Was America Founded As a Christian Nation? by Fea, John -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: How to Think Historically The Search for a Usable Past What Do Historians Do?

Christian Nationalism in the Early Republic The Election of 1800 Whig Christian Nationalism A Christian Nation in Print Christian Nationalism in the Civil War North Christian Nationalism and the Confederate States of America A Christian Amendment to the Constitution An Evangelical Alliance: 1873 Fundamentalism and Christian Civilization Liberal Protestantism and Christian America The Supreme Court and the Church of the Holy Trinity Case The Persistence of the Evangelical Pursuit of a Christian Nation Mainline Protestantism and Christian America Catholic Resurgence The Revival of Christian America: The 1950s Martin Luther King Jr.’s Vision for a Christian Nation The Religious Right and Christian Nationalism Providence Christian Whig History The Founders and Christian Belief Religion and the Constitution Revisionism

PART TWO: WAS THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION A CHRISTIAN EVENT?

“Planting” versus “Founding” Jamestown Massachusetts Bay A Snapshot of the British-American Colonies in 1763 The Stamp Act Crisis—1765 The Townshend Duties The Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party The Coercive Acts The First Continental Congress Whig Sermons A Biblical Argument for Revolution Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2 The Revolution as a “Just War” Religion and the Continental Congress The Declaration of Independence and “Original Intent” God and the Declaration of Independence Religion and the Articles of Confederation Virginia and the Quest for Religious Liberty Massachusetts and Religious Establishment Other States The “Need” for a Constitution Religion and the Constitution Slavery and the Constitution The Federalist God and the Ratification Debate Religion and the States: The “Federalist” Interpretation of the Constitution Religion and the First Amendment A Wall of Separation between Church and State?

PART THREE: THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE FOUNDERS

Chapter 11: Did George Washington Pray at Valley Forge? Chapter 12: John Adams: Devout Unitarian Chapter 13: Thomas Jefferson: Follower of Jesus Chapter 14: Benjamin Franklin: Ambitious Moralist Chapter 15: What about Witherspoon? Three Orthodox Founders Suggested Reading for Part Three Conclusion Notes Index

Providence Church Involvement Washington’s Beliefs Washington’s Faith in Practice Communion Morality, Ethics, and Public Religion Religious Freedom Adams and Christian Orthodoxy Clergy, Catholics, and Calvinists Religion, America, and the Public Good The Intelligent Creator Follower of Jesus Jefferson and His Bibles Religious Freedom The Dilemma of Slavery A Puritan Childhood Was Franklin a Deist? A Religion of Virtue Franklin’s Failures The Religion of the American Dream John Witherspoon: Presbyterian Patriot John Jay: Christian Providentialist Samuel Adams: Puritan Republican