The framers of this Declaration in 1776, the Constitution in 1787, and the authors of the Federalist and other papers of the time have been recognized as the wisest assemblage of men during any single era of human history. Let’s reconsider some of their words.

Samuel Adams (called the “Father of the American Revolution)--”Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age, by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, of inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of Deity. . . and, in subordination to these great principles, the love of their country. . . In short, of leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system.”

Patrick Henry--”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! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” Henry’s grandsons wrote about him saying, “He looked to the restraining, elevating principles of Christianity as the hope of his country’s institutions.”

Benjamin Franklin--”He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.” And, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”

James Madison (called the “Father of the American Constitution”)--”We have staked the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves . . . according to the Ten Commandments of God.” And, “Religion is the basis and foundation of government.”

George Washington (called the “Father of his country”)--”It is impossible to rightly govern without God and the Bible.” Also, “I am sure there never was a people who had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States.” In his Farewell Address, September 19, 1796 he said, “Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds. . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail, in exclusion of religious principle.”

John Adams--”Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.” And “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Thomas Jefferson-- “Religion is deemed in other countries incompatible with good government, and yet proved by our experience to be its best support.” While president of the United States, Jefferson was also president of the Washington D.C. school board. He authorized the use of the Bible and Isaac Watt’s hymnal for moral instruction. “I have always said, and always will say, that the studious perusal of the sacred volume will make us better citizens.”

John Quincy Adams-- “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”

Noah Webster (called America’s Schoolmaster)-- “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and law. . . The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and his apostles, which enjoins humility, piety, and benevolence; which acknowledges in every person a brother . . . with equal rights. This is genuine Christianity, and to this we owe our free constitutions of government. . . the genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament. . .”

Alexis de Toqueville (French historian who came to America in 1830 to describe American society )-- He wrote in his book Democracy in America, fifty years after the founding of our nation, “. . . politics and religion contracted an alliance which has never dissolved. I do not know whether all the Americans have a sincere faith in their religion. . . but I am certain that they hold it to be indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions. . . Religion in America must be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country. . . The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of law as well as the surest pledge of freedom.”

So what did the Founding Fathers believe about the separation of church and state? They believed that there should never be one official church or denomination sanctioned by the government, but that there should never be a separation of government from religious principles or morality. It was obvious from all their words and their acts that they wanted the government of the United States of America to encourage religion and moral teaching. Of the 55 framers of the Constitution, at least 52 were orthodox Christians, 39 of whom were active churchmen.
(Cf. M.E. Bradford, A Worthy Company. Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation, 1982)

Some statements of American political leaders of later years

Abraham Lincoln-- “The only assurance of our nation’s safety is to lay our foundation in morality and religion. . . The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.”

Harry S. Truman-- “The basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.”

Woodrow Wilson-- “A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do.”

Justice William O. Douglas-- “If in every and all respects there shall be a separation of church and state, then the state and religion would be aliens to each other--hostile, suspicious and even unfriendly.” He pointed out that the phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear anywhere in the American Constitution. This phrase does appear, however, in the constitution of the Soviet Union where the government was very hostile to religion. Since the overemphasis on an absolute interpretation of church and state in America, there has developed a growing hostility toward activist religious persons. There is even a movement called “freedom from religion” with headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. We need an amendment to safeguard our religious freedoms which have been undermined.

Chief Justice Earl Warren quoted in Time, February 15, 1954-- “I believe no one can read the history of our country without realizing that the Good Book and the spirit of the Saviour have from the beginning been our guiding geniuses. . Whether we look to the first Charter of Virginia, or to the Charter of New England, or to the Charter of Massachusetts Bay, or to the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the same objective is present; a Christian land governed by Christian principles. I believe the entire Bill of Rights came into being because of the knowledge our forefathers had of the Bible and their belief in it; freedom of belief, of expression, of assembly, of petition, the dignity of the individual, the sanctity of the home, equal justice under the law, and the reservation of powers to the people. I like to believe we are living today in the spirit of the Christian religion. I like also to believe that as long as we do so, no great harm can come to our country.”

Compiled by James M. Murk