1. The Constitution

2. Dennis the Constitutional Peasant

3. On March 4, 1789, the new Congress convened in the temp capital of NY

4. On March 4, 1789, the new Congress convened in the temp capital of NY
In fact, at this time only 11 of the 13 states had ratified the Constitution

5. On March 4, 1789, the new Congress convened in the temp capital of NY
In fact, at this time only 11 of the 13 states had ratified the Constitution
Our population stood at 3,000,000 whites, and 50,000 free blacks

6. On March 4, 1789, the new Congress convened in the temp capital of NY
In fact, at this time only 11 of the 13 states had ratified the Constitution
Our population stood at 3,000,000 whites, and 50,000 free blacks
The document that had been ratified by the states was now the supreme law governing the United States

7. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty – the people are the only source of governmental power

8. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty – the people are the only source of governmental power
“We the People of the United States”

9. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Limited Government

10. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Limited Government
Gov’t must be conducted according to the Constitution

11. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Limited Government
Gov’t must be conducted according to the Constitution
Gov’t is not above the law

12. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Limited Government
Gov’t must be conducted according to the Constitution
Gov’t is not above the law
Remember our cartoon
from the other day?

13. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Limited Government
Gov’t must be conducted according to the Constitution
Gov’t is not above the law
The Constitution is a list of limitations and guarantees that the gov’t has regarding the people

14. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Separation of Powers

15. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Separation of Powers
Isaiah 33:22, "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King; he will save us."
Judicial, legislative, executive

16. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Separation of Powers
Clearly written in Article I, Section 1
All legislative powers vested in Congress
Article II, Section 1
The executive power is vested in a president
Article III, Section 1
The judicial power is vested in one Supreme Court and several inferior courts

17. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Checks and Balances

18. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Checks and Balances (pg. 58)
Approves justices, creates lower courts
Legislative Branch
Judicial Branch
unconstitutional
Appoints supreme court, federal judges
Veto
Life terms, free from executive pressure, can declare executive actions unconstitutional
Override Veto, impeach president, approves treaties made by president
Executive Branch

19. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Judicial Review

20. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Judicial Review
The power to declare something unconstitutional

21. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Judicial Review
The power to declare something unconstitutional
Marbury v. Madison took this unclear part of the constitution and clarified and establish this power

22. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Federalism

23. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Federalism
The division of power between a central government and several regional governments

24. The 6 Basic Principles of the Constitution
Federalism
The division of power between a central government and several regional governments
Remember the colonists’ complaint about a distant central government

25. Is the Constitution a Christian Document?
Number of times they appear in the constitution:
God: 0
Creator: 0
Jesus: 0
Christian: 0

26. Ten Commandments in the Constitution
First two commandments are contradicted by the 1st amendment
You should have no other gods before me
No graven images
Exodus 20: 2-3

27. Constitution Specifically singles out religion
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

28. Constitution Specifically singles out religion
Some argue that Article VI says that no "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
" If the authors of the Constitution did indeed wish to create a document designed to favor Christianity, why would religious tests (common in the colonies at the time) be specifically forbidden? “
Atheist Austin Cline

29. Founding Fathers and Christianity
Most were Christian
Most had a very good knowledge of the Bible
Not sure how many had a true personal relationship with God
Most were deists
Believed in a God who created the world and the laws the govern it, but He is not active in the world

30. Is it a Christian Document?No
It is actually quite secular, and extremely secular for the time in whch it was written

31. Downer? No
While not an out right Christian document, it is based in many Christian principles

32. Foundations of Democracy and Christian Principles (4th time you have seen this)
Fundamental worth of the individual
God desires a personal relationship with everyone
Equality of all persons
- God is the creator of all humans, and values every one
Majority Rule with protection of the minority
- God loves and protects even those who have not accepted him yet
Necessity of compromise
- Jesus…he was sent do die for our sins because we cannot do it on our own
Individual Freedom
- Free will, free to make the choice to follow Christ

33. Our calling
What is more important, is that the Constitution allows us to be Christians involved in our Government
We need to participate in electing and being elected to our government to shape it in a Christian worldview

34. Our calling 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land

35. Our calling
The job of the government is to do for the people what they can't do for themselves. And the job of bringing people to faith belongs to the private citizens.

36. Our calling
"Let us look forward to the time when we can take the flag of our country and nail it below the Cross, and there let it wave as it waved in the olden times, and let us gather around it an inscribed for our motto: "Liberty and Union, one and inseparable, now and forever," and exclaim, Christ first, our country next!" -- Andrew Johnson