The American Revolution "The Presbyterian Rebellion"?
The American Revolution "The Presbyterian Rebellion"?
If you are like me, you have shown some interest in Ken Burns' "The American Revolution" documentary. Only two of the six parts have been shown so far (and I have not even seen all of them up to this point); but it will be very interesting to see if (or how) Mr. Burns presents the issues of religion (in his show).
Burns has not always been very sympathetic to those who exuded sincere Christian faith--which is evidenced by his deplorable and unfair treatment of the Presbyterian deacon Thomas ("Stonewall") Jackson, in his "The Civil War" documentary.
In reality, the role of Presbyterians (in particular) in the American Revolution was very key and primary. So much was this the case, that King George III and many others in the British empire considered the American Revolution to be, in fact, "The Presbyterian Rebellion"--and they even called it that.
The reasons for this were clear and understandable on a number of counts. Scots Presbyterians had suffered a lot at the hands of the British crown; and many of them, after reaching America's shores, were anxious to do what they could to extricate Britain's influence from the colonies.
To no one's real surprise, a large percentage of General George Washington's subordinate military officers were Presbyterian church officers. The Scots and Scots-Irish were fierce fighters; and they were some of the Continental Army's most valiant and determined warriors.
Now, whether one's allegiances are (or were) with the Patriots or the Tories, the fact of the matter was that religion--the Christian religion in particular--played a huge role in the American Revolution. It will be interesting to see if Mr. Burns even brings this out (in his documentary).
It was actually the First Great Awakening (1730's-1740's), that initially made diverse people from the thirteen colonies to begin to sense a feeling of national unity (as Americans); and not (initially) the first rumblings that ignited the Revolutionary War. I would be very surprised if this fact comes out (at all).
Some of the commentators in the documentary (so far) have said things something like this: "The American Revolution was the greatest revolution of all time." This statement is undoubtedly overblown. The real truth is that Jesus Christ's kingdom (of His New Covenant church) was and is THE Greatest "Revolution" of all time, (see Dan. 2:34-35)--but one might be able to argue that the American Revolution, inasmuch as it helped advance Christ's gospel and church in the world, was the grandest national transition (in the New Covenant era).
Again: I am not suggesting here that the Christians that rebelled against the British were right, and that the Christians that stayed loyal to the crown were wrong, (nor vice versa). But what is undeniable is that faith played a gigantic part in the affair--as it always does in all the most important things that happen in the world.
Rev. Mark J. Henninger
Treatise #40
19 November 2025
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