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Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth. For the Coulson Center, I'm John Stonestreet. One of the most trusted and popular documentary filmmakers on history and culture would now like us to rethink the American Revolution. Instead, critics of this latest project by Ken Burns have found that it retells the story of American independence through the lens of critical theory, while also making some wrong assertions along the way as well. At the same time, Burns does correctly describe how many of the Founding Fathers indeed turned a blind eye to the problem of slavery. Not far from the Philadelphia coffee houses where patriots were plotting against tyranny, men and women and children were being bought and sold like cattle. There was, however, one Founding Father who boldly opposed slavery. And In a new four part documentary series by author and historian Dr. Joseph La Conti, a more accurate version of the American story is told by describing the life and the work of Dr. Benjamin Rush. Dr. Rush was one of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence, which he did when he was 33 years old. He graduated from college when he was 15 years old and was a physician with his own practice by age 24. He served as an army doctor in the new American military, was a chemistry professor, wrote the first chemistry textbook that was published in America, and authored many treatises on medical education. He was also a social reformer. Rush championed the cause of liberty in profound and often overlooked ways. For example, he was a key influence on Thomas Paine in his vital booklet Common Sense. Unlike most of his fellow Founders, however, he knew full well that any call for God given rights has to apply to everyone and that included slaves. As Dr. La Conti described in his new documentary series, Rush encouraged revolutionary thinking against British rule while also challenging slavery. Here's Dr. La Conti.
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Rush rejects the assumption that Africans are an inferior race. He cites evidence of their ingenuity and humanity as proof that they're equal to the Europeans. Addressing the city's clergy, Rush denounces them for using the Bible to sanctify their crimes against humanity.
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Rush was a champion of human dignity, founding member of the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, now known as the Pennsylvania Prison Society. And he was an ardent abolitionist, joining abolitionist societies and writing pamphlets against the institution of slavery. The activities on Rush's very impressive resume were informed by his Christian faith, specifically the conviction that each and every person is made in the image of God and therefore worthy of dignity and respect. His observations on the importance of work for human well being also reflected that biblical worldview. His stand on abolition had been the historical position of the church and in his day was being advanced by evangelicals among others in Britain and America. His concern for the well being of the black population led him to act as an advisor to Richard Allen in the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He even lent both the church and Reverend Allen his public support. These stories from history, like that of Benjamin Rush, demonstrate how a Christian worldview and is to be lived and not just believed. Indeed, if it's true, aligning with it's going to be good not only in the hereafter, but for individuals and societies in the here and now. In other words, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer would later write, Christianity is not an otherworldly religion. Rather, it describes the world as it actually is, and that allows us to be part of God's work, not just by preparing for heaven, but in repairing what's wrong with his world. Dr. Alconsi's excellent documentary series about this largely unknown founding father, Dr. Benjamin Rush, is available on YouTube right now. The first and second episodes have been released with more to come. These videos provide keen insights into the origins of liberty and the American experiment, and they serve as a reminder of what can happen when Christian clarity and conviction meet, as in the story of Dr. Benjamin Rush. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stonestreet with Breakpoint. If you're a fan of Breakpoint, please leave us a review wherever you download your podcast. And for more resources to live like a Christian Today, go to Breakpoint.org.