Because Don Nolte so eloquently asked what do I mean by the fact that there were no Southern Baptists among our Founding Fathers, perhaps I should clarify myself. I certainly did not mean to imply that Southern Baptists should be associated with dictators and depots. I was simply emphasizing the fact that it was not until 1845 that the Southern Baptists were established by convention.

However, the Baptists movement was very well established in America before the American Revolution. In fact, it should probably be emphasized that some of our Founding Fathers, chief among them Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Washington, were instrumental in adopting the principle of separation of church and state held by the Baptists.

Chief Justice Roy Moore might be well advised to learn from the wisdom of early Baptists, that least we maintain a separation of church and state, we risk future persecution of religious sects. In fact, already we have the good judge persecuting a whole group of people just because they are homosexuals and seek the liberty to parent and rear children like everyone else.

The Baptists church in this country has its roots well planted in religious persecution, which brought many early Baptists settlers from Europe to America. In fact, Roger Williams establish the first congregation of Baptists in Rhode Island in 1636 which was dedicated to religious liberty.

Ironically it was the persecution of Baptists by the state church in New England which brought William Screven and Humphry Churchwood to South Carolina to establish the first Baptists church in Charleston in 1684.

So although none of our Founding Fathers may have been Southern Baptists, the Baptists movement, their persecution and their long held belief in separation of church and state, had a profound influence upon the establishment of our nation. In fact many Baptists gave their lives fighting for religious freedom and independence from England during the American Revolution.

It would be wise for the good judge Roy Moore to keep this in mind as members of that most powerful of institutions may not take too kindly to the mixing of state and religion. Why I would not be surprised if Southern Baptists rise up and boot the good judge out of office for his dilution of that singular principle, the separation of church and state!

Sincerely,
Terry Lynch
Date: 23 March, 2002

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