor people, that was
56:23
absolutely a barrier. Voting is free. That's
56:27
your right as a citizen to have to even put an
56:31
amendment like this in place. but i know it was
56:34
the state governments that were doing it not
56:35
the federal mostly in the southern states i go
56:38
back to the southern states on that one but uh
56:40
but yeah they did have a poll tax and that's
56:42
all gone and um i think some people refer to
56:46
some of that as jim crow there's a lot of slurs
56:48
that go along with that but you know at the end
56:50
of the day um one of the things congress has
56:54
been trying to get through recently is the safe
56:57
uh the safe act which would make everyone have
57:00
an idea i can't imagine not having ID. I know
57:04
when I've gone to the polls before, they've always
57:05
asked me for my ID. And I've given them a driver's
57:10
license. Why not? If I didn't drive, I'd have
57:14
an ID card. I'd have something. You should be
57:18
able to, because otherwise people could pretend
57:20
to be somebody they're not and vote. And that
57:23
impacts the fairness and the... correctness of
57:29
elections. Hopefully that'll get resolved here
57:32
soon. The 25th Amendment clarified presidential
57:36
secession and disability, ensuring that we have
57:41
a continuity in a crisis. So what the 25th Amendment
57:44
does in case of the death or resignation of a
57:48
president, the vice president would automatically
57:51
now secede them right into the position because
57:55
the position is vacant. And there's more steps
58:00
for other leaders of the vice president's position
58:03
is vacant and how that all can work. But let's
58:07
say that a president becomes temporarily incapacitated,
58:11
going for surgery or something goes on and they're
58:13
temporarily incapacitated. The vice president
58:15
becomes the acting president until the president
58:19
submits a written declaration to resume. But
58:22
if that situation does come up, the Congress
58:28
must vote within 21 days and agree with the declaration
58:33
for the vice president to remain as acting president
58:36
after that 21st day. So there's some checks and
58:40
balances, and there's also something for involuntary.
58:42
So if you have a president that is incapacitated
58:47
and is unwilling to step down, the vice president...
58:52
And the cabinet majority can sign a declaration
58:55
and say, hey, we think the president's incapacitated
59:01
and we need to go ahead and remove them from
59:06
office temporarily. And in that case, the vice
59:09
president becomes acting president and goes back
59:12
to that 21 -day thing again. So anyway, that's
59:15
how that works for the 25th. I've heard that
59:18
a lot come up lately. with all these secessionist
59:21
things, but we won't get into that part of it.
59:25
The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to
59:28
18, affirming those old enough to fight for their
59:32
country are old enough to vote for its leaders.
59:35
You know, I think for some reason that magic
59:37
age of 21, it used to be for drinking, it used
59:40
to be for voting, and it was lowered to 18. And
59:46
I remember when I grew up, The drinking age in
59:49
Florida got reduced from 21 to 18. And then as
59:54
I was 18, they increased it to 19, but you were
59:58
grandfathered in, and then it stuck at 19. It
1:00:00
stayed at 19 for years before they brought it
1:00:03
back up to 21 again. So those ages, things have
1:00:07
gone back and forth. But at least for voting
1:00:09
purposes, which, you know, you reach the age
1:00:11
of majority, you should be able to vote, and
1:00:14
there it is. And lastly, we get to the 27th Amendment.
1:00:21
So the 27th Amendment says there's no instant
1:00:26
pay raises for Congress. Congress can't just
1:00:29
pass a raise for themselves during a session
1:00:32
and say, okay, hey, we just raised our salaries
1:00:34
to $200 ,000 each. It doesn't work that way.
1:00:40
And what has to happen is there has to be a...
