America's Christian Founding is Historical Fact, Not Narrative
Source: Brianna Lyman. "Media Livid Over Trump Acknowledging Christian Founding." May 18, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that America really was founded on Christian principles, and this is just historical fact, not some made-up story. She says the media and liberals are wrong to get upset when Trump acknowledges this, because the founding fathers themselves were Christians who saw their faith as essential to making America work.
Conclusion
America was genuinely founded on Christian principles, and acknowledging this historical reality does not constitute establishing a theocracy but rather recognizing the moral framework essential to American liberty and self-government
Premises
- The founding generation regularly proclaimed national days of prayer and thanksgiving while also creating the First Amendment, showing they saw no contradiction between Christianity and constitutional government
- Founding documents like Federalist No. 2 explicitly reference America as 'one united people...professing the same religion' (Christianity)
- At ratification, 9 of 14 states had religious oaths of office limiting positions to Christians, and several states had taxpayer-funded churches
- Key founders like John Adams stated that independence was achieved on 'the general Principles of Christianity' and that the Constitution was made 'only for a moral and religious people'
- Even Jefferson, despite his 'wall of separation' letter, regularly attended Christian worship services in the House of Representatives as president
- Founders believed rights come from God rather than government, making religious foundation essential to securing liberty
- The left opposes acknowledging Christian founding because it conflicts with their goal of instituting a 'dystopian Marxist society'
Assumptions
- Historical actions and statements by founders accurately reflect their true intentions and beliefs
- The founders' personal Christian faith necessarily influenced their political philosophy and governmental design
- Acknowledging Christian influence on founding principles is fundamentally different from establishing a theocracy
- Modern interpretations of church-state separation differ significantly from the founders' original understanding
- The left's opposition to Christian founding acknowledgment is primarily ideologically motivated rather than historically grounded