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jlf1961 -> Were the founding fathers christian? (8/3/2010 5:04:42 PM)
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This came up in another thread, one that is totally unrelated to this topic.
For the record:
George Washington, Episcopalian
Benjamin Franklin, Christian non-denominational
John Adams, Unitarian
Thomas Jefferson, Unitarian, attended non-denominational services at the House of Representatives as president.
John Jay, Episcopalian
James Madison, attended non-denominational services at the capitol as president, and is on record as defending himself against charges he was an atheist.
Alexander Hamilton, Episcopal at his death.
As for the rest:
The Founding Fathers had strong educational backgrounds. Some, like Franklin, were largely self-taught or learned through apprenticeship. Others had obtained instruction from private tutors or at academies. About half of the men had attended or graduated from college in the colonies or Britain. Some men held medical degrees or advanced training in theology. For the most part, the delegates were a well-educated group. A few lawyers had been trained at the Inns of Court in London, but most had apprenticed to an American lawyer.
quote:
Lambert (2003) has examined the religious affiliations and beliefs of the Founders. Some of the 1787 delegates had no affiliation. The others were Protestants except for three Roman Catholics: C. Carroll, D. Carroll, and Fitzsimons. Among the Protestant delegates to the Constitutional Convention, 28 were Church of England (Episcopalian, after the Revolutionary War was won), eight were Presbyterians, seven were Congregationalists, two were Lutherans, two were Dutch Reformed, and two were Methodists, the total number being 49. Some of the more prominent Founding Fathers were anti-clerical or vocal about their opposition to organized religion, such as Thomas Jefferson (who created the "Jefferson Bible"), and Benjamin Franklin. However, other notable founders, such as Patrick Henry, were strong proponents of traditional religion. Several of the Founding Fathers considered themselves to be deists or held beliefs very similar to those of deists.
source
Just a little research into their biographies, personal writings and what is available on the web with a quick search.
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