Pilot Knob Lutheran Church Communique Founders Faith July 8, 2026
Is it true that most or all of America’s Founding Father’s were deists and not Christian and whose purpose was to ensure the separation of church and state?
On September 24, 1789 the House approved what would become the First Amendment which states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Those who are against religion in public life point to this as saying the Founders wanted a “wall of separation between church and state.” Not true!
The day after its approval, September 25, 1789, Elias Boudinot asked President George Washington to propose a day of public prayer and fasting. This was justified by scripture that man is to give thanks to Almighty God on numerous occasions. President Washington issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation on October 3, 1789 that on November 26 would be a National Day of Prayer and thanksgiving. The people were not compelled to observe it, but encouraged to do so. The Founding Father’s made sure there would be no compulsion in matters of faith.
In addition, protestants are ‘people of the book.’ If faith was important to the Founders, you would think scripture would show up in their writings. Well, the bible is cited more than any other book, pamphlet or article at that time. In fact, 34% of citations are from scripture. This translated into biblical principles becoming the foundation of our constitution and form of government.
George Mason drafted article 16 of the Virginia declaration of rights: “That as religion, or the Duty which we owe to our divine and omnipotent Creator, and the Manner of discharging it, can be governed only by Reason and Conviction, not by Force or Violence; and therefore that all Men shou’d enjoy the fullest Toleration in the Exercise of Religion, according to the Dictates of Conscience, unpunished and unrestrained by the Magistrate.”
James Madison objected to the word ‘toleration’ in the article in that it implied that religious liberty was a grant from the state and could be revoked at will. Subsequently, the language of toleration was removed to make it clear that the free exercise of religion was a right and not a privilege granted by the state.
What we’ve heard for 50 plus years about the separation of church and state is the opposite of what our Founding Father’s worked tirelessly to achieve and safeguard. The vast majority of the Father’s were men who believed in Jesus Christ, God our Creator and who hears and answers prayer. We must stop the hijacking of this God given right to worship, serve our God and to share His truth any where and any place. (Sources from: Dr. Mark David Hall, professor at Regent University as heard on Hillsdale College pod cast.)
Pr. Bob Snitzer
By the Way:
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Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
