On June 15, 1215, The Great Charter, better known as The Magna Carta, was signed. How does that impact us today? More than most people know, that’s for sure!
During the Middle Ages there was very little liberty in the world. Kings ruled over and owned everything. This was a period of serfdom, where very few men owned land. The king and a few of his fortunate friends owned that, of course. The serfs would work the land and be allowed to keep only a small portion of the harvest. In England, even the deer belonged to the king. Common men were not allowed to hunt the deer that ran abundantly throughout the land, even as their families starved.
After King Richard the Lionheart died in 1199, his younger brother John became king. John was spoiled and clueless as a leader. He had Richard’s wars to pay for, so he imposed even higher taxes than had already been in place. If any leaders in his empire would not obey his orders, King John would seize their sons and throw them in prison. John was a tyrant.
But, in 1215 a group of barons and lords in England challenged King John. They raised an army that they called “The Army of God.” King John, strapped for cash, fresh off a major military battle lost to France, and seeing that the barons had the people behind them, reluctantly agreed to meet with them to discuss their grievances. The barons met first with Archbishop Stephen Langton, who wrote down the solutions to these grievances. This document became know as The Magna Carta. Surprisingly, King John agreed to grant the charter and signed it at Runnymede in 1215.
The Magna Carta stated that the King was not above the law, but subject to it. He could no longer randomly levy taxes as he pleased and he would be subject to a Parliament, a group of 25 barons. Another major component was that no freeman could be punished for a crime until he had been found guilty by a jury of his equals.
This document provided some very basic rights that we now take for granted. Why is this important to us today? Because the Magna Carta became the foundation for many future documents: The Laws of England, The Body of Liberties used by the Puritans in 1641, charters of several American colonies, The Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution and The Bill of Rights. The Magna Carta led to world changing events, such as the Exploration Age, The Reformation, and the Age of Revolution. The Founding Fathers studied The Great Charter and knew it well. When men are able to exercise their God-given right to liberty, they are able to accomplish incredible things.
So, that’s why the Magna Carta is important today.
Let’s thank God for bringing about The Great Charter and for the God-given right to liberty that we still experience today. We need to remember that these rights do come from God and can not be granted by or taken away by any man. This is a fundamental principle that seems to be slipping away in our society today. Let’s not let that happen! Let’s remember the basic principles outlines in The Magna Carta.
And, while we’re at it… let’s stay on the narrow path,
Larry
