Religion at the Time of Our Nation’s Birth

Religion at the Time of Our Nation’s Birth

            The state of religion, when we in the U. S. A. declared our independence, is clearly described in William Placher’s book on his History of Theology. Which relates this situation on page 261.

“… in 1776, every state except Rhode Island still required some sort of religious affirmation from anyone seeking public office, and Connecticut (until 1818), New Hampshire (Until 1819) and Massachusetts (Until 1833) still recognized an established church with special privileges and tax support. People like Jefferson and Franklin sought to limit the churches’ influence on the state, but it was principally the sheer fact of religious diversity, which ruled out an established church on the national level. Congregationalists dominated Massachusetts, Anglicans Virginia, and so on, but no denomination had a dominant position in the whole country. As a result, … a least-common denominator Christianity rather like Deism came to characterize public occasions in the United States.”

            Perhaps the phase which sums this better than any other comes from our Declaration of Independence there Thomas Jefferson speaks of “Nature and nature’s God” It is appropriate wording for a man who edited out all of miracles in the New Testament. It is also appropriate wording for a least-common denominator faith behind which the country could unite.

            Our nation’s founders had the motto “One of many one”. They were keenly aware of the chaos, which came to Europe with the Reformation. Religious wars had torn apart many nations. Many of our earliest leaders were also old enough to remember the English Civil War where Puritan armies fought against Anglican forces. Fresh also were stories of Protestant and Catholic martyrs. Our founders knew they could not hope to fight the British if they did not “Hang together” and religious differences would divide them.

            That does not mean there were no sectarian religious motives in the American Revolution. But they operated on a state-by-state basis. Congregationalists in Massachusetts were loyal to “The church without a bishop for the country without a king”. In all the state militias, pastors often lead their congregations into battle. Among the troops also were chaplains, which came mostly from the established churches.