Power and Authority Shifts

From God to Man The ideas of power and responsibility changed dramatically between the inaugural addresses of Abraham Lincoln and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. An evaluation of each of these addresses proves that power and responsibility has shifted from centering on God with man essentially doing his behest, to centering on man with few limitations, including God. Lincoln makes it clear early on in his inaugural address that the responsibility for the Civil War does not lie with man, but rather with God.

He describes this war as some manifestation of the volition of Providence that “fervently do we pray” (Lincoln) to end. The pronoun “we” refers to the warring parties of men. This quotation demonstrates the Civil War is occurring because of God’s power and responsibility. Conversely, Kennedy (1961) makes it apparent that men, and those within the U.S.

specifically, are responsible for waging war, and even threatens to engage in war if there is “aggression…anywhere in the Americas.” Whereas Lincoln’s address is about acting in accord with God’s right, Kennedy’s address is about mankind asserting its own right, even outside of war. He eagerly envisions a future in which men “explore the stars” (Kennedy) via their own power and authority.

Lincoln (1865), however, intimates that man’s right is only that “which God gives us”, and advocates no lofty conquests over nature—which was traditionally viewed as God’s realm. Kennedy also believe that notions of liberty and wealth are mechanisms reflecting the right and responsibility of man’s power. Money is quintessentially a human concept, and the basis for a free rich society to assist “the poor” (Kennedy), which Kennedy sanctions.

Wealth and liberty do not factor into Lincoln’s speech, because those are manmade means of power. His speech is about God’s power and responsibility. Kennedy’s focus on wealth and liberty, space exploration, and waging war demonstrates power and responsibility have shifted to men.