By Pastor Jeff Jacobs
Unity Lutheran Parish –
St. Paul, Saetersdal and
St. Matthew’s, Granger
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
You’ll undoubtedly recognize this from the Declaration of Independence, adopted by Congress July 4, 1776, and I wish to reflect on that “self-evident” truth in “all men are created equal.”
When Thomas Jefferson penned those words, given societal realities, it pretty much meant freeborn, propertied white males. Women had no voice, indentured servants had limited say, and of course black slaves had no rights whatsoever. White farmers, plantation owners, tradesmen, shopkeepers, bankers and others with land or goods had the power.
The Founding Fathers were not utterly insensitive to the incongruity of “All men are created equal” while disenfranchising women and holding slaves. Several admitted elsewhere their quest for freedom from England was incompatible with the lack of freedom for slaves. Regrettably, that issue was left for another time and a Civil War.
But through American history, imperfectly yet inevitably, the Truth of “created equal,” “inalienable Rights,” “Life, Liberty and … Happiness” was applied to blacks, to women, and to other marginalized groups, and we are growing to see that all people, despite age, gender, race, national origin, disability, economic status are of equal dignity.
In his last discourse with the disciples, Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:12-13a). As the Church matured over centuries, the Spirit has guided us into fresh understandings of God’s grace for all people, moving past old prejudices. May that Spirit of Truth guide our nation in interpreting Jefferson’s words ever more generously in relation to all who call America home.