The Session: Faith of our Founding Fathers Part 1
The Session: Faith of our Founding Fathers
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you." Psalm 128:2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20128:2&version=ESV&src=tools]
Patrick Henry
* Famous for “ Give me Liberty or give me death”
* He was a member of The House of Burgesses
* First Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
* The Commonwealth of Virginia traces its roots back to the church of England, which was predominantly a Christian church
* Said, “There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations.”
* “An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us.”
o “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians… not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
John Jay
* First chief justice of the Supreme Court
* President of the American Bible Society, in 1816
* He strongly advocated for our country to have Christians in public office
o In a 1816 letter, Jay explicitly connected national well-being with Christian leadership: “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”
o “The best of all possible worlds depend on the general diffusion of the Bible.”
Samuel Adams
* Often referred to as the "Father of the American Revolution," he was a staunchly Calvinist, practicing Christian who viewed the revolution as a defense of Christian liberties
* Said, “Religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty and happiness.”
* While Gov. of Mass. in 1795, Adams said this in a Thanksgiving proclamation: “It is therefore recommended… to set apart a day for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts… and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations.”
Benjamin Rush
* A signer of the Declaration of Independence, a physician, and a civic leader. He uniquely blended Enlightenment thinking with traditional faith, even advocating heavily for the use of the Bible in public schools.
* An active Presbyterian, Rush wrote, “The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty.”
* He also advocated Bible-centered learning: “The Bible… should be read in our schools in preference to all other books.”
* Also said, “Christianity is the only true and perfect religion… and… it is friendly to liberty and the rights of mankind.”
Rev. John Witherspoon
* An ordained Presbyterian minister and president of Princeton Univ., who signed the Declaration of Independence. He was the only clergyman to sign the declaration.
* In a 1776 sermon, he said, “He is the best friend to American liberty who is most sincere and active in promoting true religion.”
George Washington
* The Commander of the Continental Army and the first U.S. President maintained a lifelong affiliation with the Anglican (Episcopalian) church. Throughout his writings, he frequently credited "divine Providence" for the nation's survival and success
* He was shot four times in the French and Indian war and the bullets went through his coat, but never hit him
* Two horses were shot out from under him.
* His hat was also struck by enemy fire
* He wrote to his brother after the chaotic battle, and said that he only survived because of Divine Providence
* He was first to sign The Constitution of the United States of America
* Washington said, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible.”
Thomas Jefferson
Said, “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus.”
Benjamin Franklin
Said, “I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence.”
Faith in the Founding of Ohio
* Christian faith was a foundational pillar of Ohio’s early settlement, providing structure, community, and moral direction for the pioneers carving communities out of the frontier.
* As white pioneers moved into the territory, they faced significant hardships, and the church quickly became the central hub for stabilizing community life.
* Methodism emphasized a personal, practical Christian experience that resonated deeply with frontier farmers and eventually outpaced other Christian groups in the state.
* Manasseh Cutler-Minister, Congregational minister, scientist and political leader, who helped draft the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Secured provisions for public education, religious freedom, and a ban on slavery in the territory.
* He said, “The Divine counsels… give us just ground to believe that one great end God had in view in the discovery of this American Continent… was that a new Empire should be called into being.”
* Also, “It is not possible… that human laws… can be adequate substitutes for religion… Freedom… cannot be enjoyed without virtue, nor can virtue be maintained without religion.”
* Rufus Putnam, known as the “Father of Ohio”. Founded Marietta in 1788, the first permanent American settlement in Ohio. He helped design and fund a Congregational church in Marietta, and helped form a Bible Society.
* Edward Tiffin, Ohio’s first governor, was a Methodist pastor and politician. He often preached while in office.
* He believed in evangelism: “The situation of the Indians… might be considerably ameliorated by the propagation of Christianity among their various nations… the blessings of Christianity [should] be propagated among the heathen.”
* Thomas Worthington, major advocate for Ohio statehood. US senator, later Ohio governor. Served as vice president of the American Bible Society. Helped write Ohio’s constitution, which says it is the right of all people to, “worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience”
* His family helped establish Methodist worship spaces.
Influence on Education and Society
* Early Ohioans did not just form congregations; Christian faith heavily influenced early education and community outreach. Many of Ohio's historical colleges and learning institutions were founded by Christian denominations.
CNN does not promote the idea that George Washington was an evangelical or traditional Christian in the modern sense. Instead, network coverage and analysis on the topic typically point out that many historians dispute the claim that the US was founded as a Christian nation, and note that Washington's actual religious beliefs were more aligned with 18th-century Deism.
They did post how they believe President Trump dissed George Washington
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