Romans 13 delineates the role of government as a “punisher of evildoers.” Our founders understood this and strictly limited the powers of the federal government as they drafted the Constitution. They did not see government as a “provider” but knew God designed us to provide for ourselves (II Thessalonians 3:10). They also knew, based on I Timothy 5, that the “safety net” was the family, and for those with no living relatives or family capable of assisting, it was the church. Topics of this four lecture course include: General Overview of the US Constitutional Order and System: The Nature of the Declaration of Independence as the Charter of the Nation and the Rise of Federalism with the US Constitution; Rise of the Welfare State: Misconstruction of the General Welfare Clause; Rise of the Administrative State: The Origin of the Federal Budget and the rise of Administrative Law; The Nature of Property and its Relationship to Liberty of Conscience: Moral Duties versus Legal Duties, Private Charity versus Public Welfare. LiL, 8 hours, taught by Dr. Gai Ferdon.