1:00:45
an election session that goes along after the
1:00:47
vote before it can go into effect. And that's
1:00:51
a good thing. It reminds us that freedom must
1:00:53
be guarded. And, you know, that way one branch
1:00:59
can't just do something in the heat of the moment
1:01:02
or the spirit of the moment. And that was a very
1:01:05
long one because that was actually brought up
1:01:09
back in the 1790s. but it wasn't ratified until
1:01:15
the 1990s. Go figure, 200 years. But it absolutely
1:01:21
is a good amendment. It's a fair amendment. The
1:01:26
only thing I'd like to see, just to have to say
1:01:29
this, I'd like to see that Congress has to have
1:01:33
Social Security and not their own government
1:01:35
pensions. Could you imagine if you put senators
1:01:38
and members of Congress on Social Security, they
1:01:41
would fix Social Security. the next day but meanwhile
1:01:45
our elderly people and this is where my heart
1:01:49
goes out as a posterior person is that you know
1:01:52
to to have all the benefits they need and the
1:01:54
right amount of money to survive living wage
1:01:57
if you want to call it that for retirement um
1:02:00
social security has been broken for a long time
1:02:02
so i just want to bring that up again i'm really
1:02:06
not trying to get political i'm talking about
1:02:08
practical things here so it is what it is the
1:02:12
civil rights movement was one of the most profound
1:02:15
moral awakenings in american history it was not
1:02:17
merely political it was spiritual it was a call
1:02:20
for america to live up to her creed that all
1:02:24
men are created equal and women let's let's be
1:02:27
clear leaders marched preached prayed churches
1:02:30
became centers of courage pastors stood up in
1:02:33
pulpits and declared that segregation was a sin
1:02:36
Discrimination was injustice and equality was
1:02:39
righteous. The movement was rooted in faith.
1:02:42
It was in a belief that every person bears the
1:02:45
image of God. Civil rights legislation, including
1:02:48
the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act,
1:02:51
reflected the moral momentum of the era. The
1:02:54
Constitution grew, the nation grew, and the church
1:02:57
played a vital role in the guiding of the conscience
1:03:00
of America. Civil rights movement. It reminds
1:03:05
us that justice is not automatic. It must be
1:03:09
pursued. It must be demanded, and it must be
1:03:11
lived. At the heart of the civil rights movement
1:03:14
and at the heart of ordered liberty is a simple,
1:03:18
powerful verse. He has shown you, O man, what
1:03:23
is good, and what does the Lord require of you
1:03:27
but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk
1:03:32
humbly with your God. Micah 6, verse 8 is not
1:03:37
a political slogan. It is a spiritual mandate.
1:03:42
Do justice. Justice is active. It confronts wrongdoing.
1:03:45
It protects the vulnerable. It seeks righteousness.
1:03:49
Love mercy. Mercy is compassionate. It forgives.
1:03:53
It restores. It heals. Humility is essential.
1:03:59
It keeps pride from corrupting justice. It keeps
1:04:03
anger from poisoning mercy. Justice without mercy
1:04:06
becomes tyranny. Mercy without justice becomes
1:04:10
chaos. Humility binds them together. Micah 6
1:04:14
verse 8 is the heartbeat of ordered liberty,
1:04:18
the moral foundation beneath the Constitution.
1:04:21
It reminds us that freedom is not merely a legal
1:04:24
concept. It is a spiritual calling. As we conclude
1:04:28
this segment, we reflect on the modern amendments,
1:04:33
how they teach us about liberty, how they teach
1:04:36
freedom. Every generation must guard liberty.
1:04:40
Every generation must pursue justice. Every generation
1:04:43
must walk humbly before God. The Constitution
1:04:46
grows when the nation grows. The amendments of
1:04:51
the 20th century show us that liberty is not
1:04:55
static it must adapt to new challenges new realities
1:04:59
and new moral insights the civil rights movement
1:05:03
shows us that justice requires courage and faith
1:05:07
micah six verse eight shows us that righteousness
1:05:10
requires balance that justice mercy and humility
1:05:14
ordered liberty is not merely a political philosophy
1:05:17
it is a spiritual posture it is a belief that
1:05:20
freedom must be anchored in virtue and as we
1:05:24
finish with this part we have to understand that
1:05:28
liberty without virtue is fragile and we can't
1:05:31
let things stay fragile because freedom without
1:05:36
humility is dangerous so ordered liberty calls
1:05:40
us to be a people worthy of freedom that we've
1:05:44
inherited. So today we've walked through the
1:05:47
Bill of Rights, the Reconstruction Amendments,
1:05:49
the modern amendments that shaped our 20th century.
