Tim Barton: Celebrating America’s Independence & God’s Providence | Takeaways with Kirk Cameron

June 29, 2026 | 53:25

Kirk Cameron is joined by historian Tim Barton sharing the stories of our country’s independence and the evidence of God’s providence in our nation’s founding and growth.

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Takeaways with Kirk Cameron | Tim Barton: Celebrating America’s Independence & God’s Providence | Takeaways with Kirk Cameron | June 29, 2026

Kirk cameron: "my country 'tis of thee,
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Sweet land of liberty, of thee i sing; land
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Where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims'
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Pride, from ev'ry mountainside let freedom ring!"
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Sound familiar?
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I bet you're not as familiar
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With the fourth verse of this anthem.
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"our fathers' god, to thee, author of liberty,
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To thee i sing; long may our land be bright
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With freedom's holy light; protect us by thy might,
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Great god, our king."
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Today we're gonna celebrate our
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Nation's independence.
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We're gonna look at god's providence
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In our history and remember our freedoms
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On this 250th-year anniversary with
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Historian tim barton.
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Tim barton: we think of revivals
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As unifying times.
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Kirk: yeah.
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Tim: it's super-interesting, the first
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And second great awakening were not unifying times
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In america, they led to unity in america,
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Relatively speaking, but only after
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Incredible conflict, and the reason was
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That awakenings are not unifying,
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They're clarifying.
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Kirk: it's coming up next on "takeaways."
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[music]
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Kirk: tim barton is the president
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Of wallbuilders, a national pro-family
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Organization that helps people discover
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The true story of america and our biblical foundation.
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His ability to tell the story of america's past,
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Connecting it to the present,
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And what steps we need to take for the future
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Has inspired audiences all over the country,
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And he's here with us today on "takeaways" to talk
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About america's history from his book,
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"the american story: the beginnings:" tim,
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Thanks so much for joining us.
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Tim: man, my pleasure.
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Thanks for having me.
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Kirk: i am so excited about everything you have
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On this table.
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I mean, these are rare artifacts, things
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That most people have never seen,
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Certainly never touched with their own hands
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Like i'm about to get to do, so thank you for coming,
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And thank you for helping us understand
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This time of year, independence day,
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4th of july, and what it actually means
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Beyond fireworks and hot dogs.
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Tim: yeah, i'm so excited to have
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This conversation, because you're right,
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Most americans, we haven't been
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Told the true story of america,
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And most of the narrative we've heard today
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Is historically probably not correct,
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And this should be a time that we are celebrating
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The blessings of god in our country,
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And unfortunately for a lot of americans,
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They've only heard the bad things about america.
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So i'm glad i get to clarify
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Some of that story for people.
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Kirk: and when we get into these stories,
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People are gonna be blown away saying
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Why haven't i ever heard this before?
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Or when you see what we're about to talk about
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On this table, they're gonna be like, man,
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That changes everything.
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I wish my kids knew this, or i wish our--
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Does our government even know about these things?
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And sadly, many of our representatives
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In congress don't actually know
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The history of our own country.
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I think there's even people today
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Who are being taught a false view of history,
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Not just ignorant of the true view,
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But it's been replaced and rewritten,
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And now they despise the foundings of america,
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Because they believe it was just built
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On the backs of the disenfranchised
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People for the sake of the rich
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And the powerful.
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Tim: right, yeah, one of the things
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That i think is maybe fortunate about
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Kind of the era we're living in is people
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Have heard enough of this idea of like
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Fake news.
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They they know i shouldn't just believe,
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Or at least hopefully we're learning,
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Don't believe everything you see
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On the internet, maybe do a little
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Fact checking, but the reason i
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Think it's valuable is because people now
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Are learning that there are dishonest people,
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There's motivations, there's a propaganda
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War happening all around us all the time,
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And it's also true when it comes
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To american history.
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It's the reason why when my dad
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And i wrote this book together, we have
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More than 1,000 footnotes in the back of the book
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All pointing back to the original source,
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Because one of the things we even tell people is,
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Look, we don't want you to take our word for it.
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We want you to go back and read the actual document,
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Because when you read the writings
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Of the founding fathers, you realize this is
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Very different than the narrative
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I've been told today, and that's
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Where most people today, the things that we
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Have learned are not so in most cases
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About america's past, the founding fathers,
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And especially the christian
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Heritage of our nation.
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Kirk: now, your book, "the american story:
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The beginnings," is a book about
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The history of our country going back
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To the revolutionary war, maybe even talking
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About some of the controversial aspects of the founding
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Of our country.
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There's a lot of history books about america.
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What makes yours different?
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Tim: well, so i would say two things.
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We tried to write ours in a more biographical form,
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Again, trying to follow more
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The model of the bible.
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If you follow the model of the bible
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From genesis up through or however far you
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Wanna go, and, you know, if you were gonna
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Make a condensed history book,
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Which is what we did, the bible tells you
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Everything that happened that is important
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And worth knowing, but it does it
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Through the lives of people.
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So, we go from noah, and then you have abraham,
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And you have joseph, and you have moses,
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So you're covering history, but you're covering it
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Through the eyes of the people that were there
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To love their story, so our history book
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Is much more biographically driven.
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And then in most history books today,
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First of all, everybody has a bias.
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So, if if somebody is like this is an unbiased
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History book, that's incorrect.
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Everybody has a bias, it's just what's your bias.
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Our bias is we believe there's a god
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Who created the world, and he involves himself
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In the lives of his people.
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And so our history book is very open to the divine,
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To the miraculous at times when we're like clearly god
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Was moving right here, here's why, and by the way,
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The people that were there, here's what they said
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About these moments and events.
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And so what's unique about our book is it's
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From a very much a christian perspective,
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But also there's more than 1,000 footnotes
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From the original sources, so we're not just
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Telling the story, we're saying
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So then john adams wrote abigail this letter
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Where he said, "abigail, it's amazing what god just did."
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So we're highlighting the story through the biography,
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But also the god aspect, but we're doing it
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Not through our opinion, we're doing it
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Through their letters.
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So it's literally them telling you what god did
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In those moments, and it's more than
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1,000 footnotes, so we're saying
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Please don't trust us.
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Like, in an era of fake news, don't trust us on this.
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Here's the actual footnote to the letter,
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Go read the whole letter for yourself.
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Kirk: tim, i believe that you and your dad
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Are trustworthy.
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That's what i so appreciate about you,
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And you're not afraid to make these claims
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That are not popular, because you're willing
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To put the footnotes in the back to show
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People the original sources, unlike things
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Like the 1619 project and other versions of american
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History where they don't do that kind of thing.
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They just make these big statements,
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And then my kids believe it, or your kids will believe it,
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Because that's what they're taught
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When they scroll through their phones
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And their favorite influencers are
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Saying these awful things.
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In your book, you divide it into
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Five major sections, and yet in the very
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Introduction, you talk about a golden
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Thread that's just woven through all of american history.
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What is that golden thread?
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Tim: yeah, so this might
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Have been influence for me growing up watching
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Like "the prince of egypt," and they talk about a tapestry.
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In a lot of noted tapestry, there
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Are especially like the royal tapestries,
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There might have been very special thread
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That was used, a golden thread,
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To highlight the value of this.
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And we talk about in american history,
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The obvious golden thread that should catch
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Your attention is the providence of god.
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From, like, columbus at the very beginning
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All the way up to present, god's been
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Part of the story, the narrative
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Of this nation, and historians
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That tell the story of america
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And don't acknowledge god, you're being dishonest.
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You're pretending like, like in this incredible
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Tapestry, you're pretending like, well,
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Those threads don't exist.
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It's right there, like we're watching it
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In front of us.
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It's so clear god has been part of the story,
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And yet most people today, they don't know
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The god part of the story, because it's been
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Intentionally cut out, and they don't see it.
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So what we do is we say we wanna show
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You what should have been obvious
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From the beginning that some people
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Have intentionally left out, some people
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Just maybe they never knew.
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We talk about there's really two differences
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In kind of storytellers or, i mean this could be true
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In politics in so many areas, historians, there
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Are people that are intentional
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And people that are just ignorant.
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People that are intentional, they
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Know what they're doing, and they're doing it
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On purpose, and we see those people
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Around us at times, but then there's people--
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Like there's goodhearted history teachers in schools,
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And they're actually teaching very incorrect things.
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They're not doing it from any malice, right?
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They're doing it because this is
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What they've heard, and they're repeating
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What they know, it's just they don't
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Know all of the details, they don't know
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All of the truth of the situation.
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And so we do differentiate, there
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Are people that are very intentionally malicious
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And people that are just ignorant.
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Well, the good news is you can educate
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The ignorant, but this is also
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Where the bible even warns, like the people
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That are intentional, those are the people
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Where jesus is like, hey, shake the dust
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Off your feet, and let's move on.
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Don't cast your pearls before swine.
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Those are people, let's not worry about them.
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Now, we at times will try to engage the discussion
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Because we want to point out what they're doing
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Is dishonest, and here's why it's dishonest.
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So we're gonna call out the ideology,
00:09:30.226 --> 00:09:32.762
But recognizing that when it comes
00:09:32.762 --> 00:09:34.864
To the narrative of america, there's a lot of people
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That maybe from good hearts have told bad stories,
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And we wanna help them know the true story.
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Kirk: man, this is so good.
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This is so important.
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I hope everybody is just leaning forward
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In your seats right now as we look at what is
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On this table, because reading footnotes
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In the back of a book is great, but now i've got
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To go look up those original sources
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And find them.
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Some of those original sources are sitting here
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On the table, and we're gonna open them up
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And look at them.
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When we come back, we'll talk more with tim
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About the american revolution and
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The beginning of our country's independence.
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Stay with us.
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[music]
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[music]
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[music]
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Kirk: we're back with author and president of wall
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Builders, tim barton, sharing important facts
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About our country's founding, its independence.
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All right, tim, one of the things
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That i was taught by my friend and mentor,
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Dr. marshall foster, and by your dad
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And by you is the importance of the
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Great awakening.
00:10:42.065 --> 00:10:43.433
We had the first great awakening,
00:10:43.433 --> 00:10:44.768
The second great awakening, and i remember
00:10:44.768 --> 00:10:47.370
That there was a quote that was attributed
00:10:47.370 --> 00:10:50.140
To one of the founding fathers when he was asked
00:10:50.140 --> 00:10:54.177
About the revolution.
00:10:54.177 --> 00:10:56.580
He essentially said, "well, which revolution?"
00:10:56.580 --> 00:10:59.516
He said, "are you talking about the war?"
00:10:59.516 --> 00:11:01.418
Because that was a consequence of the revolution.
00:11:01.418 --> 00:11:04.421
The real revolution was the change of religious
00:11:04.421 --> 00:11:08.258
Sentiment in the hearts of men.
00:11:08.258 --> 00:11:11.061
They had turned back to god.
00:11:11.061 --> 00:11:12.395
That was the real revolution.
00:11:12.395 --> 00:11:14.397
That was the war against sin and self and a submission
00:11:14.397 --> 00:11:18.235
To god.
00:11:18.235 --> 00:11:19.603
And then he said the war, externally, was
00:11:19.603 --> 00:11:21.805
Just a consequence of it.
00:11:21.805 --> 00:11:23.173
Tim: yeah, yeah, that is completely correct
00:11:23.173 --> 00:11:25.909
In the sentiment, because had it not been
00:11:25.909 --> 00:11:27.344
For the first great awakening, there
00:11:27.344 --> 00:11:28.845
Is no america birth, there is no american revolution.
00:11:28.845 --> 00:11:32.349
It literally was the great awakening
00:11:32.349 --> 00:11:34.084
That laid the foundation for any of the idea
00:11:34.084 --> 00:11:36.486
Of america to become possible.
00:11:36.486 --> 00:11:37.854
Kirk: so, why would a great spiritual
00:11:37.854 --> 00:11:39.689
Religious awakening result in a war?
00:11:39.689 --> 00:11:42.959
I mean, i would think it would result in peace.
00:11:42.959 --> 00:11:45.061
Why a war?
00:11:45.061 --> 00:11:46.396
Tim: so, yeah, and this is really great,
00:11:46.396 --> 00:11:48.331
Because jesus even said that there would be conflict,
00:11:48.331 --> 00:11:50.667
Because, "i didn't come to bring peace," right?
00:11:50.667 --> 00:11:52.636
"i brought the sword to divide," why?
00:11:52.636 --> 00:11:53.970
Because truth always divides.
00:11:53.970 --> 00:11:55.806
Truth always separates from error, and what happened
00:11:55.806 --> 00:11:59.743
In the first great awakening, a lot of people,
00:11:59.743 --> 00:12:02.012
We think of revivals as unifying times.
00:12:02.012 --> 00:12:04.714
It's super-interesting, the first
00:12:04.714 --> 00:12:06.716
And second great awakening were not unifying times
00:12:06.716 --> 00:12:09.586
In america.
