| | In his book ''The United States: A Christian Nation'', Brewer said the following: | | In his book ''The United States: A Christian Nation'', Brewer said the following: |
| − | {{Cquote|[I]n what sense can [America] be called a Christian nation? Not in the sense that Christianity is the established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it. On the contrary, the Constitution specifically provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Neither is it Christian in the sense that all its citizens are either in fact or name Christians. On the contrary, all religions have free scope within our borders. Numbers of our people profess other religions, and many reject all. Nor is it Christian in the sense that a profession of Christianity is a condition of holding office or otherwise engaging in public service, or essential to recognition either politically or socially. In fact, the government as a legal organization is independent of all religions. Nevertheless, we constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation – in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world.<ref>David J. Brewer, [''The United States: A Christian Nation'' https://books.google.com/books?id=f7pMJk_cmAAC&pg=PA57#v=onepage&q&f=false] (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1905), p. 12.</ref>}} | + | {{Cquote|[I]n what sense can [America] be called a Christian nation? Not in the sense that Christianity is the established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it. On the contrary, the Constitution specifically provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Neither is it Christian in the sense that all its citizens are either in fact or name Christians. On the contrary, all religions have free scope within our borders. Numbers of our people profess other religions, and many reject all. Nor is it Christian in the sense that a profession of Christianity is a condition of holding office or otherwise engaging in public service, or essential to recognition either politically or socially. In fact, the government as a legal organization is independent of all religions. Nevertheless, we constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation – in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world.<ref>David J. Brewer, [https://books.google.com/books?id=f7pMJk_cmAAC&pg=PA57#v=onepage&q&f=false ''The United States: A Christian Nation''] (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1905), p. 12.</ref>}} |