During the American Revolution, The Black Regiment was a term given to the clergy members by the British. The term was derived from the black robes that they wore during services. The British went as far to attribute the victory of the Colonies to the men in black robes, whose sermons vibrated throughout the new land. This amazing group of leaders fully understood that God alone is the author of liberty (2Cor 3:17) and that it was our duty to Him to defend and protect the precious gift He had bestowed upon this nation (Gal 5:1). Their war cry became “No Sovereign but God; no king but Jesus,” which the Black Robe Regiment of NJ has adopted as its motto.

Judges: not the Black Robes we mean

After winning the Revolution, our Constitution laid the ground work for a third branch of government – the Judiciary. These justices also wear black robes but they are nothing like the clergy regiments that led us to victory in the 1700s. Often times these men and women find themselves in the position of adjudicating morality, which in and of itself is an affront to the strict construction of the Constitution. Never-the-less, they do not exercise judicial restraint but take advantage of the opportunity to force their ideology on the rest of us. And when they cross the line from interpreting the law to twisting it into what they believe the law should be, they often find themselves on the wrong side of morality and the wrong side of history. While it is customary to address these men and women as “Your Honor” it is a title that in many cases is misapplied.

Case in point: the Dred Scott decision and Roe v. Wade. In both instances the Supreme Court justices either forgot or chose not to remember that the most basic responsibility of government is to respect and protect life. It took a Civil War to rectify the damage that SCOTUS did in 1857 and it is impossible to predict what it will take to rectify the damage SCOTUS did in 1973.

Life is an issue that those in black robes often find themselves fighting over but marriage has now become part of that exclusive club. Although the 2013 Black Robes of SCOTUS opened the flood gates to redefine marriage, the Black Robes in Illinois are the ones that scored a mighty victory for marriage. The real news for June 2013 and marriage is not what the black robes of SCOTUS did, it is what a small contingent of black robes in Illinois did.

The real meaning of the Black Robe Regiment

Altar and Bible at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Released to the public domain.

The African American Clergy Coalition, which included Rev. James Meeks, Bishop Lance Davis and Bishop Larry Trotter are modern day heroes that would make the Black Robe Regiment of the Revolutionary War proud. They stood for truth and successfully defended marriage as between one man and one woman to the most liberal group of liberals one could imagine. Men like Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel were vocal supporters of same-sex marriage in the state, which boasts of a super majority of the most notoriously liberal Democrats in the nation. As if that isn’t enough, their native son, Barack Obama, personally lobbied the legislature to redefine marriage. All would have thought that this was a slam dunk for the same sex marriage contingent. They would be wrong. Against all odds the clergy prevailed. At least that’s what most would think. However, the African American Clergy Coalition knew what others fail to understand – that with God, one is a majority, so the odds were actually with them. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/351593/african-american-pastors-democratic-illinois-show-redefining-marriage-not-inevitable

These men are to be praised for their tenacity to defend what is right but they should also become a model for others donning black robes. The battle between the black robes is far from over. And the black robe regiments that are breaking out all over the country today may have a lot of work ahead of them but with God all things are possible – even the rebirth of a nation of secular humanists. If Abraham could bargain with God for 10 righteous men to save Sodom, we can argue for 500 (10 from each state) to save America. If you are part of the 500, stand up boldly and be counted. America is counting on you – the black robes of the clergy to defeat the black robes of the judiciary. The battle lines are drawn. Where do you stand?

[subscribe2]