American Christianity Blog

Faith and the Founders: Christianity, Civic Virtue, and the Early American Republic

In the formative years of the American Republic, Christianity played a complex and evolving role in shaping civic life, public morality, and national identity. While the Founding Fathers famously championed Enlightenment ideals and religious liberty, many also saw Christian values as essential to the survival of the republic. This tension—between secular governance and moral foundations rooted in faith—defined much of the early discourse on religion and politics.

Few figures illustrate this dynamic better than John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Their extensive correspondence, preserved in The Adams-Jefferson Letters, reveals a nuanced dialogue about religion’s place in public life. Adams, deeply influenced by Puritan moral philosophy, believed that Christianity—particularly its ethical teachings—was indispensable to republican virtue. In a 1813 letter to Jefferson, Adams wrote, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity.” Jefferson, while more skeptical of organized religion, agreed that moral teachings derived from Christianity could support civic harmony. He famously advocated for the separation of church and state, yet also acknowledged the social utility of religious belief.

This philosophical balance was echoed in public commemorations of American independence. In his 1802 Independence Day oration, Zephaniah Swift Moore emphasized the role of divine providence in the founding of the nation. Speaking in Worcester, Massachusetts, Moore declared:

“The hand of Heaven has been visible in our deliverance… and the religion of Jesus Christ is the surest foundation of liberty.” Moore’s sermon reflects the widespread belief that Christianity was not merely a private faith but a public good—capable of guiding both leaders and citizens toward virtuous conduct.

Similarly, William Wirt’s 1826 memorial discourse on the lives of Jefferson and Adams, delivered shortly after their deaths on July 4th, underscores the moral legacy of the Founders. Wirt praised their commitment to liberty and reason, but also noted their shared belief in a moral order that transcended politics. He stated: “They were believers in the moral government of the world… and in the accountability of man to his Creator.”

These sources, drawn from the Sabin American database, offer rich insight into how Christianity was woven into the fabric of early American civic identity. They also highlight the importance of historical literacy—the ability to interpret primary texts within their cultural and political contexts—and information literacy, which enables us to locate and evaluate archival materials critically.

In today’s polarized climate, revisiting these foundational debates reminds us that the early Republic was not built on rigid dogma, but on a thoughtful negotiation between faith and reason. Christianity, for many early Americans, was not just a religion—it was a moral compass guiding the experiment in self-government.

The reflections of Jefferson, Adams, and their contemporaries remind us that the relationship between faith and public life has always been a subject of thoughtful negotiation in American history. In today’s pluralistic society, where debates over religious freedom, moral education, and civic responsibility continue to shape public discourse, the early Republic offers a valuable model. The Founders did not seek to impose religious doctrine, but they recognized the power of shared moral values—often rooted in Christianity—to sustain a free and virtuous society. Their writings and public commemorations encourage us to engage with faith not as a tool of division, but as a source of ethical reflection and civic unity. As we navigate the challenges of modern governance, revisiting these foundational ideas can help us balance liberty with responsibility, and reason with conscience. In doing so, we honor the legacy of those who believed that faith and freedom could coexist in the American experiment.

Works Cited:

Adams, John, Institute of Early American History and Culture, and Lester Jesse Cappon. The Adams-Jefferson Letters : The Complete Correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams. Edited by Lester Jesse Cappon. Chapel Hill, [North Carolina] ; Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia, by the University of North Carolina Press, 1987.

Moore, Zephaniah Swift. An oration on the anniversary of the independence of the United States of America : pronounced at Worcester, Monday, July 5, 1802. From the press of I. Thomas, Jun, 1802. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CY0102266113/SABN?u=vic_liberty&sid=bookmark-SABN&xid=dc6530c7&pg=9. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.

Wirt, William. A discourse on the lives and characters of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams : who both died on the fourth of July, 1826 : delivered, at the request of the citizens of Washington, in the Hall of Representatives of the United States, on the nineteenth October, 1826. Washington [D.C.]: Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1826. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926 (accessed August 31, 2025). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CY0101697269/SABN?u=vic_liberty&sid=bookmark-SABN&xid=14ddd315&pg=12. Link to Blog Post: