Raymond Roberts to link Founders' ideas and public theology at New Jersey event

By AI, Created 9:06 PM UTC, May 26, 2026, /AGP/ – Pastor and professor Raymond R. Roberts will speak May 30 in Springfield, New Jersey, as part of a Revolutionary Heritage celebration tied to America’s 250th anniversary. His talk will connect Presbyterian theology, the Founders’ political ideas and his new book on democracy, religion and the common good.

Why it matters: - Roberts is using the American Revolution’s 250th anniversary to argue that religious ideas still shape civic life. - The event aims to connect faith, democratic culture and the crisis Roberts sees in both church and politics. - The program is designed for a public audience, not just Presbyterians or church members.

What happened: - Raymond R. Roberts will give a talk titled “Remembering the Spiritual and Moral Principles of the Founders” on Saturday, May 30, 2026. - The presentation is part of the Presbyterian Heritage and the American Revolution Celebration at First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, New Jersey. - The event runs from 1:00-3:30 p.m. EST, with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. - The program includes a Revolution-era story slam before Roberts speaks. - A panel of regional academics and historians will follow the talk with a discussion.

The details: - Roberts will survey the theological ideas that inspired Presbyterians and other members of the founding generation to support a secular republican government and religious freedom. - Roberts’ new book is titled A Democratic and Republican Faith: A Public Theology for a Church and Nation in Crisis and was published by Wipf and Stock in 2026. - The book argues for repairing what Roberts sees as a weakened democratic culture and strengthening the common good. - In the foreword, Christian ethicist, Baptist pastor, author and professor David P. Gushee says Roberts addresses what went wrong in “mainstream Protestantism.” - Roberts argues that “democratic” and “republican” belong to an older tradition that is not limited to modern political parties. - Roberts says the Founders built safeguards such as the rule of law, separation of powers and freedom of the press because republics are fragile. - Roberts also says successful self-government depends on “republican virtues,” including restraint, concern for the public good and commitment to democratic processes and the rule of law. - The book identifies nine principles of public theology: theocentrism, creation, imago Dei, natural law, sin, hope, vocation, covenant and ecclesiology. - Roberts says those principles can renew the church’s moral resources and help Protestants find a renewed purpose. - The Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey says its directory includes 50-plus churches dating from before 1776 and resources for education and reflection on responsible Christian citizenship. - Event details and related resources are listed on the Presbytery of Northeast New Jersey event page. - The book is available through Amazon and Wipf and Stock. - Roberts’ website is raymondrroberts.org.

Between the lines: - Roberts is framing the Founders’ political design as inseparable from moral discipline, not just institutional architecture. - The message also widens the audience by casting the argument as civic rather than partisan. - That approach positions the talk and the book as both a historical reflection and a response to current polarization.

What’s next: - Roberts will take questions after outlining his case for a public theology rooted in the Founders’ era. - Organizers expect the event to lead into broader reflection on Christian citizenship and American democracy. - The book will continue circulating through church, academic and public-policy conversations around democracy and religion.

The bottom line: - Roberts is trying to show that the Founders’ civic blueprint depended on moral habits as much as constitutional safeguards.