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Were the Founding Fathers actually Christians?

EatTheRich

President
Well, most of them were. But what, specifically, did they believe, and where did they stand on separation of Church and State? The question is obscured by the lazy belief that all the "Founding Fathers" formed a monolithic bloc committed to exactly the same policies. Where did they really stand?

George Washington: an Episcopalian, that is, a member of the dominant Christian sect in the American South in his time. Frequently made references to "God" or "Providence," proclaimed National Days of Thanksgiving and National Days of Prayer, and made efforts to convert the Delaware and other Indian nations to Christianity. On the other hand, strongly supported equal political rights regardless of religion, including specifically Jews as well as Christians of all sects, opposed Episcopal Establishmentarianism, and--when hiring laborers for Mt. Vernon--left instructions to hire solely with respect to merit without reference to religion, saying, "If they be good workmen ... they may be Mohammedans, Jews, or Christians of any sect, or they may be atheists." He often attended services of Christian denominations other than his own, and encouraged other Christians to be equally ecumenical.

John Adams: Raised Congregationalist; later became a Unitarian, that is, someone coming from the Christian tradition who denied the Trinity. He believed in miracles, criticized atheism, and proclaimed National Days of Prayer, but was a strong supporter of religious toleration and nondiscrimination. He criticized the tenets of the Calvinist tradition out of which his childhood and adult religion grew.

Thomas Jefferson: Raised Episcopalian; later became a Deist, that is, someone who believed in a creator as an explanation for the origins of the universe, but did not believe that the creator took an active role in human affairs. A self-described materialist who opposed the belief in miracles and was highly critical of "priest-craft" and particularly of the Catholic Church. He also criticized the tenets of Calvinism. Originator of the phrase "wall of separation between Church and State," he was the author of Virginia's toleration law and a firm opponent of religion in government, to the point that he refused to continue the tradition of calling National Days of Prayer.

James Madison: an Episcopalian with liberal/rationalist views. Helped co-author Virginia's statute on toleration and the 1st Amendment prohibiting Establishment of religion and protecting Free Exercise. With Jefferson, helped convert the College of William and Mary from a religious (Episcopalian) institution into a secular one.

Alexander Hamilton: Raised Presbyterian, and discriminated against as a child as a result. Denied access to the public Episcopal school, he was educated at a private Jewish school where he learned Hebrew, and he became a lifelong supporter of Jewish rights. As an adult, converted to Episcopalianism and, although not particularly observant, made religious appeals to Christian voters to undermine his rival Jefferson.

Aaron Burr: Raised the son of a Presbyterian minister. Rarely attended church or spoke on religious matters. Conspired with Catholic leaders for his conspiracy to invade Mexico and overthrow the U.S. government.

John Jay: An Episcopalian. Argued for prohibiting Catholics from holding public office, and argued that Christianity was at the foundation of proper government.

Oliver Wolcott: A Congregationalist, that is, an heir to the Calvinist-influenced Puritan tradition. Believed that Congregationalism should be the official religion of the United States.

Gouverneur Morris: An Episcopalian who strongly supported separation of church and state.

Robert Morris: An Episcopalian was strongly supported separation of church and state.

John Hancock: A Congregationalist who seldom attended church; supported separation of church and state.

James Otis: A Congregationalist who argued that government derived its just powers from God; supported the continued connection with Britain on the ground of the divine right of kings. Opposed separation of church and state.

Sam Adams: A Congregationalist deacon who typically justified his political positions on religious grounds; supported the power of states to establish their own churches, but opposed a national church.

Paul Revere: The son of Puritans; converted to Episcopalianism as a boy. Supported separation of church and state, but encouraged the founding of Christian churches of all denominations.

Abigail Adams: A Unitarian (raised Congregationalist); believed that religion should be a private matter.

Ethan Allen: Raised a Puritan; as an adult, became an atheist and a militant critic of Christianity.

Thomas Paine: A firm Deist (raised a Quaker), and a sharp critic of both Christianity and Judaism. Advocated discrimination against Jews and Catholics based on conspiracy theories. Also criticized atheism on moral grounds, although he was often called an atheist by his enemies, and even by other Deists such as Jefferson. His hostility toward Christianity did not stop him from allying with Evangelical Christians against the anti-revolutionary Quaker and Presbyterian parties in Pennsylvania.

Benjamin Franklin: Raised a Puritan. Although he became a Deist as a young man, remained a lifelong supporter of Christianity in general because he admired its moral influence, and was especially supportive of the burgeoning Evangelical movement. Converted to Evangelical Christianity himself as an old man, without joining any particular church, and made unsuccessful efforts to open sessions of the Continental Congress with daily prayers.

