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'''Christian Nation''' is a concept held among some [[Christian fundamentalists|fundamentalist Christians]] that the United States was founded as a "Christian Nation," then lost its way, and now should be restored to its original character. Many misguided liberals and secularists, influenced by [[liberal values]] and [[public school culture]], which has explicitly diverged from theologically conservative Christianity and social conservatism, frequently attack the idea, claiming that the political Right plans to impose Christianity upon on America.

'''Christian Nation''' is a concept held among some [[Christian fundamentalists|fundamentalist Christians]] that the United States was founded as a "Christian Nation," then lost its way, and now should be restored to its original character. This raises contradictions with the legal doctrine of separation of church and state, the freedom of religion held by both Christian and non-Christian citizens, and the mainstream conservative's advocacy against big, intrusive government.

==The founding fathers==

==The founding fathers==

Regarding [[Thomas Jefferson]], Peterson states Jefferson was a [[Theism|theist]] "whose God was the Creator of the universe&nbsp;... all the evidences of nature testified to His perfection; and man could rely on the harmony and beneficence of His work."<ref>{{cite book |last=Peterson |first=Merrill D. |authorlink=Merrill D. Peterson |isbn=978-0-19-500054-2|authormask=2 |title=Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation; a Biography |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1970 |ref=Peterson70 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XcOXEb0O4-UC}}, ch. 2 [e-book].</ref>

Regarding [[Thomas Jefferson]], Peterson states Jefferson was a [[Theism|theist]] "whose God was the Creator of the universe&nbsp;... all the evidences of nature testified to His perfection; and man could rely on the harmony and beneficence of His work."<ref>{{cite book |last=Peterson |first=Merrill D. |authorlink=Merrill D. Peterson |isbn=978-0-19-500054-2|authormask=2 |title=Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation; a Biography |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1970 |ref=Peterson70 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XcOXEb0O4-UC}}, ch. 2 [e-book].</ref>

Jefferson was firmly [[Anti-clericalism|anticlerical]], writing in "every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty&nbsp;... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon."<ref>{{cite book |last=Wood |first=Gordon S |authormask=2 |isbn=978-0-19-503914-6 |title=Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2010 |ref=Wood2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWI8fmyhN5IC}}, p. 577.</ref>  Jefferson once supported banning clergy from public office but later relented.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Finkelman, Paul |ref=Finkelman2006 |title=The Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties A-F Index|publisher=Taylor & Francis Group|volume=1|year=2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UVgKAgAAQBAJ|isbn=978-1-135-94704-0}}, p. 921.</ref> In 1777, he drafted the [[Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom]]. Ratified in 1786, it prohibted mandatory attendance or contributions to any state-sanctioned religious establishment illegal and declared that men "shall be free to profess&nbsp;... their opinions in matters of religion."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Yarbrough |first1=Jean M.|last2=Jefferson |first2=Thomas |year=2006 |title=The Essential Jefferson |publisher=Hackett Publishing|isbn=978-1-60384-378-2 |ref=Yarbrough2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iQGA8iIpZxQC}}[[#Yarbrough2006|Yarbrough, 2006]], p. 28.</ref> The Statute is one of only three accomplishments he chose to have inscribed in the epitaph on his gravestone.<ref>[[#Peterson|Peterson, 2003]], p. 315.</ref><ref>W. W. Hening, ed., Statutes at Large of Virginia, vol. 12 (1823): 84–86.</ref>

Jefferson was firmly [[Anti-clericalism|anticlerical]], writing in "every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty&nbsp;... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon."<ref>{{cite book |last=Wood |first=Gordon S |authormask=2 |isbn=978-0-19-503914-6 |title=Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2010 |ref=Wood2010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWI8fmyhN5IC}}, p. 577.</ref>  Jefferson once supported banning clergy from public office but later relented.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Finkelman, Paul |ref=Finkelman2006 |title=The Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties A-F Index|publisher=Taylor & Francis Group|volume=1|year=2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UVgKAgAAQBAJ|isbn=978-1-135-94704-0}}, p. 921.</ref> In 1777, he drafted the [[Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom]]. Ratified in 1786, it prohibted mandatory attendance or contributions to any state-sanctioned religious establishment illegal and declared that men "shall be free to profess&nbsp;... their opinions in matters of religion."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Yarbrough |first1=Jean M.|last2=Jefferson |first2=Thomas |year=2006 |title=The Essential Jefferson |publisher=Hackett Publishing|isbn=978-1-60384-378-2 |ref=Yarbrough2006 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iQGA8iIpZxQC}}, p. 28.</ref> The Statute is one of only three accomplishments he chose to have inscribed in the epitaph on his gravestone.<ref>W. W. Hening, ed., Statutes at Large of Virginia, vol. 12 (1823): 84–86.</ref>

==Acceptance among conservatives and Christians==

==Acceptance among conservatives and Christians==

Many conservatives and Christians generally speak in terms of Judeo-Christian ethics and values, of America having a Christian heritage, or that the founding fathers were mainly, but not in entirety, Christian men.  Most conservatives view both the Old Testament and the New Testament as co-equal contributors to American heritage.

Many conservatives and Christians generally speak in terms of Judeo-Christian ethics and values, of America having a Christian heritage, or that the founding fathers were mainly, but not in entirety, Christian men.  Most conservatives view both the Old Testament and the New Testament as co-equal contributors to American heritage.