00:12:09.586 --> 00:12:10.987
They led to unity in america, relatively speaking,
00:12:10.987 --> 00:12:15.325
But only after incredible conflict,
00:12:15.325 --> 00:12:16.993
And the reason was that awakenings
00:12:16.993 --> 00:12:19.496
Are not unifying, they're clarifying
00:12:19.496 --> 00:12:22.566
Where truth and morality were debated, why?
00:12:22.566 --> 00:12:25.068
Because during the awakenings, pastors were teaching truth
00:12:25.068 --> 00:12:28.371
And morality, confronting what
00:12:28.371 --> 00:12:30.106
Was happening in culture.
00:12:30.106 --> 00:12:31.741
And what's interesting, actually, there's a book.
00:12:31.741 --> 00:12:33.243
Kirk: that's right.
00:12:33.243 --> 00:12:34.611
Tim: done by a--.
00:12:34.611 --> 00:12:35.946
Kirk: see, that's the problem with what's going
00:12:35.946 --> 00:12:37.280
On today is we've got these pansy pastors
00:12:37.280 --> 00:12:39.583
Or bible teachers.
00:12:39.583 --> 00:12:40.917
I'm like, i love pastors, i need a good pastor.
00:12:40.917 --> 00:12:42.485
I need you to tell me the truth.
00:12:42.485 --> 00:12:43.887
But when you soft sell everything,
00:12:43.887 --> 00:12:45.255
And it's love, love, love, love, love,
00:12:45.255 --> 00:12:46.890
And you know, it's just, rainbows everywhere,
00:12:46.890 --> 00:12:50.827
You're trying to avoid conflict because you want people
00:12:50.827 --> 00:12:53.463
To think that you're about jesus and love.
00:12:53.463 --> 00:12:55.532
The problem is, is that you're just--
00:12:55.532 --> 00:12:58.501
You're trashing truth in the process
00:12:58.501 --> 00:13:01.938
And letting the ends justify the means
00:13:01.938 --> 00:13:03.974
When you've got to do what god says,
00:13:03.974 --> 00:13:05.575
And that's what i believe the founders
00:13:05.575 --> 00:13:06.910
Were doing, which was your faith expressing itself
00:13:06.910 --> 00:13:09.546
Through love means clarifying the truth
00:13:09.546 --> 00:13:11.748
And standing against evil.
00:13:11.748 --> 00:13:13.316
Tim: right, and then there's a reason
00:13:13.316 --> 00:13:14.684
Paul said the message of the cross
00:13:14.684 --> 00:13:16.419
Is offensive to those who are perishing.
00:13:16.419 --> 00:13:18.655
Kirk: that's right.
00:13:18.655 --> 00:13:20.023
Okay, so let's get to what's in your hand
00:13:20.023 --> 00:13:21.358
And how this is tied into the great
00:13:21.358 --> 00:13:23.960
Spiritual revival of the first great awakening
00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:26.463
And the founding of america.
00:13:26.463 --> 00:13:28.031
Tim: yeah, so alice baldwin
00:13:28.031 --> 00:13:29.366
Was a professor at duke university back
00:13:29.366 --> 00:13:30.800
In the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
00:13:30.800 --> 00:13:32.869
In 1928 she wrote this book.
00:13:32.869 --> 00:13:34.437
It's called "the new england clergy
00:13:34.437 --> 00:13:35.772
And the american revolution."
00:13:35.772 --> 00:13:37.140
And she actually goes to highlighting how it
00:13:37.140 --> 00:13:38.942
Was the early pastors who were shaping
00:13:38.942 --> 00:13:41.578
The thinking of the culture and really of the founding
00:13:41.578 --> 00:13:45.282
Fathers that she says by the time you get
00:13:45.282 --> 00:13:47.517
To the american revolution or specifically
00:13:47.517 --> 00:13:50.587
The declaration of independence.
00:13:50.587 --> 00:13:51.922
And then this is actually highlighted
00:13:51.922 --> 00:13:53.290
In her conclusion, and i would encourage
00:13:53.290 --> 00:13:54.891
Everybody can go online.
00:13:54.891 --> 00:13:56.426
You actually can read this online.
00:13:56.426 --> 00:13:57.994
You can go to amazon, you can buy your own copy of it.
00:13:57.994 --> 00:14:00.597
It's called "the new england clergy
00:14:00.597 --> 00:14:01.932
In the american revolution."
00:14:01.932 --> 00:14:03.300
At the end of her 170-plus pages, there's
00:14:03.300 --> 00:14:05.669
A 5-page conclusion, and so even if you
00:14:05.669 --> 00:14:08.104
Just read the conclusion online, that's not very hard,
00:14:08.104 --> 00:14:10.040
That's easy, she summarizes
00:14:10.040 --> 00:14:12.142
All the ideas, but one of the things
00:14:12.142 --> 00:14:13.510
She says in the conclusion is there's not a single
00:14:13.510 --> 00:14:15.912
Clause of the declaration which hadn't been preached
00:14:15.912 --> 00:14:18.615
From american pastors prior to 1763, which means
00:14:18.615 --> 00:14:22.886
More than a dozen years before the revolution,
00:14:22.886 --> 00:14:25.255
She actually identified every single issue
00:14:25.255 --> 00:14:27.691
In the declaration had already been talked about
00:14:27.691 --> 00:14:29.693
By pastors and pulpits, and what she highlights
00:14:29.693 --> 00:14:32.162
In her conclusion is the founding
00:14:32.162 --> 00:14:33.997
Fathers didn't come up with a single unique idea.
00:14:33.997 --> 00:14:36.833
Instead, they were repeating all of the things
00:14:36.833 --> 00:14:39.703
They had learned from their pastor.
00:14:39.703 --> 00:14:41.071
Kirk: what their pastor taught them.
00:14:41.071 --> 00:14:42.405
Tim: and this is where you go back
00:14:42.405 --> 00:14:43.773
To the first great awakening.
00:14:43.773 --> 00:14:45.108
George whitefield is the most famous pastor
00:14:45.108 --> 00:14:47.110
In the first great awakening, and we
00:14:47.110 --> 00:14:49.212
Have done such a disservice that is very obvious,
00:14:49.212 --> 00:14:52.849
Not even controversial history.
00:14:52.849 --> 00:14:54.718
If you go to philadelphia, in philadelphia there
00:14:54.718 --> 00:14:58.088
Is the frame outlaid of benjamin franklin's own old home.
00:14:58.088 --> 00:15:02.192
They have this really cool kind of a model
00:15:02.192 --> 00:15:03.793
Structure set up, and they have these
00:15:03.793 --> 00:15:05.161
Plaques around.
00:15:05.161 --> 00:15:06.496
Well, there's actually a plaque beside
00:15:06.496 --> 00:15:08.031
This one corner of franklin's house
00:15:08.031 --> 00:15:10.667
Where there was an extension built on,
00:15:10.667 --> 00:15:12.435
And it actually says this extension
00:15:12.435 --> 00:15:14.004
Was built on by franklin when he asked george
00:15:14.004 --> 00:15:17.040
Whitefield to come live with him.
00:15:17.040 --> 00:15:18.408
He said, "i've built an extension
00:15:18.408 --> 00:15:19.743
On my house just for you, so you can come stay
00:15:19.743 --> 00:15:21.478
Anytime you want."
00:15:21.478 --> 00:15:22.846
Now, wait a second.
00:15:22.846 --> 00:15:24.180
Franklin is like the least religious
00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:25.548
Founding father, but in 1739 when
00:15:25.548 --> 00:15:27.917
Whitefield's making his first missionary journey,
00:15:27.917 --> 00:15:30.453
Starting in georgia, going all the way up
00:15:30.453 --> 00:15:31.988
To maine and back, he did seven of these
00:15:31.988 --> 00:15:33.523
Missionary journeys.
00:15:33.523 --> 00:15:34.958
He went to philadelphia, and franklin says,
00:15:34.958 --> 00:15:36.726
"i heard this new guy.
00:15:36.726 --> 00:15:38.061
I'm so impressed.
00:15:38.061 --> 00:15:39.429
I've never heard anything like this."
00:15:39.429 --> 00:15:40.764
Franklin in his own writing says
00:15:40.764 --> 00:15:42.132
That the impact of this new preacher's sermons are
00:15:42.132 --> 00:15:45.568
So profound, he says, "i can't walk anywhere
00:15:45.568 --> 00:15:48.471
In the streets of philadelphia without hearing families
00:15:48.471 --> 00:15:51.708
Walking together singing hymns all night long.
00:15:51.708 --> 00:15:54.611
There's worship just anywhere in the city."
00:15:54.611 --> 00:15:57.147
Well, this was the impact of whitefield,
00:15:57.147 --> 00:15:58.748
And franklin is so amazed, he wants whitefield
00:15:58.748 --> 00:16:01.384
To come live with him.
00:16:01.384 --> 00:16:02.752
He and whitefield become friends the entire
00:16:02.752 --> 00:16:04.487
Time whitefield's in america.
00:16:04.487 --> 00:16:05.955
Over like 30 years, he and whitefield
00:16:05.955 --> 00:16:07.724
Are friends, and the reason i point this
00:16:07.724 --> 00:16:09.125
Out is it was so historically
00:16:09.125 --> 00:16:11.895
Obvious the impact of pastors on the founding fathers,
00:16:11.895 --> 00:16:15.565
And yet today most people have no idea
00:16:15.565 --> 00:16:19.002
That the founding fathers were friends
00:16:19.002 --> 00:16:20.937
Of the pastors, were influenced
00:16:20.937 --> 00:16:22.439
And even mentored by pastors, and
00:16:22.439 --> 00:16:25.041
So the ideas they came up with for america,
00:16:25.041 --> 00:16:27.811
It wasn't their ideas, it was the pastors.
00:16:27.811 --> 00:16:30.647
Kirk: that is in sharp contrast
00:16:30.647 --> 00:16:32.449
With what many of us have been told
00:16:32.449 --> 00:16:34.517
Who are interested in listening
00:16:34.517 --> 00:16:35.919
To the stories of where we came up with
00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:37.987
The declaration of independence,
00:16:37.987 --> 00:16:39.556
And we think of jefferson and we
00:16:39.556 --> 00:16:40.890
Think of the enlightenment, and it was
00:16:40.890 --> 00:16:42.559
All of these outside ideas and universalism
00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:45.095
And all of this, and while those things
00:16:45.095 --> 00:16:46.830
Were there, just like they were there
00:16:46.830 --> 00:16:48.865
In the-- there was heresies going
00:16:48.865 --> 00:16:50.300
On in the very first century in the bible,
00:16:50.300 --> 00:16:52.202
The apostle john, and others talking
00:16:52.202 --> 00:16:54.604
About them, and there's heresies going
00:16:54.604 --> 00:16:56.573
On today, but there were the men in the pulpits,
00:16:56.573 --> 00:17:00.877
And those pulpits were on fire with righteousness
00:17:00.877 --> 00:17:03.780
And truth.
00:17:03.780 --> 00:17:05.181
Those were the ideas that jefferson and the others--.
00:17:05.181 --> 00:17:09.752
Tim: correct.
00:17:09.752 --> 00:17:11.121
Kirk: were just gathering together,
00:17:11.121 --> 00:17:12.455
Collecting, and putting them in this document
00:17:12.455 --> 00:17:14.491
To justify why they were going to war
00:17:14.491 --> 00:17:17.093
With the king of england.
00:17:17.093 --> 00:17:18.428
Tim: right, and this is also why, as we're talking
00:17:18.428 --> 00:17:20.029
About like what they put in that document,
00:17:20.029 --> 00:17:21.397
Meaning the declaration or any of their documents,
00:17:21.397 --> 00:17:23.800
This is what is also so sad about
00:17:23.800 --> 00:17:26.002
Our modern history is modern history,
00:17:26.002 --> 00:17:28.638
We actually don't read very many original
00:17:28.638 --> 00:17:30.473
Documents, we're told about the documents, right?
00:17:30.473 --> 00:17:32.542
Kirk: we're told about them.
00:17:32.542 --> 00:17:33.910
Tim: we're told about what the founding
00:17:33.910 --> 00:17:35.245
Fathers thought or believed.
00:17:35.245 --> 00:17:36.613
We've actually never read most of their writings.
00:17:36.613 --> 00:17:37.947
The reason it matters, especially as people
00:17:37.947 --> 00:17:39.649
That love the bible, as people
00:17:39.649 --> 00:17:41.484
That read the bible, if you start reading
00:17:41.484 --> 00:17:43.987
The founding fathers' writings, and
00:17:43.987 --> 00:17:45.355
If you're someone that knows the bible,
00:17:45.355 --> 00:17:46.990
You will be amazed at times you're
00:17:46.990 --> 00:17:48.458
Like i think they just quoted the bible.
00:17:48.458 --> 00:17:50.493
That's a bible verse, and that's a bible verse.
00:17:50.493 --> 00:17:52.729
Kirk: and that's a biblical concept,
00:17:52.729 --> 00:17:54.164
And there's no way he would even be thinking about
00:17:54.164 --> 00:17:56.199
That if he hadn't read the story about job.
