US News
America's Declaration of 'Dependence'
By Paul Strand
CBN News
April 14, 2007
CBNNews.com - Americans may pride themselves on their independence, but even before the nation was born, its leaders were declaring their absolute dependence on God.
There's never been a wall separating church and state when it comes to Congress, where chaplains have been mixing it up with the senators and representatives right from the start.
When the colonies had had it up to here with Britain, and their representatives were first meeting to consider independence, they wouldn't begin to deliberate without a man of God on hand to offer prayer.
But they were from so many different churches, they couldn't figure out whom to pick from which denomination.
Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie said, "And they didn't know how they could get someone to represent everyone."
Ogilvie, himself a former Senate chaplain, is now working on a history of the Senate chaplaincy.
The fiery rebel leader Samuel Adams finally broke the logjam over who should spiritually lead the Continental Congress on that historic day in 1774, according to Ogilvie, saying, "I am no bigot and I believe that unless we begin this meeting with prayer, nothing will be accomplished."
So they grabbed the pastor of the closest church, the Reverend Jacob Duche, who led that prayer and eventually became their first chaplain, setting the pattern of the nation's leaders submitting to Divine Providence.
"Long before the Declaration of Independence," Ogilvie said, "there was a declaration of 'dependence.'"
After the Revolution, when the Founding Fathers were fighting over the new Constitution, Ben Franklin rose to plead that they be spiritual men rather than political, saying:
"I have lived a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
As many of those same leaders prepared to become the new nation's first Congress, the man who led them through the Revolutionary War -- George Washington - asked but two things of them: "To open with prayer and to elect a chaplain," said Ogilvie.
The first Senate chaplain, Samuel Provoost, was given a salary of $500 a year -- the same as a major in the Continental Army.
Today, 62 chaplains later, Barry Black gets more than a $140,000 a year, almost as much as the senators themselves, and a sign of how they esteem the post.
But there have been challenges to the chaplains and their opening prayers from those who insist that even founding father Thomas Jefferson himself declared there should be a wall of separation between church and state.
But the Supreme Court ruled decisively in 1983 that the chaplain's prayer "is deeply imbedded in the history and tradition of this country," and that prayer "has become part of the fabric of our society."
Ogilvie said, "There's never been a separation between God and state in this nation."
The chaplain's job isn't just about prayer, though.
On Capitol Hill, he holds Bible studies nearly everyday and prayer breakfasts weekly.
He also serves as sort of an on-site pastor to the senators, their families, and staff.
Ogilvie remembers how crucial that role of his was, when terrorists struck the nation on Sept. 11.
"I was asked more about eternal life during the days after the attack than any other time," Ogilvie recalls.
Today's chaplain says that people might be pleasantly surprised at how spiritual today's Senate is.
Black said, "I see saints in Caesar's household...any time you have a significant number of senators attending the Bible study, attending the prayer breakfasts. When you have their spouses also participating in the Bible studies, that is indicative of the fact that these are people who are serious about their spiritual commitment."
When Black first came as a guest chaplain to Congress, he says that the Senate chaplain at that time showed him the view of Washington Mall stretching out beyond his window, and declared, '"If a man can't pray for the nation with a view like this, something's wrong.' I agree. If a man or woman can't pray for the nation with a view like I have, something's wrong."
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