1:05:52
Now we arrive in the heart of this week's theme,
1:05:54
the Living Promise. This last part explores the
1:05:59
amendments, how they protect, how the Constitution
1:06:03
continues to grow, how the American promise must
1:06:06
be renewed in every generation. And we will...
1:06:11
also close with a prayer for national renewal
1:06:14
because that's important prayer has to stay relevant
1:06:18
the constitution is not simply a document it
1:06:22
is a promise a covenant between the nation and
1:06:25
its people every amendment is a chapter in that
1:06:28
promise the bill of rights promises the conscience
1:06:31
will be protected the reconstruction amendments
1:06:34
promise that equality will be honored the modern
1:06:38
amendments promise that liberty will adapt to
1:06:41
new challenges together they form a living promise
1:06:45
a commitment that freedom will not be abandoned
1:06:49
neglected or forgotten the founders understood
1:06:52
that liberty is fragile it must be guarded it
1:06:55
must be taught it must be cherished that is why
1:06:59
the constitution includes the amendment process
1:07:03
the framers knew the future generations would
1:07:05
face new challenges that they couldn't even imagine
1:07:08
at that point new injustices new questions they
1:07:11
created a mechanism for growth a way for the
1:07:14
nation to correct itself refine itself and renew
1:07:17
itself the amendment process is the heartbeat
1:07:20
of the constitutional life it ensures that liberty
1:07:24
is not frozen in time it ensures that freedom
1:07:27
cannot respond to new realities. It ensures that
1:07:31
American promise remains alive. So how do amendments
1:07:35
protect freedom? They protect freedom by defining
1:07:37
it, by protecting the freedom limiting our government.
1:07:41
They protect freedom by empowering citizens.
1:07:44
They protect freedom by correcting injustice.
1:07:48
The Bill of Rights were one of the strongest
1:07:51
and best well -written documents that have survived
1:07:55
the test of time. The Reconstruction Amendments
1:07:59
protect freedom by declaring government and what
1:08:02
it must do to provide equal protection, due process,
1:08:06
and voting rights. I have to say right there,
1:08:08
but it has to be read right, and you have to
1:08:10
look at the legislative intent. So hopefully
1:08:13
that will happen, or we'll have something go
1:08:16
on with that. But the Modern Amendments protect
1:08:19
freedom by redefining the structure of government,
1:08:22
expanding participation, and ensuring continuity.
1:08:26
are guardrails they are liberty on course they
1:08:29
prevent tyranny they prevent and restrain too
1:08:32
much power concentrated in one area they empower
1:08:35
people they remind the nation that freedom is
1:08:39
not automatic in our system no one government
1:08:43
official has absolute power i mean it's been
1:08:46
said over the years that a president might have
1:08:48
too much or too little power or congress does
1:08:51
or or the review of the supreme court because
1:08:55
it's it's absolute but remember the court you
1:08:59
know this is where people understand so yet you
1:09:01
have the congress that makes the laws you have
1:09:03
the executive branch the president that enforces
1:09:05
laws and then you have the judiciary that reviews
1:09:09
the laws for constitutional uh correctness or
1:09:13
basically do they meet constitutional standards
1:09:15
what has happened in the last 80 to 100 years
1:09:21
is the courts have tried and have, in fact, rewritten
1:09:25
laws. I remember seeing some when I was in law
1:09:28
enforcement where the court decided how we will
1:09:33
do a particular thing. In this case, it had to
1:09:35
do with radar guns and speeding. This was the
1:09:38
Florida Supreme Court, and they actually rewrote
1:09:40
the statute, but that was not their job. I would
1:09:45
venture to say it wasn't even legal. Now, they
1:09:48
could have just said that the statute that was
1:09:49
in place by the legislature was illegal. or not
1:09:53
meet the statutory requirements of the state
1:09:55
constitution no problem with that then the lawmakers
1:09:58
go back to work and they did go back to work
1:10:00
and they did refine it eventually but at first
1:10:03
the court was saying you have to follow this
1:10:04
order and that's not what the constitution says
1:10:07
the court gets to do it says the court only gets
1:10:10
to interpret and that's where you have to push
1:10:13
back and not everybody wants to do that but but
1:10:16
you need to and there were some supreme court
1:10:18
orders over the centuries that were not enforced.
1:10:24
And we'll get into that into another one. But
1:10:27
that's part of the history part. I think, you
1:10:30
know, we look at the faith and we look at the
1:10:34
freedoms, but we have to make sure that we're
1:10:38
not being run over by a government that goes
1:10:43
too far. And that's for all the branches and
1:10:47
that's for everyone because that's what our Constitution
1:10:49
says. If our Constitution said otherwise, I would
1:10:52
go with it. And I think everyone else would go
1:10:54
with it. So this is not a political statement.
1:10:58
This is a factual statement because a free government
1:11:02
allows your church to do its job and do the right
1:11:08
things. A repressive government... like they
1:11:13
have in some other countries, communist countries,
1:11:16
fascist countries, socialist countries, that
1:11:18
church is not free. They have to watch their
1:11:22
P's and Q's. The pastor just can't say anything
1:11:24
they want. They have to be very careful. So anything
1:11:28
that's been under that kind of governmental control,
1:11:32
you have to question. Keeping freedom free, most
1:11:36
important thing, kind of look at that. And in
1:11:39
our last part here, we want to just talk, the
1:11:42
American promise is simple. Freedom entrusted
1:11:44
to a moral people. Liberty requires virtue. Freedom
1:11:47
requires responsibility. Rights require righteousness.
1:11:52
The founders believed that the republic, and
1:11:55
we are a republic, we are not a democracy, the
1:11:58
founders believed the republic would survive.
1:12:02
only if its people remain morally grounded they
1:12:04
believe that conscience must be protected they
1:12:08
believe that faith must be free they believe
1:12:10
that justice must be pursued the amendments remind
1:12:13
us that liberty must be guarded generation after
1:12:17
generation the american promise is not automatic
1:12:21
it must be renewed it must be taught it must
1:12:24
be lived and the church plays a vital role in
1:12:27
renewing that promise The church teaches virtue.
1:12:31
The church forms conscience. The church calls
1:12:33
the nation to righteousness. The church reminds
1:12:36
America that freedom is not merely a political
1:12:39
idea. It is a spiritual calling. So let us pray
1:12:43
as we conclude this episode. Heavenly Father,
1:12:48
as we conclude week five, we turn our hearts
1:12:52
toward prayer. Prayer for our nation. Prayer
1:12:54
for our leaders. Prayer for our communities.
1:12:57
And prayer for our future. Lord, renew our nation,
1:13:01
restore our unity, strengthen our commitment
1:13:05
to justice, protect the liberty you have entrusted
1:13:08
us to. Heal our wounds, lift our eyes, guide
1:13:13
us into the future marked by righteousness, mercy,
1:13:18
and hope. Make us a people worthy of freedom.
1:13:22
We have the freedom that we've inherited. Teach
1:13:26
us to do... justice. Teach us to love mercy.
1:13:30
Teach us to walk humbly with you. Renew our conscience.
1:13:35
Renew our character. Renew our courage. And renew
1:13:39
the American promise, the promise of ordered
1:13:43
liberty, anchored in virtue, sustained by faith,
1:13:48
and guided by your hand. In Jesus' name, amen.
1:13:53
Thank you for joining us on week five of our
1:13:55
six -week journey on 250 Years of Faith and Freedom
1:13:59
on Voices of Life podcast, a ministry of the
1:14:02
Church for Life. I'm Pastor David, and we'll
1:14:05
be seeing you next week with week six, and looking
1:14:08
forward to seeing all of you here. Have a wonderful
1:14:11
weekend. Enjoy your holiday. Thank you for joining
1:14:27
this hour of Voices of Life. As we close, we
1:14:32
remember that liberty is a gift justice is a
1:14:36
calling and hope is a responsibility. The American
1:14:42
promise lives when we guard freedom, honor conscience,
1:14:47
and walk humbly with God. May courage guide us.
1:14:52
May compassion steady us. and may renewal rise
1:14:57
within our nation. Until next time, may peace
1:15:02
be upon you, and may the light of ordered liberty
1:15:06
continue to shine.