Free to Speak- I

My granddaughter has found her voice, not that anyone can understand her quite yet. Every utterance she makes fascinates the adults around her. They wait for her every vocalization, encouraging her sounds, celebrating even the volume that can be quite robust. Thus far she has been rather demure in church, captivated by the sights and sounds. But the day is coming when she will discover that she can rival the preacher, offering her own soliloquy. I hope I am sitting in the pew next to her and not in the pulpit when that happens. We wonder what she is thinking. We look forward to when those baby babbles take shape in sounds that make sense to our rather limited adult minds. But for now, we are just thankful that she is learning to speak her mind. We want her to grow up in a nation that protects her right to speak her mind. Yet, that right seems up for debate these days.

Our nation was founded on the right to speak, to challenge, to advance ideas through debate, to declare, to protest. The Declaration of Independence provides a shining example of our courageous claim of free speech, using voice and pen to free ourselves from the tyranny of the British monarchy. We fought for the right to speak. Our young men, and yes, even our young women died to protect that right, so that we could work together on an experiment of liberty. When we won the right to form our own government on the field of battle, our founders wrote the Articles of Confederation. Yet, history shows that our first experiment in government proved to be a failure. We were so fearful of the tyranny of a strong federal government, that our founders created a weak confederation of states, plagued with a lack of central authority, an inability to tax, no national army, unequal state representation, and a difficult amendment process. Thankfully, our first failure in government did not end in the dissolution of our nation, but rather in the formation of our Constitution and its companion- the Bill of Rights. James Madison, the author of both documents, believed in both the necessity of a strong federal government and protection from the potential abuses of said government. Thus, the gift of the First Amendment.

For those of us who prefer to memorize scripture over governmental documents, I offer to you the text of the First Amendment to the Constitution:

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.

The Bill of Rights was not an afterthought. For many of our founders it was a necessary part of the whole. Ratified just one year apart, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights stand as sentinels to protect our nation and our personal liberties. James Madison believed strongly in freedom of speech, stating that it was essential for a functioning republic. He emphasized the importance of the people's ability to think and speak freely without fear of reprisal, arguing that free communication is necessary for wise governance. He argued that freedom of speech was crucial for holding government accountable and preventing abuses of power. Note the combination of rights in this first amendment: religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition of grievances against the government. These freedoms are all wrapped together, not for an economy of expression, but rather because they are intricately related. Free speech and free assembly are key to the free practice of religion. The freedom of the press stands as a vital safeguard of all our liberties. The integrity of our pulpit relies on the protection of those liberties.

We dare not forget the lessons learned through Hitler’s regime. His suppression of speech, press and assembly ultimately invaded even the sanctuary of worship. Pastors were pressured to preach support of the Nazi doctrine. When pastors across the German-speaking world spoke out against Naziism through the Barman Confession, over 700 were arrested. Many leaders in the Confessing Church movement found themselves imprisoned in concentration camps. Some, like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, lost their lives in those camps, as Hitler tried to suppress the voice of the people. History teaches us that freedom of speech is essential for the free practice of religion.

Today, many would say that our pulpit is secure, but I wonder if that assessment is naïve. If speech is not protected in one area of our society, then speech is not protected in any area of our society. Every week, what I say and what I write is published on the internet, fair game for any effort to censor my offering. When I write and preach, I sense the danger, as my friends in other disciplines- a lawyer, a professor, an NPR executive- are feeling the heat. While the right to free speech does not protect speech that incites violence, it does allow for decent even against the government. Our nation’s First Amendment should protect academic independence, a free press, and a judiciary free from governmental pressure. Their freedom of speech is essential to our freedom of religion. So, I stand today to champion our First Amendment rights- all of them for all our people. Next week I will offer the Biblical mandate that governs how we as Christians should use those freedoms. But for now, I stand before you as Bonhoeffer did, calling for a free nation.

With you seeking liberty and justice for all,
Anita