Jon Harris with some others had a conference recently in Pennsylvania in which the Christian basis for America’s founding was explored. The talks from this conference are being posted online.
The following talk discusses the Anglican Church and its contributions to early American culture and the formation of our nation. It is an interesting talk; and a fair number of familiar names are discussed. From our region, he presents Charles Pinckney and John Rutledge from Charleston, South Carolina as examples of prominent Anglicans who played a big role.
Future talks will discuss the contributions of Baptists and Presbyterians, among other topics:
Christianity and the Founding: Session 1: The Anglicans and the Founding of America – Jared Lovell pic.twitter.com/aWGF6Aq7Cl
— Truthscript (@Truth_Script) May 9, 2025
A very interesting and informative lecture on the crucial role Christianity played in founding this country.
What gave me insight into religion in America was a book I read in college, “The Puritan Oligarchy” by Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker . It is a study of the Massachusetts Bible State. The volume traces the origins of this State in England, follows it to the wilderness of America, and describes its chief features – the close relationship of the churches and the government, the stern moral code, the expression of Puritan spirit in architecture, literature, music, and the educational system. The book then focuses on the forces of disintegration – the development of commerce, the shift from village to farm, the growth of rationalism, and the loss of political autonomy. Dr. Wertenbaker’s account of the life and death of the Puritan experiment clarifies an important and fascinating phase of the history of American civilization.
Thanks, Fred, for some great comments. The Puritans made some enormous contributions. Because of the “stern moral code”, they do not receive nearly the acknowledgement from the usual players that they ordinarily might receive.