After researching and thinking about the people who helped start the United States, it was

possible to conclude the most important things they did. In my opinion, Christianity had a

prominent impact on the Founding Fathers. Even though most people in modern society don't

try to acknowledge it, the fact remains that Christianity had a vast effect on our Founding

Fathers. There are a few reasons that give way to the realization that our Founding Fathers

were significantly influenced by Christianity. In order to fully understand how our Founding

Fathers viewed government, a few pieces of information must be examined. For starters, the

Founding Fathers sought to protect the right of all individuals to worship. Mark Hall asserts

that "this conviction was typically based upon the theological principle that people must

worship God following the dictates of their consciences."

1. The Founders believed that the government should not interfere with a person's right

to practice their religion. Second, because they suppose that everyone was made in the

likeness of God, the Founders established laws and regulations that supported equity

and individual rights grounded in natural law and God-given rights. The founding

fathers created laws and regulations to safeguard people from those who might

attempt to trample on their rights. McClellan says that a wise constitution will offer

protection against random and unfair actions by people in power.

2. The Founding Fathers' conception of government was heavily influenced by their

concern for preserving the freedoms and privileges that people have been endowed

with by God. Lastly, the Founding Fathers believed in virtue and the creation of

regulations and rules based on God-given ethics.

3. We are all born sinners, so we need rules to uphold virtue. The Founding Fathers

drafted a constitution that included a set of rules designed to provide equilibrium and

fight man's depravity. Scripture also sheds light on the basis for Christian impact and

how it affected the Founding Fathers' views on government. Because humanity is by

 nature evil because of Adam and Eve, there are laws and guidelines for humanity to

abide by throughout the Bible. The Ten Commandments established some of the first

guidelines for God's people to observe. The Bible supports the idea of religious

freedom, even though God tells us to honour Him. Hebrews 13:15, says “Therefore,

let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our

allegiance to his name.”

4. All people must worship the Lord, and the Founding Fathers understood this.

Scripture also refutes the notion that one person is superior to another and that every

person has rights. John 13:16, says “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater

than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

5. Lastly, the Founding Fathers tried to create a union that would help people fulfill their

God-given responsibilities and missions in this world, and they were able to do so.

The influence of Christianity on the Founding Fathers and eventually the United

States of America cannot be denied when studying the Founding Fathers of the United

States and the Constitution.

References

1Hall, Mark David. 2011. “Did America Have a Christian Founding?” Faculty

PublicationsDepartment of History, Politics, and International Studies. Paper 53.

http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/hist_fac/53? 2McClellan, James. 2000. Liberty, Order,

and Justice: An Introduction to the Constitutional Principles of American Government.

Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund. http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/679 3 Hall, Mark David. 2011.

“Did America Have a Christian Founding?” Faculty PublicationsDepartment of History,

Politics, and International Studies. Paper 53.

http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/hist_fac/53? 4 (Heb 13:15 [New Living Translation]). 5

(Jn 13:16 [English Standard Version]).