Benedict Arnold: Raised a Baptist. Like other Baptists of his time, was a strong supporter of separation of church and state. After going over to the British, converted to Anglicanism and became a supporter of the Anglican Ascendancy in Britain.

Patrick Henry: An Episcopalian. An early opponent of clerical power, and one of the most influential supporters of the Bill of Rights, in his later life he became an aggressive critic of the separation of church and state, argued for the power of states to establish churches, and attempted to restore the Episcopal establishment in Virginia.
 

Max R.

On the road
Supporting Member
Yes, Ethan Allen.
Deism isn't atheism.

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1271.html
Ethan Allen also gained a measure of fame from his advocacy of deism. In 1784, he published Reason the Only Oracle of Man, an explanation of his religious beliefs that drew heavily from the ideas of a liked-minded friend. Thomas Paine and Elihu Palmer later became more effective exponents of that religious viewpoint.
----------

Quotes by Ethan Allen.

Regarding Deism
I have generally been denominated a Deist, the reality of which I never disputed, being conscious I am no Christian, except mere infant baptism make me one; and as to being a Deist, I know not, strictly speaking, whether I am one or not, for I have never read their writings; mine will therefore determine the matter; for I have not in the least disguised my sentiments, but have written freely without any conscious knowledge of prejudice for, or against any man, sectary or party whatever; but wish that good sense, truth and virtue may be promoted and flourish in the world, to the detection of delusion, superstition, and false religion; and therefore my errors in the succeeding treatise, which may be rationally pointed out, will be readily rescinded.
Preface to "The Only Oracle of Man", 1784
 
Well, most of them were. But what, specifically, did they believe, and where did they stand on separation of Church and State? The question is obscured by the lazy belief that all the "Founding Fathers" formed a monolithic bloc committed to exactly the same policies. Where did they really stand?

George Washington: an Episcopalian, that is, a member of the dominant Christian sect in the American South in his time. Frequently made references to "God" or "Providence," proclaimed National Days of Thanksgiving and National Days of Prayer, and made efforts to convert the Delaware and other Indian nations to Christianity. On the other hand, strongly supported equal political rights regardless of religion, including specifically Jews as well as Christians of all sects, opposed Episcopal Establishmentarianism, and--when hiring laborers for Mt. Vernon--left instructions to hire solely with respect to merit without reference to religion, saying, "If they be good workmen ... they may be Mohammedans, Jews, or Christians of any sect, or they may be atheists." He often attended services of Christian denominations other than his own, and encouraged other Christians to be equally ecumenical.

John Adams: Raised Congregationalist; later became a Unitarian, that is, someone coming from the Christian tradition who denied the Trinity. He believed in miracles, criticized atheism, and proclaimed National Days of Prayer, but was a strong supporter of religious toleration and nondiscrimination. He criticized the tenets of the Calvinist tradition out of which his childhood and adult religion grew.

Thomas Jefferson: Raised Episcopalian; later became a Deist, that is, someone who believed in a creator as an explanation for the origins of the universe, but did not believe that the creator took an active role in human affairs. A self-described materialist who opposed the belief in miracles and was highly critical of "priest-craft" and particularly of the Catholic Church. He also criticized the tenets of Calvinism. Originator of the phrase "wall of separation between Church and State," he was the author of Virginia's toleration law and a firm opponent of religion in government, to the point that he refused to continue the tradition of calling National Days of Prayer.

James Madison: an Episcopalian with liberal/rationalist views. Helped co-author Virginia's statute on toleration and the 1st Amendment prohibiting Establishment of religion and protecting Free Exercise. With Jefferson, helped convert the College of William and Mary from a religious (Episcopalian) institution into a secular one.

Alexander Hamilton: Raised Presbyterian, and discriminated against as a child as a result. Denied access to the public Episcopal school, he was educated at a private Jewish school where he learned Hebrew, and he became a lifelong supporter of Jewish rights. As an adult, converted to Episcopalianism and, although not particularly observant, made religious appeals to Christian voters to undermine his rival Jefferson.

Aaron Burr: Raised the son of a Presbyterian minister. Rarely attended church or spoke on religious matters. Conspired with Catholic leaders for his conspiracy to invade Mexico and overthrow the U.S. government.

John Jay: An Episcopalian. Argued for prohibiting Catholics from holding public office, and argued that Christianity was at the foundation of proper government.

