THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Reclaiming America’s Biblical Heritage

As we look back at the 250th anniversary of King George III’s Proclamation of Rebellion on August 23, 1775, WallBuilders invites you to reflect on a pivotal moment that shaped America’s fight for liberty. This royal edict, declaring the colonies in “open and avowed rebellion,” spurred our Founders to ground their resistance in Biblical principles. 

In July 1775, the Second Continental Congress sought peace through the Olive Branch Petition, a plea for reconciliation with the Crown. Signed by leaders like John Dickinson and Benjamin Franklin, it affirmed loyalty while addressing grievances over taxes and oppressive laws. King George III, however, rejected it outright. In issuing his Proclamation he accused colonists of “traitorously preparing, ordering, and levying War.” This rejection ignited a resolve rooted not just in politics but in faith.

Colonists viewed the king’s actions through a Biblical lens. Pastors like Jonathan Mayhew had previously invoked Romans 13, arguing that submission to authority was conditional on just governance. When rulers defied God’s moral order, resistance became a sacred duty. Clergy, dubbed the black-robe regiment, preached the cause was divinely ordained and rallied support among their parishioners.

The Founders, inspired by Scripture, embedded principles like the separation of powers (rooted in the doctrine of human sinfulness from Jeremiah 17:9) and religious liberty into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. John Adams even noted that our Constitution suits only a “moral and religious people.”

As we reflect on events that shaped the War for Independence and American history, it's important to also remember the Biblical foundation of these events.

Presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes

with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage.