Our Presbyterian Heritage in the U.S. Constitution: the Legacy of James Madison

On this week when we celebrate our nation's 243rd anniversary of the Continental Congress' Declaration of Independence from England, I invite us to celebrate our Presbyterian heritage in the legacy of James Madison.  When thinking about the founding fathers, we think of Washington, Adams and Jefferson.  We are getting reacquainted with Alexander Hamilton through the hit musical "Hamilton."  What about James Madison?  Thanks to lecture notes from my church history professor, James Smylie, let's learn about him.

James Madison was the chief architect of the U.S. Constitution.  The Continental Congress, which Madison served representing Virginia, worked on it the summer of 1787 and sent it to the states for ratification that September.  By June 1788, nine states had ratified it, enough to meet the three quarters threshold, and it was adopted, 231 years ago.

Although short in stature, Madison stood tall intellectually, with a lifelong appetite for knowledge and wisdom. He was nurtured by his Anglican family and Presbyterian minister, Rev. Donald Robertson and Rev. John Witherspoon, Scottish Presbyterian immigrants to the colonies.

           

1n 1763 at the age of 12, Madison began five years of study at Robertson’s boarding school in Virginia. Presbyterians have always valued education highly, and in the colonies, pastor’s like Robertson often set up such schools. Robertson introduced Madison to Latin and Greek, the Bible, the theology of John Calvin and the Westminster Confession, Greek and Roman Historians and philosophers.

           

At the suggestion of an Anglican pastor, a Princeton graduate, Madison’s low church family did not send “Jamie” as he was called, to the College of William & Mary with its high church leanings. They sent him to study under the Rev. John Witherspoon, at the College of New Jersey, what became and what we now know as Princeton University and Princeton Seminary.  At the time, it was a source and center of Presbyterian piety in the colonies, and through the Seminary continues to be so today.

Because of his earlier studies with Robertson, he entered with advance status.  He graduated in two and a half years of what amounted to graduate studies including theology.  He had early interest in entering the ministry but after some soul-searching, he entered politics as a vocation.

A revolutionary, he served Virginia in the Continental Congress 1780-83 and 86-88, starting off as its youngest member, at age 29.        

           

A political theorist, he grew dissatisfied with the Articles of Confederation and gave attention to how the new nation would govern itself after revolution. He advocated a “Republic” or “free government,” which would balance national and state interests, as well as legislative, executive and judicial functions of government, in a structure which would as the Preamble of the Constitution proposes, “Form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”       

We often take the U.S. Constitution and its purposes for granted, and neglect the underlying principles which motivated Madison. With colleagues Hamilton and John Jay, Madison shared his ideas in the Federalist Papers, in which he comments on the history of ancient and modern governments. His political theory represents the ripe fruit of his education of Reformed Theology understanding the sinful fallen nature of humanity and the need for grace, as addressed by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome.  “Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 3:23-24)     
    
In Paper #51, for example, he wrote about the necessity of checks and balances on power.

“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government.  But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections of human nature?  If men were angels, no government would be necessary.  If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.  In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this:  you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is no doubt, the primary control on government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”

Madison was also concerned about the dangers to a “Republic” of corrupt politics sanctioned by religious interests. Therefore, he fought successfully against Virginia’s Anglican establishment, with the aid of Presbyterians and Baptists to pass Jefferson’s “Act for Religious Liberty” in 1786. As a member of the new House of Representatives, which he served from 1789 to 1797, he helped write and pass ten amendments to the constitution. The first amendment linking religious and civil rights.

                                    “Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion,

                                    or prohibiting the free exercise (Madison’s phrase) there of;

                                    or abridging the freedom of speech, or that of the press;

                                    or the right of people to peaceably to assemble,

                                    and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

But Madison was flexible. Historians also credit Madison, in cooperation with Jefferson, for opposing Adam’s onerous “Alien and Sedition Act.” Thomas Jefferson, fearing clerical abuse of power like that in the Old World, felt that no minister should be allowed to hold public office. Madison joined Witherspoon in opposing his fellow Virginian, holding that ministers should not lose such an important civil right just because of their position. But in exercising it, they would receive no special privileges, nor be spared the rough and tumble of the political process with its checks and balances.

Madison went on to serve as Jefferson’s Secretary of State and then as our 4^th President from 1809 to 1817. Some credit him for seeing us through a “Second War of Independence” in 1812. A war in which the British drove the Madisons from the White House and burned Washington. Imagine the turmoil and trauma of such an ordeal! The leadership it took to pull our fledgling country through that, and serve five more years.

But by developing the ideas about the right of states to nullify federal law, historians also suggest Madison laid the ground for Southern arguments in favor of the confederacy.  He himself held slaves, and considered them inferior to whites, but was open to emancipation and colonization programs during his lifetime. While he failed to apply some of his deepest insights to the institution of slavery, abolitionists did.

Despite Madison’s flaws, he left a great political heritage: the constitution under which we still live and insights we should still ponder. G.W. Sheldon in his book The Political Philosophy of James Madison suggests, “He was a Niebuhrian ‘Christian realist’ before Reinhold Niebuhr.” One of the great theologians of the 20^th Century.

Madison once claimed that he owed all he was and became to his Presbyterian teacher Rev. Donald Robertson. And he held Rev. John Witherspoon in highest esteem for his wisdom and collegiality.

Today, as the U.S. Constitution is being challenged again and again, let us remember, celebrate and take pride in our Presbyterian heritage and the legacy of James Madison.  Let us hold our elected and appointed officials accountable to their oaths to defend it.