00:17:56.199 --> 00:17:59.202
Tim: when they're talking about the good samaritan
00:17:59.202 --> 00:18:00.870
Or whatever else, and you're like,
00:18:00.870 --> 00:18:02.238
That's only in the bible.
00:18:02.238 --> 00:18:03.573
Kirk: that's not from karl marx, that's not from
00:18:03.573 --> 00:18:05.308
Some french enlightenment idea, that's not a neo-darwinian
00:18:05.308 --> 00:18:09.212
Evolutionary concept, that is a biblical concept.
00:18:09.212 --> 00:18:12.982
Tim: totally, so there's another book
00:18:12.982 --> 00:18:14.317
Called "the origins of american constitutionalism."
00:18:14.317 --> 00:18:16.152
There was a group of professors.
00:18:16.152 --> 00:18:17.687
Donald lutz was a professor that led the study back
00:18:17.687 --> 00:18:19.622
In the 1970s and '80s.
00:18:19.622 --> 00:18:21.324
He was at the university of houston,
00:18:21.324 --> 00:18:22.692
Worked with professors at lsu, a lot of grad
00:18:22.692 --> 00:18:25.094
Students on this project, it took him 10 years,
00:18:25.094 --> 00:18:27.297
More than a decade to go through and do all this,
00:18:27.297 --> 00:18:29.532
But they said let's go through 15,000 of the founding
00:18:29.532 --> 00:18:33.169
Fathers' writings representative from
00:18:33.169 --> 00:18:34.938
Over a couple decades, and let's see what
00:18:34.938 --> 00:18:38.875
The influence was.
00:18:38.875 --> 00:18:40.243
Let's see who-- who do they quote the most?
00:18:40.243 --> 00:18:41.578
Because if we know who they quoted,
00:18:41.578 --> 00:18:42.946
Then we know where they got their ideas from.
00:18:42.946 --> 00:18:44.681
Kirk: yeah, what's-- who framed their thinking?
00:18:44.681 --> 00:18:46.849
Tim: right, and so it takes them 10 years
00:18:46.849 --> 00:18:48.751
To do this, because this is before the internet,
00:18:48.751 --> 00:18:50.653
But in this book they outline exactly
00:18:50.653 --> 00:18:53.356
Where the ideas came from, and what they point out is
00:18:53.356 --> 00:18:56.226
That when you break down all of their writings,
00:18:56.226 --> 00:18:59.162
More than 34% of their quotes came
00:18:59.162 --> 00:19:01.030
From the bible, which is 4 times more than
00:19:01.030 --> 00:19:03.666
The second-most-quoted source, and
00:19:03.666 --> 00:19:05.501
So what they conclude is by far the most
00:19:05.501 --> 00:19:08.905
Influential source on the founders's ideas
00:19:08.905 --> 00:19:11.774
Was the bible.
00:19:11.774 --> 00:19:13.142
Kirk: that's awesome, and i love that you point
00:19:13.142 --> 00:19:15.044
Out that there were all
00:19:15.044 --> 00:19:16.379
These other documents that our founders wrote
00:19:16.379 --> 00:19:17.880
That we can read today.
00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:19.749
They didn't just sit down and write one document,
00:19:19.749 --> 00:19:21.818
The declaration of independence,
00:19:21.818 --> 00:19:23.219
And then the constitution.
00:19:23.219 --> 00:19:24.787
There's love letters, there are historical documents,
00:19:24.787 --> 00:19:28.191
There's letters between friends.
00:19:28.191 --> 00:19:30.260
This is like getting on their phone
00:19:30.260 --> 00:19:32.228
And checking out their text streams
00:19:32.228 --> 00:19:34.731
And downloading the whole thing
00:19:34.731 --> 00:19:36.065
And reading, like, this is who they were,
00:19:36.065 --> 00:19:37.900
This is how they thought, this is the stuff they dreamed
00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:39.669
About, the stuff they feared, the stuff
00:19:39.669 --> 00:19:41.604
That they hoped for, where they got
00:19:41.604 --> 00:19:42.972
Their inspiration and courage.
00:19:42.972 --> 00:19:44.574
Tim: when they're putting quotes in a letter
00:19:44.574 --> 00:19:46.609
To a friend, it's no different
00:19:46.609 --> 00:19:48.011
Than today us sharing a reel with a friend.
00:19:48.011 --> 00:19:50.446
Like, we're texting like we saw something
00:19:50.446 --> 00:19:52.015
On instagram or whatever social media
00:19:52.015 --> 00:19:53.383
Where we text, we're like, look at this is great.
00:19:53.383 --> 00:19:55.318
That's what they did in their letters.
00:19:55.318 --> 00:19:56.686
Kirk: right, and we can read
00:19:56.686 --> 00:19:58.021
Those, and you've got books here
00:19:58.021 --> 00:19:59.555
That collect them for us.
00:19:59.555 --> 00:20:01.858
I heard that it was john quincy adams
00:20:01.858 --> 00:20:04.661
Who talked about the essential connection
00:20:04.661 --> 00:20:06.929
Between christmas and the fourth of july
00:20:06.929 --> 00:20:08.965
And independence day.
00:20:08.965 --> 00:20:10.333
What's the connection?
00:20:10.333 --> 00:20:11.668
Tim: yeah, so john quincy adams,
00:20:11.668 --> 00:20:13.002
Sixth president, son of john adams,
00:20:13.002 --> 00:20:14.804
But there's john adams connection.
00:20:14.804 --> 00:20:17.140
He did a fourth of july anniversary speech
00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:19.742
63 years after the declaration
00:20:19.742 --> 00:20:21.110
In connecticut, and he said,
00:20:21.110 --> 00:20:23.680
He was asking a rhetorical questions.
00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:25.048
He says "why is it that next
00:20:25.048 --> 00:20:26.983
To the birth of the savior of the world,
00:20:26.983 --> 00:20:30.420
Your next most venerated, respected, important holiday
00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:33.656
Is the fourth of july?"
00:20:33.656 --> 00:20:34.991
He says, "is it not that in looking
00:20:34.991 --> 00:20:37.060
At this, that what we are celebrating
00:20:37.060 --> 00:20:40.296
Is the birth of the savior and all of the promises
00:20:40.296 --> 00:20:44.100
And things he did, we actually worked
00:20:44.100 --> 00:20:46.169
To fulfill some of those in government
00:20:46.169 --> 00:20:48.304
Form in the american government, which
00:20:48.304 --> 00:20:51.341
Is why we celebrate the fourth of july,
00:20:51.341 --> 00:20:52.942
The fulfillment of some of the promises
00:20:52.942 --> 00:20:54.477
Of the savior of the world?"
00:20:54.477 --> 00:20:56.512
So he's literally saying what we did
00:20:56.512 --> 00:20:59.582
Was rooted in, founded on the principles
00:20:59.582 --> 00:21:02.318
Of christianity, very similar,
00:21:02.318 --> 00:21:04.153
Like we know the bible tells us for
00:21:04.153 --> 00:21:05.822
Freedom of christ set us free and that--
00:21:05.822 --> 00:21:07.657
There's actually in biblical freedom,
00:21:07.657 --> 00:21:09.592
There's a fence, there's guard rails,
00:21:09.592 --> 00:21:12.295
Because that's where you enjoy most freedom
00:21:12.295 --> 00:21:13.663
Is where there's safety when you have fences
00:21:13.663 --> 00:21:15.398
Up to keep you from falling off the edge of a cliff,
00:21:15.398 --> 00:21:17.700
But he says what we did in the american
00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:20.470
Form of government is we built it
00:21:20.470 --> 00:21:21.838
On a foundation of christianity, and
00:21:21.838 --> 00:21:23.740
So we're celebrating our two most favorite holidays,
00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:26.008
Christmas, the birth of our savior,
00:21:26.008 --> 00:21:27.777
And the fourth of july, the birth of christian
00:21:27.777 --> 00:21:32.014
Principles in government form.
00:21:32.014 --> 00:21:34.117
Kirk: yeah, yeah, oh, that's awesome.
00:21:34.117 --> 00:21:35.952
We've got so much more to open up and look
00:21:35.952 --> 00:21:38.054
At, so much more to talk about.
00:21:38.054 --> 00:21:39.555
Coming up after the break, we're gonna discuss
00:21:39.555 --> 00:21:41.791
God's providence on us as a nation and how much he
00:21:41.791 --> 00:21:45.695
Has been and still is working on our behalf as a country,
00:21:45.695 --> 00:21:49.832
So don't go away.
00:21:49.832 --> 00:21:51.901
[music]
00:21:51.901 --> 00:21:56.006
[music]
00:21:56.006 --> 00:21:57.074
[music]
00:21:57.408 --> 00:22:03.947
Kirk: welcome back, how have our religious
00:22:03.947 --> 00:22:07.284
Views changed over the years in our country?
00:22:07.284 --> 00:22:09.787
We're talking about the many changes
00:22:09.787 --> 00:22:11.655
In our american history with tim barton.
00:22:11.655 --> 00:22:14.291
So, tim, we've covered a little bit
00:22:14.291 --> 00:22:15.759
About the great awakening, and we had
00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:17.928
This revival of religious sentiment, love for god
00:22:17.928 --> 00:22:20.497
In the hearts of the people that led
00:22:20.497 --> 00:22:21.832
To the revolutionary war and our--
00:22:21.832 --> 00:22:23.500
And then the declaration of independence.
00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:26.003
We've had other great awakenings in our country.
00:22:26.003 --> 00:22:29.773
What are some of the miraculous stories that people
00:22:29.773 --> 00:22:34.111
Might be surprised to hear about that really
00:22:34.111 --> 00:22:38.382
Are essential to the beginnings
00:22:38.382 --> 00:22:40.584
Of our country?
00:22:40.584 --> 00:22:41.952
Tim: yeah, there's a lot of really good
00:22:41.952 --> 00:22:43.454
God moments that are easy to point to like
00:22:43.454 --> 00:22:45.789
Historically, very well documented.
00:22:45.789 --> 00:22:48.392
Just to give acknowledgement to this,
00:22:48.392 --> 00:22:50.160
In 1778, george washington, who now is, you know,
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:53.130
Roughly 3 years into the war
00:22:53.130 --> 00:22:55.299
Of the revolution, he wrote one of his friends
00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:57.835
From virginia, who also at the time
00:22:57.835 --> 00:23:00.003
Was a military officer, general thomas nelson jr,
00:23:00.003 --> 00:23:02.673
Who thomas nelson jr. also signed
00:23:02.673 --> 00:23:04.074
The declaration, and then he leaves
00:23:04.074 --> 00:23:05.809
To go be part of the military to fight for the very
00:23:05.809 --> 00:23:08.045
Thing he said he's pledging his life, fortune,
00:23:08.045 --> 00:23:09.780
And sacred honor for.
00:23:09.780 --> 00:23:11.114
And washington writes him a letter
00:23:11.114 --> 00:23:12.716
And he tells thomas, he says, "the
00:23:12.716 --> 00:23:14.218
Hand of providence has been so obvious in what
00:23:14.218 --> 00:23:17.988
We've been dealing with that anyone
00:23:17.988 --> 00:23:19.857
That denies it must be worse than
00:23:19.857 --> 00:23:21.291
An infidel and more than a wicked
00:23:21.291 --> 00:23:23.460
That has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations,"
00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:26.497
Meaning like, it's so obvious god's
00:23:26.497 --> 00:23:28.699
Been helping us.
00:23:28.699 --> 00:23:30.033
So, easy example, after they signed
00:23:30.033 --> 00:23:31.568
The declaration, or after july 4th
00:23:31.568 --> 00:23:34.505
When they present the declaration,
00:23:34.505 --> 00:23:35.839
Because they don't sign it till august 2nd,
00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.207
But when they do the declaration,
00:23:37.207 --> 00:23:39.443
Roughly 2 months later, the end of august
00:23:39.443 --> 00:23:41.745
Is the battle of long island up in new york,
00:23:41.745 --> 00:23:43.914
And this is actually the battle that could
00:23:43.914 --> 00:23:46.416
Have ended the revolution, because there's more
00:23:46.416 --> 00:23:48.785
Than 30,000 british troops that show up.
00:23:48.785 --> 00:23:51.088
Washington has about 16,000 troops,
00:23:51.088 --> 00:23:53.056
They know the british are coming, they
00:23:53.056 --> 00:23:54.391
Don't know where they're going,
00:23:54.391 --> 00:23:55.726
So he divides the troops, and there's 9,000
00:23:55.726 --> 00:23:57.594
That are in new york, and they get pinned
00:23:57.594 --> 00:23:59.396
On the island, and the 30,000
00:23:59.396 --> 00:24:02.566
British troops back these 9,000 troops up,
00:24:02.566 --> 00:24:05.369
And they hold, the british troops
00:24:05.369 --> 00:24:08.071
Hold them there.
00:24:08.071 --> 00:24:09.439
We'll hold them in position, they're at the edge
00:24:09.439 --> 00:24:11.141
Of the river, so let's bring the navy
00:24:11.141 --> 00:24:13.143
Up behind them.
00:24:13.143 --> 00:24:14.511
Now we have them fully encircled,
00:24:14.511 --> 00:24:16.079
We can catch them in the crossfire,
00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.948
They'll surrender, we'll hang the traitors,
00:24:17.948 --> 00:24:19.716
Whatever, like they'll solve this problem.
00:24:19.716 --> 00:24:21.919
Washington is there with the 9,000 troops.
00:24:21.919 --> 00:24:24.621
Washington for sure is either going to be killed
00:24:24.621 --> 00:24:27.658
In the battle or executed after the battle is over.
00:24:27.658 --> 00:24:29.760
They don't know what they're gonna do.
00:24:29.760 --> 00:24:31.461
As the british navy began sailing
00:24:31.461 --> 00:24:33.664
Their boats up the river, it was a clear day,
00:24:33.664 --> 00:24:36.433
It's worth noting.
00:24:36.433 --> 00:24:37.901
Out of nowhere, a massive storm rolls
00:24:37.901 --> 00:24:40.137
In, and the massive storm, instead of often--
00:24:40.137 --> 00:24:43.840
You know from the coast, if there's a big storm,
00:24:43.840 --> 00:24:45.842
It usually rolls in from the ocean, the water.
00:24:45.842 --> 00:24:48.345
Kirk: right.
00:24:48.345 --> 00:24:49.713
Tim: the storm didn't come from the ocean and water,
00:24:49.713 --> 00:24:51.081
It came from land, and it began to blow
00:24:51.081 --> 00:24:53.083
The british naval vessels back down the river.
00:24:53.083 --> 00:24:56.420
Already this is interesting.
00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:57.888
Well, the british naval commanders,
00:24:57.888 --> 00:25:00.190
They also-- the river's like a mile wide,
00:25:00.190 --> 00:25:02.492
And they don't know the rivers well,
00:25:02.492 --> 00:25:04.995
And they're like, we gotta get out of here,
00:25:04.995 --> 00:25:06.530
Our ships-- we don't want them
00:25:06.530 --> 00:25:07.864
To be blown up on shore, into rocks, and
00:25:07.864 --> 00:25:09.833
So they call a retreat.
00:25:09.833 --> 00:25:11.201
So the navy, the storm out of nowhere
00:25:11.201 --> 00:25:13.570
Is blowing them back, the navy calls a retreat,
00:25:13.570 --> 00:25:15.539
So they go back in the harbor,
00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:16.907
But washington knows as soon as the storm
00:25:16.907 --> 00:25:19.142
Clears, we're all going to have to deal
00:25:19.142 --> 00:25:21.812
With this again, the navy's gonna
00:25:21.812 --> 00:25:23.146
Sail right back up, and so washington sends
00:25:23.146 --> 00:25:25.616
Out word that in the cover of night
00:25:25.616 --> 00:25:28.685
They're gonna try to get off this island.
00:25:28.685 --> 00:25:30.053
He says so find anything that floats,
00:25:30.053 --> 00:25:32.089
And this is important, because when you
00:25:32.089 --> 00:25:33.991
Have a mile-wide river, even if you were a good swimmer,
00:25:33.991 --> 00:25:37.661
That's gonna be a hard swim.
00:25:37.661 --> 00:25:38.996
And back then most americans didn't know how
00:25:38.996 --> 00:25:40.464
To swim.
00:25:40.464 --> 00:25:41.798
That wasn't a normal activity and pastime.
00:25:41.798 --> 00:25:43.567
And so washington says find anything that floats.
00:25:43.567 --> 00:25:45.502
Well, that night they begin the evacuation
00:25:45.502 --> 00:25:47.237
Under cover of darkness, and they go all night long,
00:25:47.237 --> 00:25:52.009
And as you can imagine, as they're trying to load
00:25:52.009 --> 00:25:53.510
Up these canoes, these flat-bottomed boats,
00:25:53.510 --> 00:25:55.379
There's only so many people
00:25:55.379 --> 00:25:56.713
You're fitting on a canoe, and you gotta go a mile
00:25:56.713 --> 00:25:58.582
Across and a mile back, so all night long
00:25:58.582 --> 00:26:00.517
They're doing this.
00:26:00.517 --> 00:26:01.885
As the dawn of the next morning is on the horizon,
00:26:01.885 --> 00:26:05.522
It's coming, there's more than
00:26:05.522 --> 00:26:06.890
1,000 troops left, and washington himself
00:26:06.890 --> 00:26:08.792
Was still there, because washington said
00:26:08.792 --> 00:26:10.560
That i am not going to be the kind of leader
00:26:10.560 --> 00:26:13.230
That, like, abandons my men.
00:26:13.230 --> 00:26:15.499
I'm gonna make sure they're all safe,
00:26:15.499 --> 00:26:16.867
So washington stays, and so ultimately,
00:26:16.867 --> 00:26:20.303
As soon as the sun rises, the british are
00:26:20.303 --> 00:26:21.738
Gonna see they're evacuating.
00:26:21.738 --> 00:26:23.707
Now 30,000 men are gonna charge
00:26:23.707 --> 00:26:25.375
1,000-plus men, it's gonna be a bloodbath.
00:26:25.375 --> 00:26:28.045
Washington is gonna be killed or then captured
00:26:28.045 --> 00:26:30.013
And executed, and this is gonna be
00:26:30.013 --> 00:26:31.481
The end for washington.
00:26:31.481 --> 00:26:32.849
Kirk: yeah, so what happened?
00:26:32.849 --> 00:26:34.184
Tim: so, before the dawn of the next
00:26:34.184 --> 00:26:35.552
Morning comes, there's a fog that comes
00:26:35.552 --> 00:26:36.887
Off the river.
00:26:36.887 --> 00:26:38.255
Now, it's not unusual for a fog to come
00:26:38.255 --> 00:26:39.589
Off the river, but this fog came up
00:26:39.589 --> 00:26:41.224
Off the river, and it blew and it settled
00:26:41.224 --> 00:26:44.094
Between both camps.
00:26:44.094 --> 00:26:46.430
A little bit like, again, think moses,
00:26:46.430 --> 00:26:48.899
Red sea, where god is dividing the armies,
00:26:48.899 --> 00:26:52.069
So the fog sits there as the morning dawns,
00:26:52.069 --> 00:26:55.505
And they continue their evacuation
00:26:55.505 --> 00:26:57.240
Under cover of the fog.
00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:58.575
The british can't see through the fog.
00:26:58.575 --> 00:26:59.910
Kirk: the first time they evacuated was
00:26:59.910 --> 00:27:01.278
At night when a storm blew the naval ships back.
00:27:01.278 --> 00:27:04.114
Tim: correct.
00:27:04.114 --> 00:27:05.482
Kirk: but the fog came in during the daytime
00:27:05.482 --> 00:27:07.751
So they couldn't see them, and that gave them cover
00:27:07.751 --> 00:27:11.354
To get the rest of the guys out.
00:27:11.354 --> 00:27:12.723
Tim: the british have no idea the evacuation
00:27:12.723 --> 00:27:14.057
Is happening.
00:27:14.057 --> 00:27:15.425
So what's amazing-- so major benjamin tallmadge
00:27:15.425 --> 00:27:16.760
Is one of the guys that i would point to.
00:27:16.760 --> 00:27:18.261
His writings are really great on this, because he talked
00:27:18.261 --> 00:27:20.163
About how this was the most unusual
00:27:20.163 --> 00:27:22.332
Providential thing he'd ever encountered.
00:27:22.332 --> 00:27:24.167
When the last three boats are not just loaded,
00:27:24.167 --> 00:27:27.804
They're in the middle of the river,
00:27:27.804 --> 00:27:29.239
They're looking back, and they see the fog begin
00:27:29.239 --> 00:27:31.441
To lift.
00:27:31.441 --> 00:27:32.776
The british now see the fog lifting,
00:27:32.776 --> 00:27:35.245
And they see the camp is empty, so they charge--.
00:27:35.245 --> 00:27:37.748
Kirk: all they see is tail lights of the last
00:27:37.748 --> 00:27:39.416
Three boats.
00:27:39.416 --> 00:27:40.751
Kirk: right, so they charge, and the british
00:27:40.751 --> 00:27:42.619
Report they got to the edge of the river,
00:27:42.619 --> 00:27:45.188
The water, to see the last
00:27:45.188 --> 00:27:47.491
Three boats arrive on the other side,
00:27:47.491 --> 00:27:49.493
And they watched the people unload.
00:27:49.493 --> 00:27:51.094
So, arguably they're probably watching
00:27:51.094 --> 00:27:52.629
George washington, right?
00:27:52.629 --> 00:27:54.131
Get out of a boat on the other side
00:27:54.131 --> 00:27:55.499
Of the river, and so the americans live,
00:27:55.499 --> 00:27:58.101
Survive to fight another day,
00:27:58.101 --> 00:28:00.003
And people look back, and they're like,
00:28:00.003 --> 00:28:02.005
So what do you think the odds are?
00:28:02.005 --> 00:28:03.707
Like on a clear day, there's no storm, a storm blows--.
00:28:03.707 --> 00:28:06.743
Kirk: see, we were never taught that in school,
00:28:06.743 --> 00:28:08.812
In fifth grade, in civics class.
00:28:08.812 --> 00:28:10.881
Tim: no.
00:28:10.881 --> 00:28:12.215
Kirk: it's 'cause you weren't my history teacher.
00:28:12.215 --> 00:28:13.583
Tim: well, and this is where when we have
00:28:13.583 --> 00:28:15.051
Emphasized names, dates, and dead people, right?
00:28:15.051 --> 00:28:18.021
We don't know the story.
00:28:18.021 --> 00:28:19.456
When you learn the story, and especially
00:28:19.456 --> 00:28:21.491
When you even read the writing of the guys
00:28:21.491 --> 00:28:22.859
Who were there when they're like
00:28:22.859 --> 00:28:24.194
This is the most providential thing
00:28:24.194 --> 00:28:25.562
I've ever seen, it's so clear that god was a part.
00:28:25.562 --> 00:28:28.532
And this happened so many times
00:28:28.532 --> 00:28:30.433
That just 2 years later, washington's like
00:28:30.433 --> 00:28:33.236
The hand of god is so obvious
00:28:33.236 --> 00:28:35.238
That if anybody denies god is intervening
00:28:35.238 --> 00:28:37.474
On our behalf, you have to be worse
00:28:37.474 --> 00:28:39.743
Than a non-believer.
00:28:39.743 --> 00:28:41.077
You have to be wicked to deny that god's
00:28:41.077 --> 00:28:42.646
Been a part of this.
00:28:42.646 --> 00:28:44.014
In fact, that letter from washington that
00:28:44.014 --> 00:28:45.348
To general thomas nelson jr. in 1778 is awesome,
00:28:45.348 --> 00:28:47.751
Because his next line, he says, "i've seen
00:28:47.751 --> 00:28:49.986
Enough miracles," he says, "i could become a preacher,
00:28:49.986 --> 00:28:53.023
But instead, i'm gonna focus
00:28:53.023 --> 00:28:54.357
On my present appointment, and i won't get
00:28:54.357 --> 00:28:55.926
Into the doctrine of providence at this time."
00:28:55.926 --> 00:28:58.728
Washington is like i've seen so many miracles i could
00:28:58.728 --> 00:29:01.198
Just be a pastor and talk about god's providence.
00:29:01.198 --> 00:29:04.267
That's in his letter.
00:29:04.267 --> 00:29:05.602
Kirk: but i'm gonna be a war general,
00:29:05.602 --> 00:29:06.970
And i'm gonna go on to become the president
00:29:06.970 --> 00:29:08.305
And a politician.
00:29:08.305 --> 00:29:09.673
Tim: but when that's literally
00:29:09.673 --> 00:29:11.007
In their writings, and then today we're like,
00:29:11.007 --> 00:29:12.375
Oh, but they didn't believe in god.
00:29:12.375 --> 00:29:13.710
Kirk: yeah, they're a bunch of agnostics,
00:29:13.710 --> 00:29:15.078
Atheists, theists.
00:29:15.078 --> 00:29:16.413
Tim: right, it's like, guys, now it's crazy talk.
00:29:16.413 --> 00:29:18.882
You're having to literally ignore
00:29:18.882 --> 00:29:20.617
And deny parts of history, but when we're
00:29:20.617 --> 00:29:23.119
Never taught those parts of history,
00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:25.155
We don't know that we're being lied
00:29:25.155 --> 00:29:27.023
To or the founding fathers are being misrepresented,
00:29:27.023 --> 00:29:29.726
Because we've never heard that.
