Because the Founders were Christians, devout to some degree, or Deists, they believed every person was created by God and carried the inherent image of God. This core identity made everyone equal in value, none more than another. This idea comes from Judeo-Christian ethics alone. No other religion of the ancient world espoused this.
Paul points to the spiritual value of every person in Galatians 3:28. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Our intrinsic value goes deeper than the external and the seen, to the spirit. And no human law bestows this value; it comes directly from the divine Creator. Therefore, Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Unalienable means those rights are so basic to humanity, and given by God, that no earthly person or power can separate them.
Unfortunately, the Founders struggled to apply this fully, compromising with some Americans who actively participated in slavery. Even so, this idea influenced the abolitionist movement (the cause to end slavery) from even before the Revolutionary War and undergirds the fight for equality up to today.
These civil rights movements have improved the country and made great strides. However, we still wrestle with division, inequality, and racism. We must remember where this ideal came from, the Creator, and was expressed in his written Word, so we need to return to God to have the unity and equality we desire. Equality didn’t come from a humanistic or atheistic source, but from God. It’s a Gospel truth for us to seek in everyday interaction and public policy.
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