Oliver Wolcott: A Congregationalist, that is, an heir to the Calvinist-influenced Puritan tradition. Believed that Congregationalism should be the official religion of the United States.

Gouverneur Morris: An Episcopalian who strongly supported separation of church and state.

Robert Morris: An Episcopalian was strongly supported separation of church and state.

John Hancock: A Congregationalist who seldom attended church; supported separation of church and state.

James Otis: A Congregationalist who argued that government derived its just powers from God; supported the continued connection with Britain on the ground of the divine right of kings. Opposed separation of church and state.

Sam Adams: A Congregationalist deacon who typically justified his political positions on religious grounds; supported the power of states to establish their own churches, but opposed a national church.

Paul Revere: The son of Puritans; converted to Episcopalianism as a boy. Supported separation of church and state, but encouraged the founding of Christian churches of all denominations.

Abigail Adams: A Unitarian (raised Congregationalist); believed that religion should be a private matter.

Ethan Allen: Raised a Puritan; as an adult, became an atheist and a militant critic of Christianity.

Thomas Paine: A firm Deist (raised a Quaker), and a sharp critic of both Christianity and Judaism. Advocated discrimination against Jews and Catholics based on conspiracy theories. Also criticized atheism on moral grounds, although he was often called an atheist by his enemies, and even by other Deists such as Jefferson. His hostility toward Christianity did not stop him from allying with Evangelical Christians against the anti-revolutionary Quaker and Presbyterian parties in Pennsylvania.

Benjamin Franklin: Raised a Puritan. Although he became a Deist as a young man, remained a lifelong supporter of Christianity in general because he admired its moral influence, and was especially supportive of the burgeoning Evangelical movement. Converted to Evangelical Christianity himself as an old man, without joining any particular church, and made unsuccessful efforts to open sessions of the Continental Congress with daily prayers.

Benedict Arnold: Raised a Baptist. Like other Baptists of his time, was a strong supporter of separation of church and state. After going over to the British, converted to Anglicanism and became a supporter of the Anglican Ascendancy in Britain.

Patrick Henry: An Episcopalian. An early opponent of clerical power, and one of the most influential supporters of the Bill of Rights, in his later life he became an aggressive critic of the separation of church and state, argued for the power of states to establish churches, and attempted to restore the Episcopal establishment in Virginia.
You answered your own question. Yes, they were Christians. A country like America could only come from men of Judeo-Christian values.
 
Since both the Protestant and Catholic faiths had an almost impenetrable lock on all forms of society and government for over 1000 years combined, it is not a revelation to state that most of our founders and settlers were one or the other. What is interesting about our founders is that despite this fact, they were first intellectuals, historians and deep thinkers which gave them the insight into what philosophers were doing in the late 1600s and 1700s, that is the true key to their brilliance. Believe me, the state of intellectual debate and thought in that era was nothing like what Christians think today, it was the polar opposite of our very ignorant fellow Muricans.
 

Max R.

On the road
Supporting Member
Of course they are. Why would you say that?
They certainly can be and, no doubt, the Founder deists did follow Christ's teachings even if they did not believe the modern Christian belief of the Trinity or were Gnostic Christians. Of course, other Christians might label a non-believer of the Trinity or Christ's divinity as a heretic, but that doesn't negate the fact both Jefferson and Adams were Christians by virtue of their beliefs in Christ's teachings.

http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/paine-deism.asp
 

Craig

Senator
Supporting Member
Yes, there are people like that. The men referred to in this thread were not among them.
I disagree...


Priests...dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversions of the duperies on which they live.

-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Correa de Serra, April 11, 1820


You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Ezra Stiles Ely, June 25, 1819



Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.

-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
 

Constitutional Sheepdog

][][][%er!!!!!!!
Funny thread questioning if the founders were Christians or something else and their views on Separation of Church and state.
If you really want the facts and historical precedence all you have to do is look at the Congressional Chaplain and who they appointed. All were Christians, If any were Deists don't you think they would have appointed something other than a Christain as the Congressional Chaplain?
 

Constitutional Sheepdog

][][][%er!!!!!!!
I disagree...


Priests...dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight and scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subversions of the duperies on which they live.

-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Correa de Serra, April 11, 1820


You say you are a Calvinist. I am not. I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Ezra Stiles Ely, June 25, 1819



Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.

-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
Thomas Jefferson the man who wrote the
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
 

Craig

Senator
Supporting Member
Thomas Jefferson the man who wrote the
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Yes, yes he did.

He also wrote this:


Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.

-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

And?
 
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