00:29:29.726 --> 00:29:31.061
Kirk: well, that's why "the american story" is
00:29:31.061 --> 00:29:32.395
So important, because you're
00:29:32.395 --> 00:29:33.763
Laying all of this out for us, and we can--
00:29:33.763 --> 00:29:35.098
If we're-- especially for homeschoolers
00:29:35.098 --> 00:29:36.633
Who can go through all of this stuff
00:29:36.633 --> 00:29:38.168
And all of your online resources are amazing.
00:29:38.168 --> 00:29:40.337
I've got just a couple of minutes
00:29:40.337 --> 00:29:41.671
Before we go away to the break,
00:29:41.671 --> 00:29:43.006
And i want you to share with us what's
00:29:43.006 --> 00:29:46.176
Inside of these red folders and how this points
00:29:46.176 --> 00:29:49.679
To the biblical thinking of the signers
00:29:49.679 --> 00:29:53.783
Of the declaration.
00:29:53.783 --> 00:29:55.118
Tim: yeah, so this is the first
00:29:55.118 --> 00:29:57.087
Printing of the original draft of the declaration.
00:29:57.087 --> 00:29:59.489
So, when we decide to separate from great britain,
00:29:59.489 --> 00:30:01.458
There's a committee of five that has to come up
00:30:01.458 --> 00:30:03.126
With the explanation of why we're separated, right?
00:30:03.126 --> 00:30:05.462
Like they're writing the breakup letter.
00:30:05.462 --> 00:30:06.796
This is the breakup letter with england, with england,
00:30:06.796 --> 00:30:09.399
Saying this is why, like, the relationship
00:30:09.399 --> 00:30:11.268
Is not working, and by the way,
00:30:11.268 --> 00:30:12.602
It's not us, it's all you.
00:30:12.602 --> 00:30:13.970
Here's all your problems.
00:30:13.970 --> 00:30:15.305
It's a great breakup letter.
00:30:15.305 --> 00:30:16.640
And the famous paragraph is where it says we
00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:18.275
Hold these truths to be self-evident,
00:30:18.275 --> 00:30:19.643
All men are created equal.
00:30:19.643 --> 00:30:21.111
Most americans have heard that paragraph.
00:30:21.111 --> 00:30:23.647
What most americans don't know, it's
00:30:23.647 --> 00:30:25.615
A four-page document--.
00:30:25.615 --> 00:30:26.983
Kirk: and by the way, you got
00:30:26.983 --> 00:30:28.318
The handwriting of, like, benjamin franklin in there
00:30:28.318 --> 00:30:30.520
And other founders, which is amazing
00:30:30.520 --> 00:30:32.555
To see their own notes, they're scratching stuff out,
00:30:32.555 --> 00:30:34.724
Writing things in.
00:30:34.724 --> 00:30:36.059
Tim: yes.
00:30:36.059 --> 00:30:37.427
Kirk: but the part about slavery is
00:30:37.427 --> 00:30:38.762
What i want people to hear.
00:30:38.762 --> 00:30:40.096
Tim: so, on the third page-- in the original draft,
00:30:40.096 --> 00:30:41.464
There was 24 grievances.
00:30:41.464 --> 00:30:43.166
The last grievance, the 24th grievance,
00:30:43.166 --> 00:30:45.302
It's nearly half of the third page,
00:30:45.302 --> 00:30:48.505
And jefferson said this was the most
00:30:48.505 --> 00:30:50.407
Important grievance.
00:30:50.407 --> 00:30:51.741
It was a grievance against the slave trade,
00:30:51.741 --> 00:30:54.077
Arguing for the humanity of all that were
00:30:54.077 --> 00:30:55.645
Enslaved, and the reason was, he said, we know
00:30:55.645 --> 00:30:58.515
That this is evil, and we've actually
00:30:58.515 --> 00:31:00.717
In our colonies many times tried to pass laws
00:31:00.717 --> 00:31:03.086
Against this, and the king keeps
00:31:03.086 --> 00:31:04.421
Vetoing all our laws.
00:31:04.421 --> 00:31:05.889
Kirk: right, they couldn't pass the laws
00:31:05.889 --> 00:31:07.324
Because they were colonies of the king of england.
00:31:07.324 --> 00:31:09.559
And the king would say, no, we're keeping it,
00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:11.761
Keeping the slaves, keeping the slave trade.
00:31:11.761 --> 00:31:13.563
Tim: so of all the reasons that they wanted
00:31:13.563 --> 00:31:14.898
To separate, this was the largest
00:31:14.898 --> 00:31:16.766
Grievance, and the reason it didn't
00:31:16.766 --> 00:31:18.969
Make it into the final draft, jefferson actually
00:31:18.969 --> 00:31:21.204
In his journal, it's an easy place
00:31:21.204 --> 00:31:22.539
To go see this, because he laments
00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:24.274
With great sadness.
00:31:24.274 --> 00:31:25.608
He said, i'm so disappointed
00:31:25.608 --> 00:31:27.477
That there were two colonies
00:31:27.477 --> 00:31:28.812
That prevented this from final authorization,
00:31:28.812 --> 00:31:32.182
Because john hancock wisely said, guys,
00:31:32.182 --> 00:31:34.818
We're only gonna put in the final document
00:31:34.818 --> 00:31:36.186
What we unanimously agreed to, because otherwise
00:31:36.186 --> 00:31:38.188
The king might be able to pull us apart
00:31:38.188 --> 00:31:39.756
By our own local separate interests,
00:31:39.756 --> 00:31:41.458
And if we divide, we're gonna fail.
00:31:41.458 --> 00:31:43.827
The only way it works is we unite,
00:31:43.827 --> 00:31:45.428
So we have to all agree on everything we put in this.
00:31:45.428 --> 00:31:47.797
Kirk: yeah, so we've gotta find the common
00:31:47.797 --> 00:31:49.165
Denominator that we can 100% and unanimously agree
00:31:49.165 --> 00:31:51.468
On, we've got to leave the other stuff
00:31:51.468 --> 00:31:53.036
Out, we'll deal with those things later,
00:31:53.036 --> 00:31:54.838
And that became the issue of slavery.
00:31:54.838 --> 00:31:56.840
Tim: to the two colonies that said we've never tried
00:31:56.840 --> 00:31:59.409
To pass those laws, so like the king's
00:31:59.409 --> 00:32:01.544
Never vetoed our laws, we don't have a problem.
00:32:01.544 --> 00:32:03.146
Georgia and south carolina said we
00:32:03.146 --> 00:32:04.514
Don't think that needs to be included.
00:32:04.514 --> 00:32:06.449
And jefferson says i'm so disappointed
00:32:06.449 --> 00:32:08.718
That there weren't more strong sentiments
00:32:08.718 --> 00:32:11.154
From some of the abolitionists
00:32:11.154 --> 00:32:12.522
Of the north to convince them that--
00:32:12.522 --> 00:32:14.124
He said we could have stopped
00:32:14.124 --> 00:32:15.492
This extraorable commerce at the beginning
00:32:15.492 --> 00:32:18.561
Instead of having to wait.
00:32:18.561 --> 00:32:19.929
And actually, jefferson was president,
00:32:19.929 --> 00:32:21.264
And he's the one that signed the law
00:32:21.264 --> 00:32:22.632
Banning the slave trade in america,
00:32:22.632 --> 00:32:24.267
So it's actually kind of great for him
00:32:24.267 --> 00:32:25.935
That he gets to close the loop
00:32:25.935 --> 00:32:27.303
And have a little bow on that of his own sentiments
00:32:27.303 --> 00:32:29.305
In the beginning, but today we're told
00:32:29.305 --> 00:32:31.574
With the founding fathers, they wanted slavery,
00:32:31.574 --> 00:32:33.543
They wanted the slave trade.
00:32:33.543 --> 00:32:34.878
Actually, the vast majority of the founding
00:32:34.878 --> 00:32:37.147
Fathers were against it from the beginning.
00:32:37.147 --> 00:32:39.582
Kirk: that's right, they wanted to get
00:32:39.582 --> 00:32:41.551
Rid of slavery, but they couldn't
00:32:41.551 --> 00:32:43.653
Because they knew they were going up
00:32:43.653 --> 00:32:45.121
Against england, and they had to have
00:32:45.121 --> 00:32:47.190
Unanimous cohesive togetherness, or else,
00:32:47.190 --> 00:32:50.360
It was like, guys--.
00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:51.694
Who was it that said, look, we need
00:32:51.694 --> 00:32:53.229
To hang together guys or we will hang separately?
00:32:53.229 --> 00:32:55.832
Tim: benjamin franklin.
00:32:55.832 --> 00:32:57.200
Kirk: yeah, king is gonna hang us
00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:58.535
On separate trees if we don't-- and
00:32:58.535 --> 00:32:59.936
So, as i was told, the slavery issue
00:32:59.936 --> 00:33:03.073
Was essential for the new country; however,
00:33:03.073 --> 00:33:08.244
Because of georgia and south carolina,
00:33:08.244 --> 00:33:10.680
Not trying to dog on these states
00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:12.148
And the people there now, but they didn't want
00:33:12.148 --> 00:33:15.085
To get rid of it, and so they had
00:33:15.085 --> 00:33:16.686
To maybe put that off for the next generation
00:33:16.686 --> 00:33:18.755
Or until later.
00:33:18.755 --> 00:33:20.590
Tim: which, by the way, even saying like georgia
00:33:20.590 --> 00:33:21.958
And south carolina didn't want to get rid of it,
00:33:21.958 --> 00:33:23.660
If you go to the 1770s, there is not a place
00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:26.729
In the world at that time where there wasn't slavery,
00:33:26.729 --> 00:33:28.965
And to go further, there were no political
00:33:28.965 --> 00:33:31.401
Leaders anywhere in the world at that time that didn't
00:33:31.401 --> 00:33:34.471
Have slaves.
00:33:34.471 --> 00:33:35.805
Kirk: that's right, this was just
00:33:35.805 --> 00:33:37.140
Common business practice.
00:33:37.140 --> 00:33:38.508
Tim: it was universal.
00:33:38.508 --> 00:33:39.843
Kirk: universally all over the world,
00:33:39.843 --> 00:33:41.211
And not just during the founding era,
00:33:41.211 --> 00:33:42.545
But for all of human history.
00:33:42.545 --> 00:33:44.180
How do you think that the pyramids got built?
00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:46.649
How did the tower of babel get built?
00:33:46.649 --> 00:33:48.785
How did the great wall of china get built?
00:33:48.785 --> 00:33:50.820
You have peasants, and you have slaves.
00:33:50.820 --> 00:33:53.389
Tim: right.
00:33:53.389 --> 00:33:54.724
Kirk: you have this cheap slave labor.
00:33:54.724 --> 00:33:56.092
Tim: literally in the bible, it's early
00:33:56.092 --> 00:33:57.460
On in genesis.
00:33:57.460 --> 00:33:58.795
Joseph, the coat of many colors, he gets sold
00:33:58.795 --> 00:34:00.697
By his brothers, the bible says,
00:34:00.697 --> 00:34:02.932
To slave traders from egypt.
00:34:02.932 --> 00:34:05.835
Kirk: yeah, way back in the beginning of genesis.
00:34:05.835 --> 00:34:07.303
Tim: that's literally from the beginning of the bible.
00:34:07.303 --> 00:34:09.606
Kirk: and so this has always
00:34:09.606 --> 00:34:11.040
Been a blight on humanity is that-- if we found
00:34:11.040 --> 00:34:14.878
Out something to do that benefits us
00:34:14.878 --> 00:34:17.046
More than killing our brother,
00:34:17.046 --> 00:34:18.381
We'll just turn him into our slave.
00:34:18.381 --> 00:34:20.216
Tim: right.
00:34:20.216 --> 00:34:21.551
Kirk: and the founders were against that, why?
00:34:21.551 --> 00:34:23.186
Not because they were poor businessmen,
00:34:23.186 --> 00:34:24.954
But because they were good christians
00:34:24.954 --> 00:34:26.589
Who understood what the bible taught
00:34:26.589 --> 00:34:28.458
About the image of god in every man.
00:34:28.458 --> 00:34:30.326
Tim: and because of their christian
00:34:30.326 --> 00:34:31.761
Foundation, the very first political movement
00:34:31.761 --> 00:34:34.731
Against slavery anywhere in the world started
00:34:34.731 --> 00:34:37.167
In america with founding fathers.
00:34:37.167 --> 00:34:39.202
And it wasn't, as we mentioned,
00:34:39.202 --> 00:34:40.537
It wasn't totally united, because there were
00:34:40.537 --> 00:34:41.905
Some founding fathers that actually were
00:34:41.905 --> 00:34:43.840
In favor of preserving an institution
00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:45.875
That was very evil, but the majority of the founding
00:34:45.875 --> 00:34:49.078
Fathers were very strongly against it.
00:34:49.078 --> 00:34:51.581
Kirk: i want to get to more of what's
00:34:51.581 --> 00:34:52.982
On this table and the founding of america.
00:34:52.982 --> 00:34:55.385
We'll be back with more insights
00:34:55.385 --> 00:34:57.153
About our country's history and what we can teach
00:34:57.153 --> 00:34:59.489
Future generations to learn and appreciate
00:34:59.489 --> 00:35:02.425
About the freedoms we have as a nation, so stay with us.
