When the Founding Fathers gathered to shape the destiny of a new nation in the late 18th century, they were not only political visionaries—they were also men deeply influenced by their religious beliefs and philosophical reflections on God. While their individual theological views varied, a common thread ran through their writings and speeches: the recognition of a Creator, the importance of divine providence, and a moral order that transcended human institutions.
One of the most frequently referenced figures in this conversation is George Washington, the first President of the United States. Though he was reserved in his personal writings about specific doctrines, his public life reflected a man of prayer and reverence. In his first inaugural address in 1789, Washington said, “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States.” He frequently called upon divine guidance and encouraged the nation to seek God’s favor. Washington regularly attended Anglican services and believed that religion and morality were essential pillars for political prosperity.
John Adams, the second President, was a staunch believer in the moral role of religion in public life. A devout Congregationalist (and later a Unitarian), Adams once wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” He, like many of his peers, believed that human rights were derived from a higher authority—God—and not from monarchs or governments.
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, had a more complex relationship with Christianity. Though often labeled a deist, Jefferson believed in God’s providence and moral law. He called the teachings of Jesus “the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man.” While he questioned certain church doctrines and miracles, he maintained a strong belief in the ethical teachings of Christianity. In the Declaration, he famously referenced “Nature’s God” and asserted that all men are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”
Benjamin Franklin also embodied a blend of Enlightenment thinking and spiritual reverence. Though raised Presbyterian, Franklin questioned orthodoxy but firmly believed in God, moral accountability, and the afterlife. During the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Franklin urged the assembly to pray, saying, “God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”
Another influential figure, James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution,” was raised in the Christian tradition and attended Princeton (then a Presbyterian institution). Madison deeply valued religious freedom and was instrumental in crafting the First Amendment. He believed that religious liberty was a natural right granted by God, not a favor from government.
What united these men was not religious uniformity but a shared conviction that liberty, justice, and virtue were grounded in a higher moral law. Their vision of America was deeply shaped by the belief that individuals are accountable not only to one another, but to God.
In their public acts—such as proclaiming days of prayer, invoking divine blessings in official documents, and referencing a Creator in foundational texts—the Founding Fathers laid a spiritual foundation for the United States. Though America would become a land of religious diversity, its origin story is undeniably interwoven with a faith in God and a trust in His providence.
