Searching For Influence

[1Timothy115]

I'm searching for more of the wise counselor authors who influenced the nation's founding fathers. Any help out there?

 

[SureWord]

3 hours ago, 1Timothy115 said:

I'm searching for more of the wise counselor authors who influenced the nation's founding fathers. Any help out there?

 

Authors of their time?

Outside the Bible they were probably influenced by some of the ancient Greek Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, church Philosophers like Augustine, Enlightenment thinkers like Locke and Newton, Church historians like Bede, the Magna Carta, various French political writings of the time, Greek and Roman historians like Herodotus and Seneca, jurists like William Blackstone, economists like John Smith, Roman statesmen and generals like Cicero and Julius Caesar. Cyrus the Great: The Arts of Leadership and War by Xenophon no doubt would have been on their shelves. Some of the writings of Puritans like Cotton and Increase Mather and writings of Josephus and some of the Protestant Reformers like Luther or Servetus. The preaching and tracts/pamphlets of preachers of the time that have faded away from memory probably was a great influence too. I know the words of George Whitefield had a great influence on Ben Franklin in those days although Franklin was probably in deep with the writings of the the secret societies of his time.

[swathdiver]

The pastors of the Danbury Baptists influenced Thomas Jefferson enough to create the Bill of Rights.

 

On a side note, one of their churches is still operating today as IFB in Wingdale, NY.  Dover First Baptist Church.

 

I have relatives who live nearby but won't go and reject the gospel because their aunt is a retired "pastor" and says we're all racists!  LOL