00:35:02.425 --> 00:35:06.196
[music]
00:35:06.196 --> 00:35:11.004
[music]
00:35:11.004 --> 00:35:11.868
[music]
00:35:12.202 --> 00:35:18.741
Kirk: we're back, tim barton, president of wall builders,
00:35:18.741 --> 00:35:21.477
Is with us to share stories of america's
00:35:21.477 --> 00:35:23.947
Historical past and artifacts from the past
00:35:23.947 --> 00:35:27.350
That will give us great appreciation
00:35:27.350 --> 00:35:29.919
For our country and a direction
00:35:29.919 --> 00:35:32.188
For the future generations and to talk with them
00:35:32.188 --> 00:35:35.024
About the precious cost of freedom.
00:35:35.024 --> 00:35:38.228
You know, some people in other countries
00:35:38.228 --> 00:35:40.563
And cultures would say that freedom's not a good idea.
00:35:40.563 --> 00:35:44.000
You americans have got the whole thing wrong.
00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:46.236
Don't you know people do bad things
00:35:46.236 --> 00:35:47.837
When you give them freedom?
00:35:47.837 --> 00:35:49.172
Better to lock them down, and i'm thinking of nations
00:35:49.172 --> 00:35:51.774
That are totalitarian regimes, and it does work.
00:35:51.774 --> 00:35:54.477
I mean, if you go to a prison, you're gonna find out
00:35:54.477 --> 00:35:57.380
That pretty much people do what they say,
00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:59.616
Because they're under the threat of punishment.
00:35:59.616 --> 00:36:01.751
You don't just let them go and be free,
00:36:01.751 --> 00:36:04.787
And that's the whole reason i understand
00:36:04.787 --> 00:36:07.090
That america worked and that freedom was possible
00:36:07.090 --> 00:36:11.094
And celebrated is because the people were good.
00:36:11.094 --> 00:36:13.129
Tim: right?
00:36:13.129 --> 00:36:14.497
Kirk: they were actually good.
00:36:14.497 --> 00:36:15.832
They didn't do the bad things,
00:36:15.832 --> 00:36:17.667
And the reason they were good was because they
00:36:17.667 --> 00:36:20.937
Had built their form of government
00:36:20.937 --> 00:36:23.172
And their character on the bible and the gospel.
00:36:23.172 --> 00:36:26.976
Without that, the other guys are right,
00:36:26.976 --> 00:36:29.679
Freedom's a bad idea.
00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:31.047
Tim: well, there's only two ways to control people,
00:36:31.047 --> 00:36:32.849
Either internally or externally, right?
00:36:32.849 --> 00:36:34.951
Which is what we're talking about.
00:36:34.951 --> 00:36:36.286
Either you're controlled by internal moral values,
00:36:36.286 --> 00:36:38.488
Or you have to have some kind of police force,
00:36:38.488 --> 00:36:41.758
Military force to control bad behavior,
00:36:41.758 --> 00:36:44.661
And this is why the founding fathers,
00:36:44.661 --> 00:36:46.262
George washington in his farewell address
00:36:46.262 --> 00:36:47.730
When he's giving his last advice to america,
00:36:47.730 --> 00:36:50.133
One of the very significant pieces
00:36:50.133 --> 00:36:51.934
That unfortunately gets overlooked today,
00:36:51.934 --> 00:36:54.203
He said of all of the habits and dispositions
00:36:54.203 --> 00:36:57.206
Which lead to our political prosperity,
00:36:57.206 --> 00:37:00.176
Religion and morality are the indispensable supports,
00:37:00.176 --> 00:37:03.413
Meaning of all the things we could do to help
00:37:03.413 --> 00:37:05.348
America survive and succeed in the future,
00:37:05.348 --> 00:37:07.950
The things you cannot do without, the indispensable
00:37:07.950 --> 00:37:10.720
Supports, you have to have this, are religion
00:37:10.720 --> 00:37:12.522
And morality.
00:37:12.522 --> 00:37:13.890
Kirk: and when he spoke about religion,
00:37:13.890 --> 00:37:15.224
Was he talking about islam?
00:37:15.224 --> 00:37:16.559
Was he talking about buddhism?
00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:18.061
Was he talking about anything specific?
00:37:18.061 --> 00:37:20.663
Tim: so, it's a great question, which
00:37:20.663 --> 00:37:22.699
There's several more quotes i would love
00:37:22.699 --> 00:37:24.033
To point to that give clarity.
00:37:24.033 --> 00:37:26.002
The bottom line is when they talked about religion,
00:37:26.002 --> 00:37:28.938
They're talking about christianity,
00:37:28.938 --> 00:37:30.273
When they talk about morality, they're talking about the bible.
00:37:30.273 --> 00:37:32.241
And there's actually great clarity
00:37:32.241 --> 00:37:33.609
In some of the founders' writings where there
00:37:33.609 --> 00:37:35.878
Is no greater religion than christianity,
00:37:35.878 --> 00:37:37.580
And there's no greater morals than those found
00:37:37.580 --> 00:37:39.349
From the decalogue, the sermon on the
00:37:39.349 --> 00:37:40.683
Mount, et cetera.
00:37:40.683 --> 00:37:42.051
So it was talking about the bible,
00:37:42.051 --> 00:37:43.386
And that is very, very clear.
00:37:43.386 --> 00:37:44.754
There is something different about
00:37:44.754 --> 00:37:46.089
Christianity, it's real.
00:37:46.089 --> 00:37:47.457
The founding fathers understood and believed that.
00:37:47.457 --> 00:37:48.791
And also, just practically, they said if we don't
00:37:48.791 --> 00:37:51.794
Have the right foundation-- and the reason
00:37:51.794 --> 00:37:53.863
Is john adams actually the following year
00:37:53.863 --> 00:37:55.665
When he became president, the next year he
00:37:55.665 --> 00:37:57.734
Then wrote a letter to the militia
00:37:57.734 --> 00:37:59.535
Of massachusetts, and this is
00:37:59.535 --> 00:38:00.970
Where the very famous line from the letter
00:38:00.970 --> 00:38:02.638
Where he says, "our constitution
00:38:02.638 --> 00:38:04.273
Was made only for a moral and religious people.
00:38:04.273 --> 00:38:07.076
It's wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
00:38:07.076 --> 00:38:09.645
What he's explaining is our constitution
00:38:09.645 --> 00:38:11.481
Was built that we, the people are in charge,
00:38:11.481 --> 00:38:14.117
That we--.
00:38:14.117 --> 00:38:15.485
Kirk: we're co-kings, we're gonna rule the place.
00:38:15.485 --> 00:38:18.588
Tim: he said but it's built on this notion
00:38:18.588 --> 00:38:20.823
That we're in charge, by the way, that
00:38:20.823 --> 00:38:22.191
Like we give freedom to people,
00:38:22.191 --> 00:38:23.793
But freedom only works if you have a moral foundation.
00:38:23.793 --> 00:38:26.996
Because if you give freedom to immoral people,
00:38:26.996 --> 00:38:28.364
I mean, it's like chicago on a bad weekend.
00:38:28.364 --> 00:38:31.300
That's not great.
00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:32.635
You don't really want to be there.
00:38:32.635 --> 00:38:33.970
Kirk: so then you bring in the feds to have to like,
00:38:33.970 --> 00:38:35.571
You know, beat down the bad guys
00:38:35.571 --> 00:38:37.306
And restore order.
00:38:37.306 --> 00:38:38.641
But if you're good from the heart,
00:38:38.641 --> 00:38:41.411
Then de tocqueville was, you know, attributed
00:38:41.411 --> 00:38:44.747
As saying that if you cease
00:38:44.747 --> 00:38:46.649
To be good, you will cease to be great, that's the secret.
00:38:46.649 --> 00:38:49.986
Tim: right, this is what the founding
00:38:49.986 --> 00:38:51.421
Fathers explained very well in their writings,
00:38:51.421 --> 00:38:53.956
And i have a chance throughout the year
00:38:53.956 --> 00:38:57.527
That i'll speak at universities,
00:38:57.527 --> 00:38:58.861
I'll speak at high schools, and i love
00:38:58.861 --> 00:39:00.663
To play trivia games with students, usually
00:39:00.663 --> 00:39:03.433
Because when you're talking with young people,
00:39:03.433 --> 00:39:05.435
Until they realize they don't know as much
00:39:05.435 --> 00:39:07.670
As they thought they did, they're not always open
00:39:07.670 --> 00:39:09.806
To new ideas and concepts.
00:39:09.806 --> 00:39:11.174
So i'll show the picture
00:39:11.174 --> 00:39:12.742
Of the signers of the declaration.
00:39:12.742 --> 00:39:14.076
I'll say, hey, if you can tell me
00:39:14.076 --> 00:39:15.912
Who five of these guys are, i usually will have
00:39:15.912 --> 00:39:17.947
Like a $20 chick fil a gift card,
00:39:17.947 --> 00:39:19.315
And i'm like i'll give you a $20 chick
00:39:19.315 --> 00:39:20.750
Fil a gift card.
00:39:20.750 --> 00:39:22.084
I've had the same gift card for 9 years.
00:39:22.084 --> 00:39:25.788
But the point i'm making is like, look,
00:39:25.788 --> 00:39:28.057
You have a lot of opinions, and you know nothing
00:39:28.057 --> 00:39:31.060
About these guys.
00:39:31.060 --> 00:39:32.428
Like, you can't even tell me who five of them are,
00:39:32.428 --> 00:39:34.564
And yet you know that, well, they
00:39:34.564 --> 00:39:36.132
Weren't religious, they were all these racist,
00:39:36.132 --> 00:39:37.700
Bigoted slaveholders, they want
00:39:37.700 --> 00:39:39.101
A separation of church and state.
00:39:39.101 --> 00:39:40.870
You go through the accusations,
00:39:40.870 --> 00:39:42.205
And you're convinced that must be true,
00:39:42.205 --> 00:39:43.673
But you don't even know any of them their stories.
00:39:43.673 --> 00:39:45.241
Kirk: that's right, we're just repeating things
00:39:45.241 --> 00:39:46.609
That we've read, heard on social media.
00:39:46.609 --> 00:39:49.212
Tim: right, and if we took a little time
00:39:49.212 --> 00:39:50.580
To actually learn some of them.
00:39:50.580 --> 00:39:51.914
Like john witherspoon was the president of
00:39:51.914 --> 00:39:54.116
Princeton university.
00:39:54.116 --> 00:39:55.485
He was actually a pastor from scotland,
00:39:55.485 --> 00:39:57.019
Was part of the scottish great awakening.
00:39:57.019 --> 00:39:58.855
Back in the day, you couldn't be
00:39:58.855 --> 00:40:00.189
The president of a university if you weren't a pastor.
00:40:00.189 --> 00:40:02.391
And so when princeton needed a new university--
00:40:02.391 --> 00:40:05.428
Excuse me, a new president for the university,
00:40:05.428 --> 00:40:07.430
They were a presbyterian school, and so there
00:40:07.430 --> 00:40:09.632
Were some other founding fathers, james wilson
00:40:09.632 --> 00:40:11.434
And benjamin rush, and they said we
00:40:11.434 --> 00:40:12.802
Need a presbyterian pastor to be the president,
00:40:12.802 --> 00:40:14.937
And so they went looking.
00:40:14.937 --> 00:40:16.272
Well, the pastor that they thought
00:40:16.272 --> 00:40:18.140
Would be amazing was this guy named
00:40:18.140 --> 00:40:19.642
John witherspoon, who was part of the scottish
00:40:19.642 --> 00:40:21.878
Revivals and scottish awakening, and they're
00:40:21.878 --> 00:40:24.013
Like let's get that dude.
00:40:24.013 --> 00:40:25.381
So they recruit him to come to america to be
00:40:25.381 --> 00:40:27.216
The president of princeton as a pastor.
00:40:27.216 --> 00:40:29.018
He comes to princeton.
00:40:29.018 --> 00:40:30.386
He actually runs the church there
00:40:30.386 --> 00:40:32.588
In the town, and so he's an active pastor.
00:40:32.588 --> 00:40:35.024
When we separate from great britain,
00:40:35.024 --> 00:40:36.359
He's very vocal, involved.
00:40:36.359 --> 00:40:37.793
Well, this is a bible that he's actually
00:40:37.793 --> 00:40:40.029
Responsible for.
00:40:40.029 --> 00:40:41.397
It was considered a family bible,
00:40:41.397 --> 00:40:44.000
Because it was the first bible
00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:45.401
That was large enough that families could gather
00:40:45.401 --> 00:40:47.103
Around the dinner table and they could read it together.
00:40:47.103 --> 00:40:49.605
And this was done by a pastor
00:40:49.605 --> 00:40:53.209
Who signed the declaration.
