• religion played very little role in the american revolution and the constitution
  • founding fathers had abstract view of God that focused on moral corectness than biblical intervention
• deists believe in a creator of some sort, but does not intervene with the world on an individual basis

George Washington→ found religion important to morals (especially in soldiers) but didnt see his thoughts pan out in action. he thought the world needed religion, but didn't push it on anyone in modern terms.

Thomas Jefferson→ very interested in the topic of religion itself and even wrote events in the bible down that ethically interested him, but oftentimes questioned certain pieces of religion. BIG SKEPTIC. didn't really go to church nor did he label himself.

• saw the moral concepts of Christ to be important and valuable, but did not believe in the divinity itself of Christ. as the reading makes it seem, Thomas Jefferson saw aspects of christianity to simply be a story to be a good person in ethics and morals rather than truth.

Benjamin Franklin→ egotist. believed more in himself than any higher being. potential occultist and believed in the transmigration of souls.

many second and third gen american settlers were involved in church and religion, as well as many who supported the revolution which makes it appear america itself was very religious. despite this, the revolution was a political event, not a religious one. in terms of "God" written in historical documents, it's an ambiguous term to describe a God, not the God of Christ.

• many historical figures even went to say that after seing how religion affected Europe, the founding fathers wanted little to nothing to do with the idea of religion in their government.

religion in politics = coercion = war

• most of the wars in then recent history had stemmed from religion
  • quite literally the united states came to be as a free country that wasn't tied down to the old attachments of Europe. it is not accidental why the first amendment is freedom of religion, not freedom of christianity.

modern religion is NOT the religion of the founding fathers→ we are likely more religious than during the american revolution. the percentage jumped from 10-20% to 60%

american revolution created a new basis for religion. if the government wasn't going to support religion, than religious groups themselves would generate revenue and funds to support themselves and in that created their own religious economy.

• the constitution did as it was supposed to, at least for a while. it gave groups freedom to share and express doctrine, and new groups stemmed from this.