Eighteen primary documents from nine founders — 1776 to 1825. What they wrote about faith, God, and religion in their own hand. The founding documents themselves. The archive holds all of it. The reader may compare them directly.
Three founding documents address religion directly. They do not agree with each other in tone or scope. They are presented here in chronological order.
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom · January 16, 1786 — drafted by Jefferson, passed by the Virginia legislature with Madison shepherding it through. The preamble states: "Almighty God hath created the mind free." The operative clause: "no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever." Full text at Yale Avalon.
The Constitution · September 17, 1787 · Article VI — "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." The word God does not appear. The First Amendment, ratified December 15, 1791: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Full text at the National Archives.
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
John Witherspoon was a Presbyterian minister and the president of the College of New Jersey — now Princeton University. He was the only ordained Christian minister among the signers of the Declaration. On May 17, 1776 — six weeks before he was elected to the Continental Congress — he preached a sermon at Princeton on the Congressional Day of Fasting. He signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.
There is not a greater evidence either of the reality or the power of religion, than a firm belief of God's universal presence, and a constant attention to the influence and operation of his providence. It is by this means that the Christian may be said, in the emphatical scripture language, to walk with God, and to endure as seeing him who is invisible. I shall now apply the discourse, by exhorting you to make a wise improvement of the present situation; and particularly I would address to you the following exhortations: In the first place, I would take the opportunity on this occasion, and from this subject, to press every hearer to a sincere concern for his own soul's salvation.
Washington left no private letters addressing his personal religious beliefs in direct terms. What the archive holds are his public documents — and two of the most cited were issued within seven years of each other, the last two in the same year.
Thanksgiving Proclamation · October 3, 1789 — the first national Thanksgiving under the Constitution, issued at Congress's request.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor — Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th. day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be — That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks.
Farewell Address · September 19, 1796
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.
Treaty of Tripoli · November 4, 1796 — negotiated under Washington, signed six weeks after the Farewell Address, in the same year. Article 11 is documented in Chapter 1 above.
"Religion and morality are indispensable supports... the firmest props of the duties of men and citizens."
"The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."
Two signers left documented statements in the official records of Congress rather than in private letters. Both are at the Library of Congress.
John Hancock · Continental Congress · May 16, 1776 — Hancock was President of the Continental Congress when it passed a resolution calling for a Day of Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer. The Journals of the Continental Congress document his role in presiding over and issuing this resolution, which included the language: "humbly to beseech Him to forgive our iniquities, to remove our present calamities, to avert those desolating judgments with which we are threatened." The Journals are at the Library of Congress.
Roger Sherman · First Congress · August 19, 1789 — during debate on the First Amendment's religion clauses, Sherman stated his position directly. The record is in the Annals of Congress at the Library of Congress.
It appears to me best that this article should be omitted entirely: Congress has no power to make any religious establishments, it is therefore unnecessary.
Adams wrote more directly about religion and the founding than almost any other founder. Two letters — three years apart — document his position in full.
The Christian Religion as I understand it, is the Brightness of the Glory and the express Portrait of the Character of the eternal, self existent independant benevolent all powerful and all mercifull Creator, Preserver, and Father of the Universe: the first good, first perfect and first fair. It will last as long as the World. Neither Savage nor civilized Man without a Revelation could ever have discovered or invented it. Ask me not then whether I am a Catholic or Protestant, Calvinist or Arminian? As far as they are Christians, I wish to be a Fellow Disciple with them all.
Three years later, writing to Jefferson, Adams described what the founding generation actually held in common — and documented the full diversity of that generation in the same letter.
The general Principles, on which the Fathers Atchieved Independence, were the only Principles in which, that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite. And what were these general principles? I answer, the general principles of Christianity, in which all those sects were united, and the general principles of English and American liberty. Who composed that Army of fine young Fellows that was then before my Eyes? There were among them, Roman Catholicks, English Episcopalians, Scotch and American Presbyterians, Methodists, Moravians, Anababtists, German Lutherans, German Calvinists, Universalists, Arians, Priestleyans, Socinians, Independents, Congregationalists, Horse Protestants and House Protestants, Deists and Atheists; and "Protestans qui ne croyent rien." Very few however of Several of these Species. Nevertheless all Educated in the General Principles of Christianity: and the general Principles of English and American Liberty.
Madison's position on religion and government is documented across thirty-five years of primary sources — from his Memorial and Remonstrance in 1785 to the Detached Memoranda he wrote in retirement around 1820.
Because the establishment proposed by the Bill is not requisite for the support of the Christian Religion. To say that it is, is a contradiction to the Christian Religion itself, for every page of it disavows a dependance on the powers of this world: it is a contradiction to fact; for it is known that this Religion both existed and flourished, not only without the support of human laws, but in spite of every opposition from them.
In the Detached Memoranda — a private document written around 1820, not published until 1946 — Madison revisited the question and concluded that congressional chaplains and presidential prayer proclamations both violated the separation of church and state he had argued for in 1785.
Franklin left two primary documents that address his religious views directly. The first is from the Constitutional Convention. The second was written five weeks before his death.
Constitutional Convention · June 28, 1787 — with the Convention deadlocked over representation, Franklin rose to move for daily prayers. The motion failed — most delegates felt it would signal weakness or alarm the public. Madison recorded Franklin's address in his Convention Notes. Franklin added his own note to the record: "The Convention, except three or four Persons, thought Prayers unnecessary."
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel.
Franklin to Ezra Stiles · March 9, 1790 — five weeks before his death at age 84, Stiles asked Franklin directly about his religious beliefs. Franklin replied with a statement he described as his creed.
You desire to know something of my Religion. It is the first time I have been questioned upon it. Here is my Creed: I believe in one God, Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by his Providence. That he ought to be worshipped. That the most acceptable Service we can render to him, is doing Good to his other Children. That the Soul of Man is immortal, and will be treated with Justice in another Life respecting its Conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental Principles of all sound Religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever Sect I meet with them. I think the System of Morals devised by Jesus, and his Religion as he left them to us, the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting Changes, and I have with most of the present Dissenters in England, some Doubts as to his Divinity.
Jefferson's religious views are documented across six decades of primary sources at Founders Online. The documents are presented in chronological order. The reader may compare them directly.
Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.
I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know. I am not a Jew, and yet I am the disciple of Jesus, more than all the Bishops and Clergy of Christendom. I am a Christian, in the only sense in which he wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; and believing he never claimed any other.
I can never join Calvin in addressing his god. he was indeed an Atheist, which I can never be; or rather his religion was Dæmonism. The being described in his 5. points is not the God whom you and I acknowledge and adore, the Creator and benevolent governor of the world.
This letter will, to you be as one from the dead, the writer will be in the grave before you can weigh its counsels. Adore God. reverence and cherish your parents. love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself. be just. be true. murmur not at the ways of Providence.
The primary record on the religious views of the signers of the Declaration of Independence is not equally accessible in digital form. Many of the 56 signers have little or no representation in source documents we can currently access through approved institutional digital archives. This does not reflect on the religious views or the character of the remaining signers — it reflects only the present state of digitization. The papers of many founders are held in state archives, county historical societies, church records, and private collections that have not yet been fully digitized or made available online.
The documents presented in this episode represent what is currently confirmed at approved institutional archives — Founders Online, the Library of Congress, Yale Avalon, the National Archives, the Online Library of Liberty, the University of Michigan Evans Early American Imprint Collection, and Internet Archive. As digital copies of original source documents become available at institutional archives, this episode will be revised and expanded. The Founders' Record is a living archive.