America's Christian Founding: The State Constitutions Make the Case
The most powerful and commonly overlooked argument begins not with the federal Constitution or the Declaration of Independence, but with the states themselves.
Start With the States, Not the Federal Government
America was founded as a collection of independent states, and the state constitutions at the founding were thoroughly Christian political constitutions The federal Constitution does not mention God — but that's actually beside the point, because America was not a top-down federal behemoth from its inception. It was 13 sovereign colonies, each having its own constitution, steeped in Christian conviction.
What the State Constitutions Actually Required
Nine out of 13 of the original states required you to be a Bible-believing Christian to serve in government at the time of the founding. All 13 out of 13 required a declaration of faith. Nine out of 13 required you to be a Protestant, except Maryland, which was Catholic, which still required a declaration of faith.
Almost every single one of the original state constitutions, Pennsylvania included, had "I profess Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior" in the original state constitutions.
A concrete example: one of the clearest examples is found in the Delaware Constitution of 1776 (Article 22). Before taking office, every legislator or public official was required to profess faith in God the Father, in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, and acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.
The Founders Themselves Were Christians
55 out of 56 of the original signers of the Declaration were Bible-believing, church-attending Christians. The objection that the Founders were mostly deists simply doesn't hold up to historical scrutiny.
Common Law Has Christian Roots
America's founders inherited a legal tradition deeply influenced by Christianity. William Blackstone, whose Commentaries became foundational to American legal education, grounded English common law in biblical morality.
Deuteronomy Shaped the Constitutional Order
The book of Deuteronomy was the most quoted text during the founding period, surpassing even Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke. Deuteronomy served as Moses' farewell address, providing guidance on laws, customs, and the establishment of government. This biblical text played a crucial role in shaping the founders' understanding of governance.
Separation of powers? Consent of the governed? Independent judiciary? All straight from Moses' final address to Israel before they entered the Promised Land.
John Adams Said It Plainly
John Adams famously said the Constitution was only written for a moral, religious people. It was wholly inadequate for the people of any other. The body politic of America was so Christian, it was so Protestant, that our form and structure of government was built for the people that believed in Christ our Lord.
The Crisis of Our Time
"One of the reasons we're living through a constitutional crisis is that we no longer have a Christian nation, but we have a Christian form of government, and they're incompatible. So you cannot have liberty if you do not have a Christian population."
