I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST What We Should Have Learned from the Pilgrims with Bill Federer
Nov 28, 2025
Bill Federer, a historian and author focused on American history and Christian influences, dives deep into America's roots. He discusses the unique structure of the U.S. Constitution and how it anticipates human sinfulness. The conversation highlights the Pilgrims' perilous journey to freedom, their challenges with communal property, and the influential role of faith in governance. Federer also shares surprising moments involving Squanto and outlines essential truths about America that young people must understand, emphasizing gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy.
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People As Sovereigns
- The U.S. system flips historical top-down monarchy rule into bottom-up self-government led by the people.
- Bill Federer calls this a polarity change from a dead pyramid to a living tree, making the people the sovereign.
Persecution That Drove Migration
- Puritans and separatists faced state persecution under the Church of England and met in secret conventicles.
- William Laud labeled dissenters and many lost jobs, were jailed, or branded for seditious libel.
Israel's Covenant Legacy
- Ancient Israel's covenant model showed a non-elite covenantal order teaching law to all as a durable form of self-governance.
- Federer argues that covenantal principles influenced New England's political structures and later American constitutionalism.
