Thanks to Jim Rose of American Christian History Institute for these pages from the book, “The Bible and the Constitution of the United States of America: Commemorating the Year of the Bible, 1983.” Yours truly was Los Angeles County Chairman for the Year of the Bible at that time, a quarter century ago. This book and these pages, The Senate cover letter and Joint Resolution are remarkable, if not for eloquence, certainly for the astounding and unapologetic stand for the Scriptures by our United States Congress (bipartisan declaration): and is timely today on the 25th anniversary of The Year of the Bible during President Ronald Reagan’s term, for a reminder of our Biblical roots in America. – Jerry Nordskog
By Mr. Armstrong (For Himself, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Heflin, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Denton, Mr. Mattingly, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Symms, Mr. Dole, Mr. Quayle, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Kasten, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Andrews, Mrs. Kassebaum, Mr. Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Mr. Deconcini, Mr. Stennis, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Humphrey, Mr. D’amato, Mr. Jepsen, Mr. Rudman, Mr. Boren, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Chiles, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Hatfield, and Mr. Inouye.
S.J. Res. 165. Joint resolution authorizing and requesting the President to proclaim 1983 as the “Year of the Bible”; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Year of the Bible
Mr. Armstrong. Mr. President, I am privileged to introduce today along with fellow Senators Thurmond, Heflin, Randolph, Lugar, Denton, Mattingly, Gorton, Symms, Dole, Quayle, Pryor, Kasten, Johnston, Andrews, Kassebaum, Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Deconcini, Stennis, Domenici, Humphrey, D’amato, Jepsen, Rudman, Boren, Murkowski, Chiles, Stevens, Hatfield, and Inouye, a joint resolution that authorizes and requests the President of the United States to designate 1983 as the “Year of the Bible.”
We are at a unique point in our spiritual development as a nation. This Nation was settled by immigrants seeking religious freedom. Our Declaration of Independence as well as the Constitution of the United States embraced concepts of civil government inspired by the Holy Scriptures. As a nation we have been led by great leaders—among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson—who personally knew and paid tribute to the surpassing influence that the Bible is, in the words of the President Jackson, “the rock on which our Republic rests.”
Now we are beginning our third century as a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. The challenges we face in this third century of government are as great as those faced and met in our first century. Those challenges of the late 1700’S—economic recovery, international tension, trade expansion, preservation of religious freedom and all the rest—were met in whole or in part by the Providence of God, and our faith and trust in Him.
The challenges of the 1980’s are equally great. But these challenges can be met if we follow the examples of our forefathers and renew our knowledge of and faith in God through study and application of teachings of the Holy Scriptures.
1983 can be a year of spiritual renewal as a nation. That is why I and 29 Senators are introducing a joint resolution today that, once passed, authorizes and requests the President to declare 1983 as the Year of the Bible.
Our joint resolution—introduced on a bipartisan basis—is straightforward. The joint resolution notes the surpassing influence the Bible has had in the formation of this Nation, and its roots in our early settlement and our form of civil government. The joint resolution requests the President to designate 1983 as the Year of the Bible “in recognition of the formative influence the Bible has been for our Nation, and of our national need to study and apply the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.”
My hope is this joint resolution can and will be speedily enacted. Already plans are underway to use 1983 as a year to foster biblical teaching and study. This joint resolution honors and encourages these voluntary efforts.
I urge quick enactment of this timely joint resolution.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 15 (legislative day, February 22), l982
Mr. Armstrong (For Himself, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Heflin, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Denton, Mr. Mattingly, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Symms, Mr. Dole, Mr. Quayle, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Kasten, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Andrews, Mrs. Kassebaum, Mr. Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Mr. Deconcini, Mr. Stennis, Domenici, Mr. Humphrey, Mr. D’amato, Mr. Jepsen, Mr. Rudman, Mr. Boren, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. Chiles, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Hatfield, and Mr. Inouye) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Authorizing and requesting the President to proclaim 1983 as the “Year of the Bible”.
Whereas the Bible, the Word of God, has made a unique contribution in shaping the United States as a distinctive and blessed nation and people;
Whereas deeply held religious convictions springing from the Holy Scriptures led to the early settlement of our Nation;
Whereas Biblical teachings inspired concepts of civil government that are contained in our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States;
Whereas many of our great national leaders – among them Presidents Washington, Jack- son, Lincoln, and Wilson – paid tribute to the surpassing influence of the Bible in our country’s development, as in the words of President Jackson that the Bible is ”the rock on which our Republic rests”;
Whereas the history of our Nation clearly illustrates the value of voluntarily applying the teachings of the Scriptures in the lives of individuals, families, and societies;
Whereas this Nation now faces great challenges that will test this Nation as it has never been tested before; and
Whereas that renewing our knowledge of and Faith in God through Holy Scripture can strengthen us as a nation and a people: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President is authorized and requested to designate 1983 as a national ”Year of the Bible” in recognition of both the formative influence the Bible has been for our Nation, and our national need to study and apply the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.
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