Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780), was an Eighteenth Century English legal scholar, whose philosophy and writings were infused with Judeo-Christian principles. The Ten Commandments are at the heart of Blackstone’s philosophy. Blackstone taught that man is created by God and granted fundamental rights by God. Man’s law must be based on God’s law. Our Founding Fathers referred to Blackstone more than to any other English or American authority. Blackstone’s great work, Commentaries on the Laws of England, was basic to the U. S. Constitution. This work has sold more copies in America than in England and was a basic textbook of America’s early lawyers. It was only in the mid-Twentieth Century that American law, being re-written by the U. S. Supreme Court, repudiated Blackstone. An attack on Blackstone is an attack on the U. S. Constitution and our nation’s Judeo-Christian foundations. The Blackstone Institute is committed to reviving the Constitution and its Blackstonian foundations. Learn more about this fascinating man at the Blackstone Institute!
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Our understanding of nature today is different than what was regarded as “nature” in the time of Blackstone. For instance, Jefferson states that we see “evident proofs of the necessity of a superintending power to maintain the universe in its course and order.” Therefore, the laws of Nature, having come into being by God’s decree, belong to Him. Deists such as Jefferson, believed that God did not create the world and retire from the scene, but continued to work in Nature (Creation) through bringing order to chaos. (for more information, see: Sworn on the Altar of God: A religious biography of Thomas Jefferson by Edwin S. Gaustad)
Judaeo-Christian principles have no true conflict with natural law. They actually define the symbolism of natures that reveals the creator, and that He is ever running the operations we are experiencing now. If any atom is not in his control then He is not God. It’s revelation we need not rationalism alone.
Nobody ever said that JC principles conflicted with natural law. The problem is that fundamentalist and evangelical Protestants believe that outside of acceptance of Jesus Christ, man cannot follow the natural law. This is not held to be the case by the Catholic church which preaches that the virtuous pagan can follow the natural law and while not enjoying the sight of God, will go to heaven (or “Limbo”, which the Church recently rejected).
It means that in politics, Protestantism can and does lead to intolerance and theocracy same as Islam. I used to live in Fiji, and in Fiji Methodists seek to make their church an established church, which will result in persecution of Hindus and Muslims.