There is a big difference between natural liberty and civil liberty, which is well known to those who study the political philosophy of the Puritans. Natural liberty, according to John Winthrop, the chief figure among the Puritan founders of New England, “is a liberty to do evil as well as to do good.” It is simply having the liberty to do whatever one desires, whether having a family, becoming a millionaire, or attending a Pride parade. “The exercise and maintaining of this liberty makes men grow more evil, and in time to be worse than brute beasts,” Winthrop warned. “This is that great enemy of truth and peace, that wild beast, which all of the ordinances of God are bent against, to restrain and subdue it.”

The American dream was spelled out in the Declaration of Independence: “It’s the idea that America would be a nation where all its citizens would be free to enjoy ‘Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness’ — as their Creator would allow them.”

Back in the time of the Puritans, the enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness centred around traditional biblical values. The liberty Winthrop exhorted his listeners to practice was civil liberty, which simply meant the liberty to do what was right. “It’s a liberty to only do that which is good, just, and honest,” in Winthrop’s words. He believed moral and just laws derived from Scripture were the best tools to encourage citizens to religious liberty

The American dream has shifted from the idea of a happy and content family to the concept of corporate superiority and personal financial stability. The director of Family Research Council’s Centre for Biblical Worldview, David Closson, explained why this shift has happened. “In the last 25 years, the percentage of those with a consistent biblical worldview has continually declined. George Barna’s most recent research shows that only 4% of Americans have a biblical worldview,” Closson observed..

“The result today is a generation of young people who struggle for meaningful relationships, struggle at work, struggle to afford a home, struggle to find a spouse, and more,” Family Research Council’s Director of FRC Action, Matt Carpenter, said.

“They are powerless to do the one thing that can restore the American dream. That is, restore God to His proper place in the hearts and minds of every American. Only a national revival can actually restore the American dream.”