So Precious Liberty Print

American Bald Eagle, US National Emblem The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of America, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent. On the backs of our gold coins, the silver dollar, the half dollar and the quarter, we see an eagle with outspread wings. On the Great Seal of the United States and in many places which are exponents of our nation's authority we see the same emblem. The eagle represents freedom. Living as he does on the tops of lofty mountains, amid the solitary grandeur of Nature, he has unlimited freedom, whether with strong pinions he sweeps into the valleys below, or upward into the boundless spaces beyond. 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.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. “The most daring thing at the heart of the American experiment,” Dr. Guinness said in his remarks, “was that they could create a free republic that could remain free perhaps forever.” He went on to explore the foundational tasks of establishing a free society: winning freedom, ordering freedom, and sustaining freedom. “Today, the third is the most urgent of all; no one is discussing it. It is assumed that because America has power, it will last forever.” Dr. Guinness also addressed the paradox of freedom: “The greatest enemy of freedom is freedom. It undermines itself, becoming permissiveness and license… All freedom requires restraint, yet the only restraint appropriate to freedom is self-restraint. Yet self-restraint is what freedom tends to undermine.” Dr. Guinness pointed out that the Founders understanding of freedom was much closer to the Jewish and Christian understanding of freedom that stresses both negative and positive freedom together, that is “freedom from…” and “freedom to…” He then noted, “Almost all American freedom today, conservative and liberal, is ‘freedom from…’ with no definition of what freedom is to be. The current form of American freedom is unsustainable.” He then went on to challenge the audience with how Christians should respond to this situation. In his challenge, he warned Christians to be careful about the talk of freedom without responsibility. “Freedom requires truth. It is not permission to do what you like, but the power to do what you ought.” Dr. Guinness wrapped up his remarks by challenging the idea of American exceptionalism, a cultural mindset that tends to think that America is unique in the world and somehow better than other nations. He asked, “Why do we think that in a thousand years’ time, the Lincoln memorial will not be what the Roman ruins are today?…Your framers, with all their blind spots…wrote a brilliant first chapter, and many generations have written good chapters since then. Today, the chapter being written is going to be the most critical of all. The present generation’s answer is unsustainable and will lead inevitably to decline, but there is the possibility of renewal.” Dr. Kurth’s response was a very much in accord with Dr. Guinness’ remarks, but he admitted to having a more pessimistic outlook for the future of America. His concern is that America is too far down the path into decline to allow for renewal. “Christians may have to endure, rather than influence society,” he said. He pointed to St. Augustine’s ideas of the City of God and the City of Man and asked, “Is it possible that the true Christian calling in the generations to come may not be to reform the American order, but rather to reconstruct and revive a Christian order within America – to be in America, but not of it?” During the question and answer time, a Cairn student asked, “What practical steps can we take to continue sustainable freedom?” Dr. Guinness’ response was a call to Cairn students who are preparing to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world: “We each individually have to think these things through, but then corporately stand for a different way. We live in an age that is not just post-Christian, but is also post-secular. Christians are the last great defenders of human dignity, of truth, and of reason…Stand for these things within the sphere of your calling…Serve God’s purpose in your generation.”

Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper

Size:8 W x 12 H x 0.1 D in

Size with Frame:13.25 W x 17.25 H x 1.2 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.