cuius regio,eius religio

in the area of each ruler,there is its own religion

- -

Congress shall make no law respecting an

establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free

exercise thereof . . .

1780 1820 1860

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

houses of worshippopulation x1000

Francis Asbury

Thomas Coke

Rev.Richard

Allen-

BethelAfrican

MethodistEpiscopal

Church

Camp Meetings

United Society of

Believers in Christ's Second

Appearing

(Shakers)

New Harmony

Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon

Zarahemla

Nephites and Lamanites

Nauvoo,Illinois

polygamy

Temple

Tabernacle

Celestial marriage (sealing)

andproxy baptism

L. Ron Hubbard

Xenu

Theosophical Society

Edward Bellamy

LookingBackward2000-1887

Mary Baker Glover Eddy1821-1910

Church of Christ, Scientist

Quakers

William Penn

John Newton

WilliamWilberforce

Robert Bellah

Behind the civil religion at every point lie biblical archetypes: Exodus, Chosen People, Promised Land, New Jerusalem, and Sacrificial Death and Rebirth. But it is also genuinely American and genuinely new. It has its own prophets and its own martyrs, its own sacred events and sacred places, its own solemn rituals and symbols. It is concerned that America be a society as perfectly in accord with the will of God as men can make it, and a light to all nations.

the essential characteristics of a nationality are common ideas, common principles, and a common purpose. . . .

Nationality also consists in the share of mankind's labors which God assigns to a people. . . . it must be regarded inside a country as holy, like a religion . . . .

Giuseppe Mazzini

May it [the Declaration of Independence] be to the world . . . the signal . . . to assume the blessings and security of self-government. . . . All eyes are opened or opening to the rights of men . . . . these are grounds of hope for others; for ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.

In giving freedom to the slave we assure freedom to the free . . . .

We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.

The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just--a way which if followed the world will forever applaud and God must forever bless.

Over time, free nations grow stronger and dictatorships grow weaker. . . .

the prosperity, and social vitalityand technological progress

of a people are directly determined

by extent of their liberty.Freedom honors and unleashes human creativity

-- and creativity determinesthe strength and wealth of nations.

Liberty is both the plan of Heaven for humanity, and the best hope for progress here on Earth.