Many Christians also believe that while not intended to be a Christian nation, "the ''principles'' upon which the United States was founded" were based on the [[Bible]].<ref>[https://www.gotquestions.org/Founding-Fathers.html Were the Founding Fathers of the United States Christians?]. ''[[GotQuestions]]''. Retrieved May 22, 2017.</ref> Christians also point out that the founding fathers did not intend a "[[separation of church and state]]" as liberals and secularists envision it.<ref name="Frazer"/>

Many Christians also believe that while not intended to be a Christian nation, "the ''principles'' upon which the United States was founded" were based on the [[Bible]], both the Old and New Testaments.<ref>[https://www.gotquestions.org/Founding-Fathers.html Were the Founding Fathers of the United States Christians?]. ''[[GotQuestions]]''. Retrieved May 22, 2017.</ref> Christians also point out that the founding fathers did not intend a "[[separation of church and state]]" as liberals and secularists envision it.<ref name="Frazer"/>

==Christian Heritage==

==Christian Heritage==

Prior to(and during) the American Revolution, the involvement of preachers was well known.(See [[Black Robed Regiment]])

Prior to(and during) the American Revolution, the involvement of preachers was well known.(See [[Black Robed Regiment]])

After the revolution, the involvement of the clergy did not end.  It was common for election day sermons to occur.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=O1RgAAAAcAAJ A Sermon, Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. Governour; the Honourable the Council, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 28, 1788. Being the Day of General Election], By David Parsons</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=72o0AQAAMAAJ A Sermon Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq: Governour, the Honourable the Senate, and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, October 25, 1780. Being the Day of the Commencement of the Constitution, and Inauguration of the New Government], by Samuel Cooper</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=HKFgAAAAcAAJ A Sermon Preached Before the Honorable Council, and the Honorable House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, at Boston, May 26, 1779. Being the Anniversary for the Election of the Honorable Council.], by Samuel Stillman</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=OlRgAAAAcAAJ A Sermon, Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. Governour; His Honor Samuel Adams Esq. Lieutenant-Governour; the Honourable the Council, and the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 25, 1791. Being the Day of General Election.], By Chandler Robbins</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ve5CAQAAMAAJ A Sermon Preached Before His Excellency Samuel Adams, Esq., Governour: His Honor Moses Gill, Esq., Lieutenant-governour: the Honourable the Council, Senate, and House of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 25, 1796. Being the Day of General Election], by Jonathan French</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/cu31924102767807 A sermon, preached before His Excellency Samuel Huntington, Esq. L.L.D. governor, and the Honorable the General Assembly of the state of Connecticut : convened at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 10th, 1792], by Timothy Stone</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/cu31924104014588 The duty of praying for all that are in authority, illustrated : a sermon preached before His Excellency Oliver Wolcott, and the honourable legislature of the state of Connecticut, at the general election, May 4, 1825], by Daniel Dow</ref><ref>[http://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/8295429 A sermon, preached before His Honor Oliver Wolcott, Esq. L.L.D. lieutenant-governor and commander in chief, and the Honorable the General Assembly of the state of Connecticut, convened at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 12th, 1796], by John Marsh</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLkvuxNgnJM David Barton]</ref>

After the revolution, the involvement of the clergy did not end.  It was common for election day sermons to occur.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=O1RgAAAAcAAJ A Sermon, Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. Governour; the Honourable the Council, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 28, 1788. Being the Day of General Election], By David Parsons</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=72o0AQAAMAAJ A Sermon Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq: Governour, the Honourable the Senate, and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, October 25, 1780. Being the Day of the Commencement of the Constitution, and Inauguration of the New Government], by Samuel Cooper</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=HKFgAAAAcAAJ A Sermon Preached Before the Honorable Council, and the Honorable House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, at Boston, May 26, 1779. Being the Anniversary for the Election of the Honorable Council.], by Samuel Stillman</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=OlRgAAAAcAAJ A Sermon, Preached Before His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. Governour; His Honor Samuel Adams Esq. Lieutenant-Governour; the Honourable the Council, and the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 25, 1791. Being the Day of General Election.], By Chandler Robbins</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ve5CAQAAMAAJ A Sermon Preached Before His Excellency Samuel Adams, Esq., Governour: His Honor Moses Gill, Esq., Lieutenant-governour: the Honourable the Council, Senate, and House of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 25, 1796. Being the Day of General Election], by Jonathan French</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/cu31924102767807 A sermon, preached before His Excellency Samuel Huntington, Esq. L.L.D. governor, and the Honorable the General Assembly of the state of Connecticut : convened at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 10th, 1792], by Timothy Stone</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/cu31924104014588 The duty of praying for all that are in authority, illustrated : a sermon preached before His Excellency Oliver Wolcott, and the honourable legislature of the state of Connecticut, at the general election, May 4, 1825], by Daniel Dow</ref><ref>[http://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/8295429 A sermon, preached before His Honor Oliver Wolcott, Esq. L.L.D. lieutenant-governor and commander in chief, and the Honorable the General Assembly of the state of Connecticut, convened at Hartford, on the day of the anniversary election, May 12th, 1796], by John Marsh</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLkvuxNgnJM David Barton]</ref>

== State Church ==

== State Church ==

Countries with an official religion are not necessarily theocratic or Christian Nations (not in way Fundamentalists describe a theocratic nation). It only means that the governments recognize the church as their religion, yet some of these countries recognize religious freedom.

Countries with an official religion are not necessarily theocratic or Christian Nations (not in way Fundamentalists describe a theocratic nation). It only means that the governments recognize the church as their religion, yet some of these countries also recognize religious freedom.

==References==

==References==