David Barton

What can Christians do to return the U.S. to a “Christian nation?’

As a final thought in response to your question, why would America not be considered a Christian nation today? After all, of the four most recent national surveys on religion, Americans, when given the option to identify with which (if any) of the 1700 religions in America they affiliated, from 82 to 88 percent affixed the name “Christian” to themselves. In any other part of the world, if a nation were composed of from 82-88 percent of self-described Christians, it would be considered a Christian nation; and if 82-88 percent were self-described Muslims, it would be considered a Muslim nation – or Buddhist, or Jewish, or whatever.

Significantly, I hear from nations across the world that most other countries teach students in their world history courses that America is a Christian nation; this fact is borne out by surveys of immigrants arriving in America who frequently declare that they believed that they were arriving in a Christian nation and were surprised to find it considered otherwise by Americans. What keeps America from being a “Christian nation” today is perception more than reality. First, national pundits and mouthpieces, including professors and teachers, regularly reject any claim that America every was (or is, or will be) a Christian nation; thus, most citizens believe that we are not, for thus they have regularly been told.

Second, judicial policy portrays the nation as being too pluralistic to be a Christian nation – especially since 1992 in the Lee v. Weisman decision when the Court erected a “classes of religion” policy, a policy criticizingly described by Justice Scalia: [T]he Supreme Court of the United States has concluded that the First Amendment creates classes of religions based on the relative numbers of their adherents. Those religions enjoying the largest following must be consigned to the status of least-favored faiths so as to avoid any possible risk of offending members of minority religions.

This “classes of religion” judicial policy is why the Koran can be passed out in New York City schools but the Bible cannot; this is why a Jewish Menorah can be displayed in public parks in December while nativity scenes cannot; this is why Milwaukee can teach training courses to its city officials on Buddhism but not on Christianity; this is why school libraries in Colorado can retain books on Native American and eastern oriental religions but must remove the Bible and books on Christianity; this is why military chaplains of other faiths can pray according to the articles of their faith but Christian chaplains are instructed to pray “non-sectarian (i.e., non-Christian)” prayers at public gatherings; and there are dozens of other examples.

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What can Christians do to return the U.S. to a “Christian nation?’

The fifth societal product of Christianity was benevolence. Consider: our nation is the most benevolent on the face of the earth. When tragedy – whether earthquake, famine, tsunami, war, or whatever – strikes any nation, Americans rush in to help. We are the first there, even if it is the nation of an enemy or that of a completely different faith. Where did Americans learn this benevolence that is lacking in so many other nations?

The Founders believed they knew the answer. For example, signer of the Declaration Richard Henry Lee declared: “Christianity, in its tenderness for human infirmities, strongly inculcates principles of benevolence.” Founder James Kent (a famous judge and a “Father of American Jurisprudence”) also declared: “Christianity introduces a better and more enlightened sense of right and justice. It teaches the duty of benevolence to strangers.” And John Adams similarly explained: “Christian benevolence makes it our indispensable duty to lay ourselves out to serve our fellow-creatures to the utmost of our power.” Many others made similar statements.

The truth remains, that Americans – even non-Christian ones – have been instructed in Christian benevolence as a general principle, even if they do not recognize the source of that trait. Finally, the Founders believed that teaching Judeo-Christian principles produced a cohesive system of common values, without which it would eventually become impossible successfully to govern a nation composed of millions of individuals of diverse backgrounds and from scores of different ethnic and religious groups. These common values were inculcated throughout society in a number of manners, including through public education.

For example, on August 7, 1789, President George Washington signed the first federal law on education, declaring that schools were to teach the “religion, morality, and knowledge” which was “necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind.” And numerous other Founding Fathers – including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin who often rejected fundamental tenets of orthodox Christian theology – openly promoted the inculcation of Judeo-Christian principles throughout American society. Therefore, even an American atheist learned that it was wrong to steal, to murder, to commit adultery, etc. Americans, from the most pious minister to the most ardent atheist, had been taught a common value system.

