Actually, there should be little doubt that America was founded as a Christian nation. Why do we argue this? Does it really matter? Yes, it does. ◊

On another 4th of July, this one now 248 years after the founding of America in 1776, we have ongoing division within our nation over many things. The least of our internal conflict today is over whether our nation was founded upon the principles of the Christian religion.

Does it even matter? Yes, I believe it does.

It reflects an ongoing subtle yet overt political and cultural national battle of a growing socialist, humanist/secularist, even anti-Christian state vs. an American Christian heritage that is fading fast.

It’s impacted our public and foreign policy, public education, national and local media, and even laws and principles that have made this nation an attractive beacon, even a city on a hill, for the rest of the world.

The good news is that a slumbering majority are starting to wake up to the implications of allowing a strong and diligent minority run cities, states, and the nation now for decades, like Animal Farm.¹

Brief Historical Context
It’s important to keep historical contexts clear. Here’s a brief history lesson. First came the Explorers. In 1492 Columbus “sailed the ocean blue” sponsored by Spain and actually landed in what is today the Dominican Republic. He continued to head south and explored Central and South America, never landing actually on what is today US soil.

In 1497 John Cabot landed in Newfoundland (north coast of North America). He was sponsored by England and so began the initial slow colonization of North America by the English.

Were the early American settlers in late 15th, early 16th century Christians?

Only in the same sense that the whole European world was culturally, predominantly Roman Catholic.

But then a significant event happened in Europe just over 20 years later: the Reformation. Originating in Germany in 1517, Martin Luther’s Reformation changed the world’s religious landscape. Over the following decades and centuries this historic reformation (reforming abuses in the Roman Catholic Church) would lead to deep divisions of peoples and countries and the establishment of the Protestant churches.

Over 100 years later came the Pilgrims and Puritans. In 1620 the Pilgrims landed off the coast of Cape Cod in New England as part of a small group of religious dissenters (Separatists) from England. The Puritans started arriving in droves over subsequent years. They were more aligned with the English Anglican church (ironically, think of them, if you can, as more liberal than Pilgrims).

Among them ago was John Winthrop, a devout Puritan lawyer with a profound vision for this budding land.

“A City upon a Hill”
In 1630, John Winthrop, head of the Massachusetts Bay Company of England, was entering Salem Harbor in Massachusetts after 72 days at sea. He and 700 other colonists were arriving in 11 boats to the new world filled with great anticipation of a new life. Winthrop had recently written:

“I do resolve first to give myself – my life, my wits, my health, my wealth – to the service of my God and Savior who by giving Himself for me and to me, deserves whatsoever I am or can be, to be at His commandment and for this glory.”

As they approached the Salem settlement (founded by John Endecott and 266 English settlers over the previous 2 years), all that was visible was a collection of huts and canvas sheets. He soon found out that only 85 original people remained in this pathetic settlement of Salem. More than 80 had died and the rest had returned to England – many of those remaining were planning to do the same.

At this disheartening sight, Winthrop thought of the words he had written the day before to spell out his goals for the new colony, which he titled “A Model of Christian Charity”:

Thus stands the cause between God and us: we are entered into covenant with Him for this work…

Now the only way…to provide for posterity, is to follow the counsel of Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God…for this end, we must be knit together in this work as one man…We must hold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience, and liberality. We must delight in each other, make one another’s condition our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our Commission and Community in His work, as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies, when He shall make us a praise and glory, that men of succeeding plantations shall say, “The Lord make it like that of New England.” For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill.”…

Winthrop is referencing Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount when He says

“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)

These words in the same context were used by US Presidents John F. Kennedy and more famously by Ronald Reagan.

By the way, John Winthrop, rekindled in his vision, went on to serve as governor of Massachusetts almost continually until his death in 1649. He was instrumental in shaping Massachusetts into a Christian commonwealth that went on to have a profound effect on the rest of the developing new nation.²

The American Founding Fathers
And then 150 years later, in 1776, in the midst of the Age of Enlightenment, the elites of America, our Founding Fathers, drafted the Declaration of Independence separating the 13 colonies from English rule and ultimately establishing the United States of America with George Washington as its first President.

Were they all devout Christians?

Hardly so, probably not unlike the mixed group of people in our Congress today varying widely in their beliefs, denominations and even level of devotion to their faith.

But they believed in a Supreme Being and would have called themselves Christians and believed in its moral code. Patrick Henry, John Jay, John Hancock, Samuel Adams were quite strong and devout in Christian faith. Memoirs show John Adams and James Madison were devout as young men but later backslid toward Unitarianism.

It’s said that Alexander Hamilton converted to a belief in Christ late in life. George Washington was probably a deist (a religion based on design/laws found throughout Nature presupposing a Designer), as was Ben Franklin. Both distrusted organized religion but upheld the Bible as essential for a just and harmonious society.

Even Thomas Jefferson described himself as Christian though he rejected core doctrines.

So What?
So what of it? It shows that the history of western man over the last 500 hundred years is that of people seeking life, freedom and fortune. And faith is intimately tied with all of human history.

Why wouldn’t it be?

Man was created by God and has strayed from the beginning. Jesus (God in flesh) came and died for a purpose that is revealed in the Bible for all to read, confront, and receive. His (Jesus’) impact will never be swept away by the secularists and non-believing elements of this or any modern society.

Whether people of high stature believe Him or not does not negate the Truth of Christ.

Nor that this country, America, founded by imperfect people of Christian faith and continues to be populated by imperfect people upholding Christian faith, speaks to the continued fulfillment of Winthrop’s vision of this national community as a beacon for a dark world seeking light.

Are you the light of the world?
_______________________________
“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. People don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good actions and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16

¹ Animal Farm, by George Orwell, Secker and Warburg, London, England, 1945. The allegorical story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Ultimately, the rebellion is betrayed, and the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before.

² A City Upon a Hill, June 12, in the One Year Book of Christian History, Tyndale Press, 2003, pp. 328-329.

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Tags: 4th of July, Animal Farm, City on a Hill, John Winthrop, Puritans