Peter Marshall, jr and Verna Hall
I first heard about America’s Christian history when Peter Marshall, Jr spoke at a conference I attended in October 1977. I was a young pastor at that time, and like most modern pastors in America who attended public schools, had a secular perspective on our nation’s history. His message sparked a curiosity to learn more.
I was reading Marshall’s book in 1979 titled The Light and the Glory and felt inspired to take my vacation week in July to visit historic sites along the east coast. I saw evidence in statues and buildings and national parks that confirmed what I was reading. The Christian influence was obvious.
I especially had an encounter with God while at Lexington, Massachusetts that July where God commanded me to study more of history and Biblical worldview in order to equip Christians for leadership in our nation today. This calling deepened the next spring on April 29, 1980, while at Washington for Jesus on the national mall, and then at an event a few months later in Dallas called the National Affairs Briefing where about 20,000 pastors gathered.
While at the Dallas event I bought copies of books called The Christian History of the American Revolution, and the Christian History of the Constitution I and II. I read them cover to cover in September that year. These books totaled more than 2000 pages. The American Revolution volume was really a compilation of about 50 primary sources, wonderfully curated by Verna Hall. I later had the privilege of being mentored by her before her passing in 1987.
These writings led me to start the Providence Foundation in 1983, and to write my own books such as America’s Providential History with co-author Stephen McDowell. I eventually organized scholarly symposiums in 1993 on the 500th anniversary of Colombus, and in 2002 on the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s letter on separation of church and state, and was a speaker at an event marking the 400th anniversary of Jamestown in 2007. [I personally have invited and hosted over 40 nationally respected scholars from top universities in America to speak in these symposiums.]
One of those symposiums in 1996 I organized, gave me the privilege of hosting Peter Marshall, Jr. who I invited to speak at the University of Virginia to over 600 people. This week I will be speaking at Cape Cod, Massachusetts where Marshall had some connections until his passing in 2010. This connection is what sparked today’s blog. I will speak there on Religion and Public Life in the American Revolution – a topic that was largely something that was first awakened in me by Marshall and deepened by Verna Hall.
I give praise to God for these giants whose efforts to bring back to the public a knowledge of our nation’s Christian history should be remembered, especially during this 250th anniversary year of America’s independence.
I am helping to organize this year during the 250th anniversary of Independence, some national and local events. [One is on Aug 2. See 250Declaration.com] But also, Jerry Newcombe and I have written a new book about the main author of the Declaration of Independence titled: Thomas Jefferson and the God Who Gave us Liberty: Christian Nationalist? Secular Deist?. (Order now using this pre-sale link through Barnes and Noble for special price of $17.76. It will help us get them to stock it in their stores this year.)
Americans need to recover the true history of this Founding Father who clearly acknowledged the God of the Bible as the God who was involved in America’s success. For example in his second Inaugural Address in 1805 he recognized: “…that Being…[who] led our forefathers, as Israel of old.” In 1774 he said it was that “God who…gave us liberty…” [Today it is on the walls of Jefferson Memorial in DC.]
Jefferson said that for the Declaration itself “we owe indeed peculiar thanks to Providence.” And its famous phrase about “Our right to life, liberty…the pursuit of happiness, [was drawn not under] the charters of kings or legislators, but under the King of kings.” For the events of the Revolution he said that “we should be thankful they were destined for our times and we chosen as instruments.”
The 250th anniversary in 2026 is an important moment. Even at the 50th anniversary Jefferson wrote: “For the…Anniversary of the birth-day of our nation….my prayers [will be] ever offered to heaven… that the spirit of the day which gave them birth, may continue pure, strong and imperishable.” And in another letter he said: “For…the continued repetition of these commemorations thro’ ages to come, and the faithful preservation, pure and unchanged, of the spirit of that great day which gave them birth, will be themes of unceasing prayer with me.”
If the so-called secular Deist Thomas Jefferson was praying for the 50th anniversary this way, what should we be doing today? I am still hoping for this to be a time that America awakes and returns. A book that Jerry Newcombe and I have written for the 250th is Thomas Jefferson and the God Who Gave us Liberty. Christians need to get to know the true Jefferson who God used to primarily draft the Declaration of Independence.
Order your pre-sale copy now here at this link and help us get it into Barnes and Noble bookstores nationwide. Only $17.76! If enough of you buy it on that link, they will likely stock it. Please help get the word out now!