00:40:53.209 --> 00:40:54.544
And the reason like he's worth noting
00:40:54.544 --> 00:40:56.078
For lots of reasons, but the one in this instance
00:40:56.078 --> 00:40:59.215
Is when people think the founding
00:40:59.215 --> 00:41:00.650
Fathers weren't religious, then explain john witherspoon
00:41:00.650 --> 00:41:03.352
To me.
00:41:03.352 --> 00:41:04.720
Kirk: because he was a pastor, he was
00:41:04.720 --> 00:41:06.055
Also the president of princeton university, and he
00:41:06.055 --> 00:41:07.890
Was a signer of the declaration
00:41:07.890 --> 00:41:09.225
Of independence.
00:41:09.225 --> 00:41:10.593
Tim: he's a pretty famous guy, and
00:41:10.593 --> 00:41:11.961
Even the reason he was recruited to come
00:41:11.961 --> 00:41:13.329
To america is because he was helping lead
00:41:13.329 --> 00:41:15.097
The scottish revivals for the scottish awakening.
00:41:15.097 --> 00:41:17.533
Kirk: and they knew that that was
00:41:17.533 --> 00:41:18.868
An essential ingredient to bake the cake of freedom.
00:41:18.868 --> 00:41:22.605
Tim: right, but today most people
00:41:22.605 --> 00:41:23.973
Have never heard the name john witherspoon.
00:41:23.973 --> 00:41:26.042
But if you just go look him up, you're like, oh,
00:41:26.042 --> 00:41:28.678
This guy's not who the founding fathers
00:41:28.678 --> 00:41:31.347
Are accused of being today, he's the exact opposite.
00:41:31.347 --> 00:41:34.850
Kirk: yeah, and talk about the little
00:41:34.850 --> 00:41:36.352
Book right there.
00:41:36.352 --> 00:41:37.720
Is that another bible?
00:41:37.720 --> 00:41:39.055
Tim: so this is a hymn book.
00:41:39.055 --> 00:41:40.423
It's called "the psalms of david."
00:41:40.423 --> 00:41:41.757
It was done in 1767 by another signer
00:41:41.757 --> 00:41:43.926
Of the declaration, francis hopkinson.
00:41:43.926 --> 00:41:45.962
Francis hopkinson-- actually, we're in nashville,
00:41:45.962 --> 00:41:48.831
He would have been great here, because he was a very
00:41:48.831 --> 00:41:51.067
Noted musician.
00:41:51.067 --> 00:41:52.435
He actually helped invent some new
00:41:52.435 --> 00:41:53.769
Instruments, which is a crazy thought.
00:41:53.769 --> 00:41:56.038
He was a professional on almost every instrument
00:41:56.038 --> 00:41:59.642
There was, incredibly gifted.
00:41:59.642 --> 00:42:01.477
Well, he was the music minister, the worship
00:42:01.477 --> 00:42:03.479
Leader of his church, and one of the things
00:42:03.479 --> 00:42:06.015
That he thought would be really beneficial is
00:42:06.015 --> 00:42:08.884
If they took the 150 psalms and set them to music,
00:42:08.884 --> 00:42:12.521
And that's what this book is.
00:42:12.521 --> 00:42:13.856
This is the book that he took the 150 psalms,
00:42:13.856 --> 00:42:16.225
And he set all 150 psalms to music.
00:42:16.225 --> 00:42:18.728
Kirk: to music?
00:42:18.728 --> 00:42:20.096
Tim: so that his church could sing the psalms
00:42:20.096 --> 00:42:21.430
Like he imagined david did.
00:42:21.430 --> 00:42:22.765
Which psalm 119 is that one psalm
00:42:22.765 --> 00:42:24.266
In your bible that you get to and you turn this page,
00:42:24.266 --> 00:42:26.402
Like you're this psalm doesn't end.
00:42:26.402 --> 00:42:27.737
Kirk: yeah, really, really long.
00:42:27.737 --> 00:42:29.105
Tim: it's 36 pages in this hymn book.
00:42:29.105 --> 00:42:31.440
Kirk: set to music?
00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:32.775
Tim: set to-- that's an entire church
00:42:32.775 --> 00:42:34.710
Service, right?
00:42:34.710 --> 00:42:36.078
Like, i don't know when you were gonna
00:42:36.078 --> 00:42:37.680
Sing this, but the reason i pointed
00:42:37.680 --> 00:42:40.182
Out is, it's something that-- these are known things.
00:42:40.182 --> 00:42:44.053
So when people talk about the founding
00:42:44.053 --> 00:42:45.388
Fathers not being-- and i just picked two.
00:42:45.388 --> 00:42:47.289
I could pick dozens of them as examples.
00:42:47.289 --> 00:42:50.192
When you look up and you're like,
00:42:50.192 --> 00:42:51.560
Wait a second, so this guy was
00:42:51.560 --> 00:42:52.895
The worship pastor at his church,
00:42:52.895 --> 00:42:54.630
And you're telling me he wasn't religious,
00:42:54.630 --> 00:42:56.565
He didn't believe in god?
00:42:56.565 --> 00:42:58.434
Then why is he the worship leader
00:42:58.434 --> 00:42:59.769
At his church?
00:42:59.769 --> 00:43:01.137
It makes no sense, but you can only
00:43:01.137 --> 00:43:02.538
Make the accusation if you don't know
00:43:02.538 --> 00:43:04.573
Who the founding fathers were, which is
00:43:04.573 --> 00:43:06.976
Where we are today.
00:43:06.976 --> 00:43:08.310
Kirk: that's right, and there are
00:43:08.310 --> 00:43:09.679
So many stories, like you said.
00:43:09.679 --> 00:43:11.013
One of my favorites is about the aitken bible,
00:43:11.013 --> 00:43:12.615
And that was-- please, fill in the details
00:43:12.615 --> 00:43:15.918
If you need to, but there was a bible
00:43:15.918 --> 00:43:18.087
That was actually printed by a guy named
00:43:18.087 --> 00:43:20.056
Robert aitken, and it was around the time
00:43:20.056 --> 00:43:22.725
Where they were realizing that we don't have
00:43:22.725 --> 00:43:24.493
Bibles here for everybody, and the bibles
00:43:24.493 --> 00:43:27.196
That were in english were owned by the british crown.
00:43:27.196 --> 00:43:30.399
We had the king james bible, and it was like, well,
00:43:30.399 --> 00:43:32.268
Wait a minute, we need bibles here.
00:43:32.268 --> 00:43:33.869
We can't just ask the king for this stuff.
00:43:33.869 --> 00:43:35.838
We just went to war with him.
00:43:35.838 --> 00:43:37.206
And so, he gets permission from congress
00:43:37.206 --> 00:43:40.242
To print a bible in english in america for
00:43:40.242 --> 00:43:44.513
The distribution into schools so that all the inhabitants
00:43:44.513 --> 00:43:47.349
Of america could read the bible
00:43:47.349 --> 00:43:49.351
So that they wouldn't be deceived by the devil,
00:43:49.351 --> 00:43:51.721
So that they would have genuine faith
00:43:51.721 --> 00:43:53.689
And moral character, and congress heartily
00:43:53.689 --> 00:43:57.326
Put their stamp of approval on it, and right there
00:43:57.326 --> 00:43:59.729
In the introduction, it says
00:43:59.729 --> 00:44:01.530
By the secretary of the congress assembled that we
00:44:01.530 --> 00:44:04.767
Highly recommend the reading of this bible
00:44:04.767 --> 00:44:07.570
To all the inhabitants of america.
00:44:07.570 --> 00:44:09.905
This is congress.
00:44:09.905 --> 00:44:11.273
Tim: exactly right, yeah, and the reason is
00:44:11.273 --> 00:44:13.442
Because under the king, this goes back
00:44:13.442 --> 00:44:15.277
To the king james, there was like
00:44:15.277 --> 00:44:16.612
A little controversy but relative.
00:44:16.612 --> 00:44:18.748
It was because of the geneva bible.
00:44:18.748 --> 00:44:20.116
The geneva bible, which the bible you know,
00:44:20.116 --> 00:44:22.151
The bible of the reformation had all these commentaries
00:44:22.151 --> 00:44:24.086
In it.
00:44:24.086 --> 00:44:25.421
The commentaries often spoke critically
00:44:25.421 --> 00:44:27.757
Of some of the things the kings were doing.
00:44:27.757 --> 00:44:29.725
Kirk: yeah, it took romans 13,
00:44:29.725 --> 00:44:32.161
And it put it in its right context,
00:44:32.161 --> 00:44:33.763
And it says but when the king
00:44:33.763 --> 00:44:35.765
Essentially stops being a servant of god
00:44:35.765 --> 00:44:37.833
For the good of the people, he becomes a tyrant.
00:44:37.833 --> 00:44:40.202
Tim: right, well, so this leads
00:44:40.202 --> 00:44:41.537
To the banning of the geneva bible.
00:44:41.537 --> 00:44:43.205
Kirk: it didn't go well with the with the king.
00:44:43.205 --> 00:44:44.540
Tim: not popular.
00:44:44.540 --> 00:44:45.908
So the king, and it's actually
00:44:45.908 --> 00:44:47.243
King james, king james banned the geneva bible.
00:44:47.243 --> 00:44:49.445
He printed the king james bible,
00:44:49.445 --> 00:44:50.780
Which removed all the commentaries.
00:44:50.780 --> 00:44:52.181
There was a big propaganda campaign
00:44:52.181 --> 00:44:53.549
When it came out, but what happened
00:44:53.549 --> 00:44:55.284
Is there were laws under king james
00:44:55.284 --> 00:44:56.719
That said you cannot print any bibles
00:44:56.719 --> 00:44:58.954
Or even religious commentary in english unless authorized
00:44:58.954 --> 00:45:02.491
By the king, because we were
00:45:02.491 --> 00:45:03.859
Under the king, we could never do
00:45:03.859 --> 00:45:05.194
That in america.
00:45:05.194 --> 00:45:06.562
Once we separate, and this is where aitken goes
00:45:06.562 --> 00:45:08.364
To congress and say, guys, we've never
00:45:08.364 --> 00:45:09.698
Been allowed to, but maybe could we now?
00:45:09.698 --> 00:45:12.101
And congress says, well, it's gotta be good
00:45:12.101 --> 00:45:14.470
If we do it.
00:45:14.470 --> 00:45:15.805
So they actually appointed a committee,
00:45:15.805 --> 00:45:17.139
They chose some theologians to oversee it,
00:45:17.139 --> 00:45:18.974
But ultimately they were like he did a great job,
00:45:18.974 --> 00:45:21.477
And so they wrote an endorsement
00:45:21.477 --> 00:45:22.812
That he actually put in the front of the bible
00:45:22.812 --> 00:45:24.980
Where congress, as you mentioned,
00:45:24.980 --> 00:45:26.782
They didn't just authorize and approve him to do it,
00:45:26.782 --> 00:45:29.785
Which they did, they also endorsed it.
00:45:29.785 --> 00:45:31.654
So the first bible printed in english in america
00:45:31.654 --> 00:45:34.156
Was printed with the approval,
00:45:34.156 --> 00:45:35.491
The authorization, and the endorsement--.
00:45:35.491 --> 00:45:37.393
Kirk: yeah, the recommendation that it be read.
00:45:37.393 --> 00:45:39.495
Tim: of the founding fathers.
00:45:39.495 --> 00:45:42.464
Kirk: you say at the very
00:45:42.464 --> 00:45:43.833
End of your book, two things are certain.
00:45:43.833 --> 00:45:45.668
In the past, america had strong
00:45:45.668 --> 00:45:47.603
Biblical foundations, and two, the direction
00:45:47.603 --> 00:45:50.406
In which we are currently heading
00:45:50.406 --> 00:45:51.941
Is very unbiblical.
00:45:51.941 --> 00:45:54.210
What can we do to make a difference?
00:45:54.210 --> 00:45:55.544
Tim: yeah, i think one of the big things,
00:45:55.544 --> 00:45:56.946
And this should be an easy one for
00:45:56.946 --> 00:45:58.314
Christians, is we have to spend more time in our word.
00:45:58.314 --> 00:46:01.016
And it's the obvious one, but what we are seeing
00:46:01.016 --> 00:46:03.752
So much in our culture, and actually,
00:46:03.752 --> 00:46:05.120
I think there's a positive trend,
00:46:05.120 --> 00:46:06.789
Because i think we're in the midst
00:46:06.789 --> 00:46:08.157
Of another revival, like historically,
00:46:08.157 --> 00:46:09.525
When you track what happens in revivals, i think we're
00:46:09.525 --> 00:46:11.360
In a revival right now.
