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James Monroe (1758–1831), Founding Father of the United States and fifth president of the United States; held various other roles in the government of the United States. Monroe almost never discussed religion but used Deist language in speeches and was a Freemason, who were largely Deists at the time. [33]
In the United States, there is a great deal of controversy over whether the Founding Fathers were Christians, Deists, or something in between. [56] [57] Particularly heated is the debate over the beliefs of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. [58] [59] [60]
Deism and the Founding Fathers [ edit ] Deism was a religious philosophy in common currency in colonial times, and some Founding Fathers (most notably Thomas Paine , who was an explicit proponent of it, and Benjamin Franklin , who spoke of it in his Autobiography) are identified more or less with this system.
The philosophy adopts the ethics and non-mystical teachings of Jesus while denying that Jesus was a deity. Scholars of the Founding Fathers of the United States "have tended to place the founders' religion into one of three categories—non-Christian deism, Christian deism, and orthodox Christianity."
Most of the Founding Fathers considered themselves Christian and thought that religion was important in a happy, healthy society, said Gerard Magliocca, Samuel R. Rosen Professor at the IU Robert ...
Since the late 19th century, some right-wing Christians have argued that the United States of America is essentially Christian in origin. They preach American exceptionalism, oppose liberal scholars, and emphasize the Christian identity of many Founding Fathers. Critics argue that many of these Christian founders actually supported the ...
Most of the principal founders (e.g., Madison, Jefferson, Washington, Paine, Adams, Franklin) were deists, not Christians. ... America’s founding motto was “E Pluribus Unum” (out of one many ...
“Some were deists, some were atheists, but the majority were Christians. ... “It doesn’t mean that Christians weren’t a part of the founding of this nation,” said Butler, a historian of ...