Christian History Magazine—Issue 50: Christianity & the American Revolution
Overview
Colonists left England for freedom of religion—now they fought England for freedom on all other counts. Yet, sandwiched between the First and Second Great Awakenings, the American Revolution was still unavoidably religious. Preachers championed “the Cause” from their pulpits, patriots claimed the blessing of God’s providence, and the founding fathers led the charge toward a free nation founded upon Judeo-Christian morality. This issue of Christian History & Biography investigates how central Christian faith was to these admirable and uncompromising revolutionaries.
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Top Highlights
“In July 1775, as tensions with the British rose, the Continental Congress called for a day of prayer and fasting.” (source)
“Brethren,’ said he, ‘our minister has acted right. This is God’s cause, and as in days of old, the priests bore the ark into the midst of the battle, so much they do it now. We should be unworthy of the fathers and mothers who landed on Plymouth Rock if we do not cheerfully bear what Providence shall put upon us in the great conflict now before us. I had two sons at Bunker Hill, and one of them, you know, was slain. The other did his duty, and for the future, God must do with him what seemeth him best. I offer him to liberty. I had thought that I would stay here with the church. But my minister is going, and I will shoulder my musket and go, too.’” (source)
“Franklin responded that Jesus had taught the best system of morals and religion that ‘the world ever saw.’ But on the troublesome question of the divinity of Jesus, he had along with other deists ‘some doubts.’ It was an issue, he said, that he had never carefully studied and, writing only five weeks before his death, he thought it ‘needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opport[unity] of know[ing] the truth with less trouble.’ It would be difficult to burn a heretic like that.” (source)
“Some argue that the American Revolution was motivated by Christian ideals—the love of political and religious liberty, and the passion to create a society built on biblical values. Many scholars say the Revolution was merely the product of Enlightenment deists—rationalists who believed God, like a watchmaker, set the universe running and let people manage it by reason. They wanted to found a just and free society on rational, scientific principles.” (source)
- Title: Christian History Magazine—Issue 50: Christianity & the American Revolution
- Author: Christian History Institute
- Series: Christian History Magazine
- Publisher: Christianity Today
- Print Publication Date: 1996
- Logos Release Date: 2009
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: United States › History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Religious aspects
- Resource ID: LLS:12.30.50
- Resource Type: Magazine
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-05T16:39:34Z