Date

11-13-2024

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy (PhD)

Chair

Michael S. Robinson

Keywords

Declaration of Independence, Jefferson, Locke, Causality, Equality, Political Theory, Natural Law, Federalism

Disciplines

Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

The foundation for human equality is central to the question of political discourse, and the basis for self-government, consent, and consensus. On what basis can two people enter into contract or agree to be governed if they are not equal? The Declaration of Independence with its appeal to Nature’s God and its establishment of “rights” as coming from that God firmly establishes human equality in a metaphysical reality outside of human decision to change that reality. The lack of human acknowledgement of that reality, historically, does not change that reality. Philosophers and political theorists might reason that it is based on an incomplete understanding of our Nature, while theologians base their knowledge of reality on the revelation that sin as a consequence of human nature has impaired human ability to accept Nature’s God as the First Cause of our equality. While there have certainly existed detractors to the notion of a Creator throughout history, Jefferson’s belief, though heterodox by evangelical standards, along with Locke and the Founders in general viewed it as “self-evident” that human beings are equal based upon the providence of Nature’s God—whether the ability to reason or the capacity to self-govern, humanity was created in the image of God—Imago Dei. While Locke’s theological basis is obvious, though largely glossed over in the literature, Jefferson’s is articulated in the form of his rational mind which he believes is the Imago Dei of Natural Law. In positioning all of humanity as equal based on this metaphysical construct, moderate enlightenment thinkers established a new hierarchy for government based on individual responsibility—each one is responsible to their Creator for how they govern themselves and interact with their fellow sovereign.

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