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==Deism and the Founding Fathers==

==Deism and the Founding Fathers==

The beliefs of the Founding Fathers are a matter of debate. Those urging a larger role for religion in public life, or arguing that the United States was founded as Christian, like to claim them as Christians; those in opposition are apt to say that some or many of them were deists. Varying definitions of the terms "Christian" (which can mean "derived from the teaching of Jesus's" or "Professing belief in the divinity of Jesus") and "deist" (as noted above) give scope for argument. Some of them were deists, according to some definitions of the term.

The beliefs of the Founding Fathers are a matter of debate. Those urging a larger role for religion in public life, or arguing that the United States is in essence a Christian nation, like to claim them as Christians; those in opposition are apt to say that some or many of them were deists. Varying definitions of the terms "Christian" (which can mean "derived from the teaching of Jesus's" or "Professing belief in the divinity of Jesus") and "deist" (as noted above) give scope for argument. Some of them were deists, according to some definitions of the term.

Among the Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Paine]] espoused deism and popularized the term in his book [[The Age of Reason]]. [[Benjamin Franklin]] wrote in his autobiography about an earlier period in his life,

Among the Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Paine]] espoused deism and popularized the term in his book [[The Age of Reason]]. [[Benjamin Franklin]] wrote in his autobiography about an earlier period in his life,