Therefore, in conclusion, a “Christian nation,” in my opinion, is a nation whose society benefits from the effects of the open and widespread teaching of Christianity. Therefore, its civil government tolerates and even embraces Judeo-Christian principles in the public arena rather than opposes and penalizes them (as we currently do through our judicial and educational systems).

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What can Christians do to return the U.S. to a “Christian nation?’

They believed that the theology of Christian principles produced good citizens. As Ben Franklin reminded Thomas Paine: “[T]hink how great a portion of mankind . . . have need of the motives of religion to restrain them from vice, to support their virtue. . . . If men are so wicked with religion what would they be if without it?” And the great Daniel Webster explained: “The cultivation of the religious sentiment represses licentiousness, incites to general benevolence, . . . inspires respect for law and order, and gives strength to the whole social fabric.” Webster thus concluded: “Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.” Indeed, the police do not arrest “good Christians” for drive by shootings, burglary, theft, murder, etc., for they make good citizens.

However, Thomas Paine once argued that religion was not the sole source of good behavior – after all, he pointed out that in his life he demonstrated honorable character traits (e.g., honor, integrity, morality, courage, etc.) but that he was no friend of religion. Yet, Benjamin Franklin (another who rejected much of the theology of Christianity) pointedly reminded Paine of what Paine had evidently forgotten, telling him: “[Y]ou are indebted to her originally, that is, to your religious education, for the habits of virtue upon which you now justly value yourself.” That is, all citizens – even non-Christian ones – benefit from being taught the virtues correspondent with Judeo-Christian faith.

Fourth, they believed that the promotion of Judeo-Christian principles elevated science, literature, knowledge, and national stature. To them, this was a self-evident and consistent lesson from history. Therefore Declaration signer and Princeton President John Witherspoon explained: “It is certain, I think, that human science and religion have kept company together and greatly assisted each others progress in the world.” Dr. Benjamin Rush, another signer of the Declaration and “The Father of Public Schools under the Constitution” who founded five universities and colleges, similarly observed: “[T]he greatest discoveries in science have been made by Christian philosophers and . . . there is the most knowledge . . . where there is the most Christianity.”

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What can Christians do to return the U.S. to a “Christian nation?’

The aspect of Christianity that could pertain to civil government was – in Dewitt Clinton’s words – “in reference to its influence in this world.” The Founders understood that the principles of Christianity provided at least six societal benefits for a society – benefits readily received even by those who were not Christians, and even those who despised Christianity. Everyone in a society can enjoy the benefits of the principles of Christianity, even without being an adherent of Christianity.

What six benefits did the Framers believe that Christianity provided for everyone in a nation? First, they believed that Christian principles produced a civilized society – a society controlled by good manners. As Samuel Adams explained: “A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.” But what was the source of good manners – something vital to the existence of a civilized society? According to John Hancock: “Manners, by which not only the freedom but the very existence of the republics are greatly affected, depend much upon the public institutions of religion.” Signer of the Declaration Robert Treat Paine further explained: “I believe the Bible to be the written word of God and to contain in it the whole rule of faith and manners.” Manners benefit a society, and manners are the result of Judeo-Christian teachings, even if one rejects Christian theology. Respect for women, parents, the elderly, the poor, etc., all benefit society and all are derived from Judeo-Christian teachings.

Second, they believed that Christian principles produced individual self-government, and no self-governing nation could long exist without self-government in its citizens. What was the source of individual self-government? Thomas Jefferson (who rejected much Christian theology) openly acknowledged: “The precepts of philosophy and of the Hebrew code laid hold of actions only. He [Jesus] pushed His scrutinies into the heart of man, erected His tribunal in the region of His thoughts, and purified the waters at the fountain head.”

For this reason, early Speaker of the House Robert Winthrop succinctly declared: “Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or a power without them, either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man, either by the Bible or the bayonet.” That is, the more citizens have of internal self-government, the less they need of external government force and regulation. For this reason, John Adams concluded: “[W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry [hypocrisy] would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

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