From the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, a full 93% of its members were members of Christian churches, and all were deeply influenced by a biblical view of mankind and government. As a matter of public record, the delegates included 28 Episcopalians, 8 Presbyterians, 7 Congregationalists, 2 Lutherans, 2 Dutch Reformed, 2 Methodists, 2 Roman Catholics, 1 Unknown and 3 Deists. A total 29 of these delegates had seminary degrees.
“The Signing of the Constitution"
Howard Chandler Christy
Courtesy Architect of the Capitol: Copyright © 1985 United States Capitol Historical Society
George Washington: 1st President of the United States
"You do well to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention."
Benjamin Franklin: Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
“I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth-that 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 and fall without His aid?”
“History will also afford frequent opportunities of showing the necessity of a public religion and the excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern.”
John Adams: 2nd President of the United States
"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were…the general principles of Christianity…I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God; and that those principles of liberty are as unalterable as human nature."
James Madison: Signer of the Federal Constitution and 4th President of the United States
"No people ought to feel greater obligations to celebrate the goodness of the Great Disposer of events and the Destiny of Nations than the people of the United States…And to the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land."
John Hancock: 1st signer of the Declaration of Independence, President of Congress, member of Continental Congress,
Governor of Massachusetts.
"I conjure you, by all that is dear, by all that is honorable, by all that is sacred, not only that ye pray but that ye act."
Patrick Henry: Continental Congress, Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State under George Washington.
"The great pillars of all government and of social life…[are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible."
“The bible is a book worth more than all the other books that were ever printed.”
Thomas Jefferson: Signer and principal author of the Declaration of Independence and 3rd President of the United States.
"The practice of morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in his discourses."
Alexander Hamilton: Signer of the Federal Constitution, co-author of the Federalist Papers, member of the Continental Congress.
"The law…dictated by God himself is, of course, superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, an at all times. No human laws are of any validity if contrary to this."
John Quincy Adam: 6th President of the United States.
"Three points of doctrine, the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of a God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it is possible for a man to disbelieve either of these articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark; the laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy."
“The first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention is the bible. I speak as a man of the world… and I say to you, “Search the Scriptures.”
Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
“My only hope of salvation is in the infinite, transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His son upon the cross. Nothing but his blood will wash away my sins. I rely exclusively upon it. Come Lord Jesus! Come quickly!”
Noah Webster: The Father of American Education
“In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed…No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.”
“The Bible must be considered as the great source of all the truth by which men are to be guided in government as well as in all social transactions.”
"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just men who will rule in the fear of God."
Abraham Lincoln: 16th President of the United States.
“All the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book.”
Benjamin Harrison: 23rd President of the United States.
“If you take out your statutes, your constitution, your family life all that is taken from the sacred book, what would there be left to bind society together?”
Woodrow Wilson: 28th President of the United States.
“The Bible is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God, and spiritual nature and needs of men. It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation. America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture.”
Calvin Coolidge: 30th President of the United States.
“The strength of our country is the strength of its religious convictions. The foundation of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.”
Harry Truman: 33rd President of the United States.
“The fundamental basis of the nation’s laws was given to Moses on the mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and Saint Matthew, from Isaiah and Saint Paul…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State!”
Barack Obama: 44th President of the United States of America
“One of the great strengths of the United States," the President said, "is ... we have a very large Christian population -- we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
“ I’m confident that we can create a kingdom right here on earth.”
"...I've got two daughters. Nine years old and six years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."
"Whatever we once were, we're no longer a Christian nation."
"The Holy Koran tells us, "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."
"Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace."
"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam."
“I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It should be repealed and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor. I will also oppose any proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying.”
“In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world.”
“The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country - I know, because I am one of them.”
“You know, my faith is one that admits some doubt.”
Congress, 1854
The great, vital, and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the
pure doctrines and the divine truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
