The Christian Roots of America

Question: Is the United States a Christian nation?
Answer: It depends upon the definition of what makes a Christian nation.

Christianity is not the official, established religion by the government. It is not demanded.
Not all citizens are Christian. About 77% of the American people claim Christianity as their religion.
Citizens are not required to embrace and practice Christianity.
Christian profession is not necessary to hold office or a position of leadership. However, this was not always the case.
And, the nations (as a whole) does not always model Christian behavior. Rom. 3:23

However, if the definition is "a nation founded on Christian principles, whose values, society, and institutions have been largely shaped by Christianity", then, yes we are a Christian nation.

Some examples of statements in early documents and by early founding fathers, presidents, leaders, etc. : Rom. 1:19 Gen. 1:27

I. AMERICAN PRESIDENTS
1. John Adams (signer of the Declaration of Independence; judge; diplomat; one of two signers of the Bill of Rights; second president of the United States;
The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God; Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited.... What a Eutopia - what a Paradise would this region be!"
2. John Quincy Adams (sixth president of the United states; diplomat; secretary of State; U.S. Senator; U.S. Representative; "old man eloquent"
My hopes of a future life are all founded upon the Gospel of Christ, .... The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth. In the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior. The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity."
3. Thomas Jefferson - 3rd. President of the United States - similar quotes
4. James Madison - 4th. President of the United States - similar quotes
5. Teddy Roosevelt - "The teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and entwined with our whole civic and social life that it would be literally....impossible for us to figure to ourselves what that life would be if these teachings were removed."
6. Woodrow Wilson - America was born a Christian nation - American was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture."
7. Herbert Hoover - "American life is builded, and can alone survive, upon...the fundamental philisophy announced by the Savior nineteen centuries ago."
8. Harry Truman - "This is a Christian Nation."
9. Richard Nixon - 'Let us remember that as a Christian nation.... we have a charge and a destiny."

II. U.S. Congress
1. Charles Carroll, U.S. Senator - On the mercy of my Redeemer, I rely for salvation and on His merits, not on the works I have done."
2. Samual Huntington, President of Congress - "It becomes a people publicly to acknowledge the over-ruling hand of Divine Providence and their dependence upon the Supreme Being as their Creator and Merciful Preserver... and with becoming humility and sincere repentance to supplicate the pardon that we may obtain forgiveness through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
And many others.

III. The Judicial Branch
1. Elias Boudinot
2. Gunning Bedford
3. Congress, U.S. House Judiciary Committee, 1854: Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle.... In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity.... That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants."
4. Gabriel Duvall - 'I resign my soul into the hands of the Almighty Who gave it, in humble hopes of His mercy through our Savior Jesus Christ."
And many others.

IV. Statements by non-Christians (Jews)
Jewish leaders, although firmly committed to their own faith, understand that by defending Chrisianity they are defending what has provided them their own religious liberty in America.
1. For example: Aaron Zeiman (a Jewish author and head of a civil rights organization) delcares:
"Christian America is the best home our people have found in 2,000 years..... This remains the most tolerant, prosperous, and safest home we could be blessed with."
2. Dennis Prager, a Jewish national columnist and popular talk show host, warns: If America abandons its Judeo-Christian values' basis and the central role of the Jewish and Christian Bibles (its Founders guiding text), we are all in big trouble, including, most especially, American's non-Christians. Jus ask the Jews of secular Europe. ...... I believe that it is good that America is a Christian nation.."
3. Orthodox Rabbi Daniel Lapin of the Jewish Policy Center: I understand that I live ... in a Christian nation, albeit one where I can follow my faith as long as it doesn't conflict with the nation's principles. The same option is open to all Americans and will be available only as long as this nation's Christian roots are acknowledged and honored." In fact, with foreboding, he warns: "Without a vibrant and vital Christianity, America is doomed..."

V. Signers of the Declaration of Independence. 27 of the 56 signers graduated from seminary. 52 of the 56 were openly Christian.

VI. The General Public
According to the latest polls, of our own Citizenry, 77% claim to be Christian. 62% consider America a Christian nation.

President Obama's declaration that Americans "do not consider ourselves a Christian nation" is a repudiation of the declarations of the national leaders before him and is an unabashed attempt at historical revisionism. Of such efforts, Chief Justice William Rehnquist wisely observed, "no amount of repetition of historical errors... can make the errors true."

A REASONABLE RESPONSE

#1. Recognize your blessings.
You live in a privileged nation - not perfect, but very blessed
You are a privileged person
You don't necessarily deserve it!!

#2. Recognize your Blessor. Deut. 4:5-6, 9 Deut. 8:10-14, 17, 18
REMEMBER = both recognition and response
in other words: give thought and give thanks

#3. Guard these blessings
How?? Don't let anyone steal your recognition and response.

#4. Pass the blessings along.
How??? "teach kids" and successive generations.... about the blessings, the Blessor, their responsibility to do the same.

You can do this in.....
1. a generic way - "thank you God, Amen."
2. a more Biblical way. Recognize Him as Creator, sustainer, blessor, judge, "Father".
3. a New Testament Christian way - making Him Savior John 14:6
4. the ultimate way - making Him Lord. - setting Him on the throne of your heart and letting him be the boss of your life.