Kerby Anderson

The founders of this country believed that civic authorities should protect, promote, and encourage religion and morality. Mark David Hall explains that in his book, Did America Have a Christian Founding?

The framers of the Constitution were skeptical of established religion but also wanted to provide a space where religious ideas could promote morality and civic virtue. That two-fold concept can be found in the First Amendment. They did not want to establish a national church, even though some colonies had state churches.

Mark David Hall describes in some detail what a few states (that previously were colonies) did to promote morality. He then describes the many times the Continental Congress and later the Congress called for days of prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving. They passed numerous resolutions setting aside time for prayer.

Congress also endorsed the project to publish what was called the “Aitken Bible.” But the funding came from the Pennsylvania legislature since Congress was short of funds. And one of the first acts of Congress was to appoint congressional chaplains.

Presidents who took the oath of office did so by placing their hand on the Bible and ended the oath with the words “so help me God.” Some critics question whether George Washington said those words, but virtually every state required them in their prescribed oaths. It would have been unremarkable for Washington to add those words to his oath of office.

And while we are talking about George Washington, we should remember his famous observation that of “all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” He, and the other founders, believed we should promote and encourage religion and morality.