00:46:11.360 --> 00:46:12.728
I think what we saw when you go back
00:46:12.728 --> 00:46:14.997
To like the charlie kirk memorial,
00:46:14.997 --> 00:46:16.365
When 100 million people are live streaming
00:46:16.365 --> 00:46:19.034
The largest church service we've ever seen
00:46:19.034 --> 00:46:20.669
In our lifetime where you literally
00:46:20.669 --> 00:46:22.238
Have government officials giving
00:46:22.238 --> 00:46:23.572
The gospel message, i think we're seeing
00:46:23.572 --> 00:46:25.875
Revival happening around us, and so i think there's
00:46:25.875 --> 00:46:28.911
A lot of positive components, but ultimately,
00:46:28.911 --> 00:46:31.580
If we're not people that get back
00:46:31.580 --> 00:46:32.948
To the word of god, and we just have
00:46:32.948 --> 00:46:34.750
A spiritual moment, the reason the awakenings
00:46:34.750 --> 00:46:38.254
Were different is because there was an emphasis
00:46:38.254 --> 00:46:40.456
On what does the bible say?
00:46:40.456 --> 00:46:41.790
And how do we apply the bible to every aspect of culture?
00:46:41.790 --> 00:46:44.827
Which is why even like the second great
00:46:44.827 --> 00:46:46.161
Awakening, it's really interesting
00:46:46.161 --> 00:46:48.397
That in the second great awakening,
00:46:48.397 --> 00:46:49.732
That's the most divided time in american history,
00:46:49.732 --> 00:46:51.667
Because this was a time leading up
00:46:51.667 --> 00:46:53.235
To the civil war, but you have guys
00:46:53.235 --> 00:46:55.271
Like charles finney, the most noted pastor
00:46:55.271 --> 00:46:57.006
From the second great awakening,
00:46:57.006 --> 00:46:58.540
And charles finney is a noted
00:46:58.540 --> 00:47:00.309
Leader of the abolition movement, and it was
00:47:00.309 --> 00:47:02.544
Because of the way he read and understood
00:47:02.544 --> 00:47:05.781
And applied the bible.
00:47:05.781 --> 00:47:07.149
He said if you're a christian, you have
00:47:07.149 --> 00:47:08.651
To be actively opposing evil, 'cause that's what
00:47:08.651 --> 00:47:11.220
Christians should do.
00:47:11.220 --> 00:47:13.055
And so part of the awakenings
00:47:13.055 --> 00:47:14.657
That were different than some of our modern
00:47:14.657 --> 00:47:16.625
Spiritual movements.
00:47:16.625 --> 00:47:17.993
Modern spiritual movements, we read the bible
00:47:17.993 --> 00:47:19.628
For personal edification more than
00:47:19.628 --> 00:47:22.097
Practical application in many ways.
00:47:22.097 --> 00:47:23.933
In the awakenings they were reading the bible
00:47:23.933 --> 00:47:26.268
For practical application.
00:47:26.268 --> 00:47:27.870
So what i would encourage--.
00:47:27.870 --> 00:47:29.204
Kirk: to set men free.
00:47:29.204 --> 00:47:30.539
Tim: right, what i would encourage
00:47:30.539 --> 00:47:31.907
Is christians first of all, we have
00:47:31.907 --> 00:47:33.642
To become better students of the bible.
00:47:33.642 --> 00:47:36.412
We need to be poring over the bible
00:47:36.412 --> 00:47:39.348
And not just for our spiritual edification,
00:47:39.348 --> 00:47:41.383
Although the bible certainly does that.
00:47:41.383 --> 00:47:43.218
We ought to be going, okay, so then what should we be doing?
00:47:43.218 --> 00:47:46.922
How should i be raising my family?
00:47:46.922 --> 00:47:48.724
How should i be working at my business,
00:47:48.724 --> 00:47:50.626
Whether i'm the boss or the employee?
00:47:50.626 --> 00:47:52.061
How should i be interacting with my community?
00:47:52.061 --> 00:47:53.996
How should i be interacting with politics and government
00:47:53.996 --> 00:47:56.665
Or even voting?
00:47:56.665 --> 00:47:58.033
The bible actually informs all of that,
00:47:58.033 --> 00:47:59.868
And if we don't get back to being
00:47:59.868 --> 00:48:01.937
Students of the word and applying the word
00:48:01.937 --> 00:48:04.073
To what we do, then we're never
00:48:04.073 --> 00:48:06.041
Gonna change the trajectory of america
00:48:06.041 --> 00:48:08.310
Going the wrong direction.
00:48:08.310 --> 00:48:10.012
But what's so comforting studying
00:48:10.012 --> 00:48:11.680
And knowing history is that you pick any atrocity
00:48:11.680 --> 00:48:15.517
In american history which people often like
00:48:15.517 --> 00:48:17.219
To accuse america of being so evil, and i'm like,
00:48:17.219 --> 00:48:18.754
Look, let's go down that road for a second.
00:48:18.754 --> 00:48:21.457
You pick any atrocity, whether it was
00:48:21.457 --> 00:48:23.092
The witch trials, it was the indian removal,
00:48:23.092 --> 00:48:24.793
It was slavery, any atrocity you want,
00:48:24.793 --> 00:48:26.795
And i'm gonna ask the question, how did it end?
00:48:26.795 --> 00:48:29.264
And who led the opposition movements?
00:48:29.264 --> 00:48:31.767
And without exception, it was always christians,
00:48:31.767 --> 00:48:34.236
The church, and pastors who were the leaders.
00:48:34.236 --> 00:48:37.339
Every time america turned the right direction,
00:48:37.339 --> 00:48:40.175
It was because of christians in the church.
00:48:40.175 --> 00:48:42.044
Kirk: that's right.
00:48:42.044 --> 00:48:43.379
Tim: and if we do it again, it will only be
00:48:43.379 --> 00:48:44.913
Because of christians and the church.
00:48:44.913 --> 00:48:46.915
God is on the move right now.
00:48:46.915 --> 00:48:48.250
I think it's happening right now,
00:48:48.250 --> 00:48:50.019
But we want to be active participants
00:48:50.019 --> 00:48:51.720
In what's going on.
00:48:51.720 --> 00:48:53.055
Kirk: man, tim, thank you so much.
00:48:53.055 --> 00:48:54.990
Well done, as always.
00:48:54.990 --> 00:48:57.026
I'm so thankful for wall builders,
00:48:57.026 --> 00:48:58.694
For your family, and for all the stuff
00:48:58.694 --> 00:49:00.095
That you're doing, keep it up.
00:49:00.095 --> 00:49:01.463
Don't quit, don't back down, never, never stop.
00:49:01.463 --> 00:49:03.298
Tim: thank you.
00:49:03.298 --> 00:49:04.800
Kirk: after the break, we'll review today's takeaways.
00:49:04.800 --> 00:49:08.003
[music]
00:49:08.003 --> 00:49:13.003
[music]
00:49:13.003 --> 00:49:13.842
[music]
00:49:14.176 --> 00:49:20.783
Kirk: what if much of what
00:49:20.783 --> 00:49:22.117
We've been taught about america's founding
00:49:22.117 --> 00:49:23.919
Is not the full story?
00:49:23.919 --> 00:49:26.055
Today i had an eye-opening conversation with
00:49:26.055 --> 00:49:28.223
Tim barton about the real men and women
00:49:28.223 --> 00:49:30.692
Behind our nation.
00:49:30.692 --> 00:49:32.061
Tim shared rich history, documents, and artifacts
00:49:32.061 --> 00:49:35.798
That challenge the common narrative
00:49:35.798 --> 00:49:37.900
And make it clear, faith in god shaped
00:49:37.900 --> 00:49:40.702
Our nation from the beginning.
00:49:40.702 --> 00:49:43.338
Let's look at today's takeaways.
00:49:43.338 --> 00:49:45.908
Don't rely on modern history.
00:49:45.908 --> 00:49:48.844
In a day where fake news, propaganda, and ai seem
00:49:48.844 --> 00:49:52.648
To be driving the narratives, rewriting our country's
00:49:52.648 --> 00:49:55.851
History, tim consistently encouraged us
00:49:55.851 --> 00:49:58.687
To go back to the original
00:49:58.687 --> 00:50:00.189
Documents themselves, and when we do,
00:50:00.189 --> 00:50:02.991
He says we will see one thing clearly,
00:50:02.991 --> 00:50:06.028
The bible was the founding fathers'
00:50:06.028 --> 00:50:08.497
Most-cited source, and scripture shaped
00:50:08.497 --> 00:50:12.301
The decisions and the vision for our nation.
00:50:12.301 --> 00:50:17.039
Facts don't tell the whole story.
00:50:17.039 --> 00:50:19.741
This is a really important point.
00:50:19.741 --> 00:50:21.810
Much of america's story has been lost over time.
00:50:21.810 --> 00:50:25.347
Our schools shifted from telling
00:50:25.347 --> 00:50:27.583
The stories of real people to memorizing facts and dates.
00:50:27.583 --> 00:50:33.088
It's no wonder that history seems
00:50:33.088 --> 00:50:34.523
So boring to so many, and the foundation
00:50:34.523 --> 00:50:37.025
Of our nation gets lost.
00:50:37.025 --> 00:50:39.528
Tim contrasted this with the bible.
00:50:39.528 --> 00:50:42.464
It tells history through people
00:50:42.464 --> 00:50:44.900
And their stories, not just facts.
00:50:44.900 --> 00:50:47.603
When we rely on memorized details
00:50:47.603 --> 00:50:50.539
Instead of lived-out stories, we miss the most
00:50:50.539 --> 00:50:53.542
Important part of our founding fathers' lives,
00:50:53.542 --> 00:50:56.678
And that is how god was playing an active role
00:50:56.678 --> 00:50:59.848
In the course of our nation.
00:50:59.848 --> 00:51:02.017
Follow the golden thread.
00:51:02.017 --> 00:51:04.086
Tim told us to find the golden thread,
00:51:04.086 --> 00:51:07.623
The consistent evidence of god's
00:51:07.623 --> 00:51:10.325
Providence woven throughout our
00:51:10.325 --> 00:51:12.661
Country's history.
00:51:12.661 --> 00:51:14.062
From the stories he shared of george washington
00:51:14.062 --> 00:51:16.665
With the unexpected storms that protected his troops
00:51:16.665 --> 00:51:20.135
To worship leaders and pastors' signatures
00:51:20.135 --> 00:51:23.472
On our nation's founding documents.
00:51:23.472 --> 00:51:26.108
The more you read, the more you see
00:51:26.108 --> 00:51:28.277
The evidence of god guiding our nation.
00:51:28.277 --> 00:51:31.847
When was the last time we looked
00:51:31.847 --> 00:51:33.649
For the miracles and the providence of god
00:51:33.649 --> 00:51:36.118
In our nation's history books?
00:51:36.118 --> 00:51:38.020
And what would it look like to follow
00:51:38.020 --> 00:51:40.822
The golden thread in your life?
00:51:40.822 --> 00:51:44.693
Tim's books and resources are a great first step
00:51:44.693 --> 00:51:47.129
To unlocking how we see the influence
00:51:47.129 --> 00:51:49.398
Of christianity in the foundation
00:51:49.398 --> 00:51:51.867
Of our country.
00:51:51.867 --> 00:51:54.269
Don't ignore the great awakenings.
00:51:54.269 --> 00:51:57.706
The most important reminder in our conversation,
00:51:57.706 --> 00:52:00.375
I thought, was that every major
00:52:00.375 --> 00:52:02.377
Turning point in american history was led
00:52:02.377 --> 00:52:05.080
By faithful christians.
00:52:05.080 --> 00:52:06.415
When our founding fathers built our nation
00:52:06.415 --> 00:52:08.417
Upon freedom, it was clear, our liberty depended
00:52:08.417 --> 00:52:13.288
On us being rooted in biblical truth and morality.
00:52:13.288 --> 00:52:18.260
History shows us that reform and freedom are built
00:52:18.260 --> 00:52:22.297
On applied scripture, not just passive faith.
00:52:22.297 --> 00:52:26.034
The takeaway?
00:52:26.034 --> 00:52:27.402
Studying the bible isn't just for personal reflection,
00:52:27.402 --> 00:52:31.406
We need to know it and then apply it.
00:52:31.406 --> 00:52:34.876
The pattern is clear, when christians step up
00:52:34.876 --> 00:52:38.647
And apply the word, revival shapes the nation.
00:52:38.647 --> 00:52:43.719
That's all for this episode
00:52:43.719 --> 00:52:45.087
Of "takeaways," thank you for watching.
00:52:45.087 --> 00:52:46.622
And if you've enjoyed this show, don't forget
00:52:46.622 --> 00:52:48.690
To set your dvr so you never miss an episode.
00:52:48.690 --> 00:52:51.460
And of course, you can always catch
00:52:51.460 --> 00:52:52.794
Up on past episodes by searching for "takeaways"
00:52:52.794 --> 00:52:55.697
On tbn+ or by visiting the kirk cameron
00:52:55.697 --> 00:52:58.867
On tbn youtube channel.
00:52:58.867 --> 00:53:00.936
We'll see you here next time for more great conversations.
00:53:00.936 --> 00:53:05.173
[music]
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[music]
00:53:13.582 --> 00:53:13.582

Tim Barton: Celebrating America’s Independence & God’s Providence | Takeaways with Kirk Cameron

June 29, 2026 | 53:25

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