The Origins
Freedom of Speech series - part 4 of 4 - The Origins of Freedom of Speech
Today, February 20th, 2021, we mark the 78th anniversary of the creation of the Freedom of Speech painting by Norman Rockwell. The painting, along with three others that he created in 1943 appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in four successive editions. Collectively, they supported the U.S. war effort during World War ll, and reminded the nation of its most cherished values, values that we were fighting, and dying, to defend.
The freedom of speech that has been among our most precious values throughout our national history finds its articulation in the first Amendment to our Constitution, better known as the Bill of Rights. It states, “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.”
My own journey into understanding this important value first found its roots in the patriotism imparted to me by my father, and his deep love for our country. Later, as a young adult, it found its fulfillment in my own journey under the tutelage of Dr. John Brabner-Smith. He was the first to open my eyes to the role of Biblical theology that was central to the creation of our form of government.
Long ago, the founders of our nation affirmed the radical concept that government should not be based on the whims of a king, nor by parliament thousands of miles away, but on the foundation that God is the ultimate source of rights and all freedoms. A concept not only born through much deliberation, debate, and prayer, but also spoken by the founding generation and inscribed in our most fundamental founding documents.
On July 4th, 1776, 56 men risked all that they held dear in this life when they signed a declaration that ended with the words “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
It is one of my greatest joys to help others visit our national monuments and memorials to see the evidence for themselves where these values were forged, fought for, and are forever enshrined.
Take time today to thank God for this amazing yet imperfect land in which we live, and the values that have stood the test of time, from the foundation of our nation, till today, including the freedom of speech.
If you have missed any of my posts in this series, review the past four days to check out all four parts and the links that I have included. You won’t regret that you did. Join me also tomorrow, for the next part in my series on Isaiah 40.
As this series concludes, I hope you have a deeper understanding of why Norman Rockwell’s painting, Freedom of Speech, is so inspirational to me. I also hope that you will join me to look for ways to cherish and protect this most sacred value with the hopes of passing it on to future generations.