It's been a long, long time since I've read the Federalist papers and the discussions and analysis of them. My understanding or remembrance is that the US is not r was not founded as a Christian nation. The dominant religious persuasion at that time was Christianity and more specifically Protestant and its variants. A number of the founding fathers in all likelihood fell under the umbrella of agnostics or even atheists. That's not to say they despised religion. Quite the contrary as they found it useful in providing a moral compass for the people. So then, what are we to make when the term God is used? If you're religious, God might well mean the big cheese in the sky. But what did God mean to the founding fathers? For many, God was nature and reason. It's like when people say Einstein believed in God because he stated 'God does not play dice with the universe.' Einstein was an atheist and his use of the term God was his way of saying nature. Just a bit more dramatic.
No the US was not founded as a Christian nation. However it was founded in an atmosphere of fierce religiosity.
To understand its roots you have to go back to the reformation in Europe, and particularly Henry VIII and his first divorce. He broke with Rome and made himself head of the protestant church in England. This persists today as the Church of England is still the established church with the Queen at its head.
The religious intolerance and violence was high on all sides with atrocities by protestants under Henry VIII, and by catholic Mary Tudor and then again by protestants under Elizabeth I. All of this strife was a factor in the
founding of the New England States.
All of this religious strife culminated in the
British Civil War.
Charles 1 was beheaded in 1648, and after disagreements with parliament Oliver Cromwell became in many ways a brutal military dictator. He refused the throne. He and his followers were of fiercely puritanical bent. They were brutal in Ireland and destructive to art work and organs in cathedrals and churches. This scar remains in that the UK has literally only a handful of organs prior to Cromwell.
Oliver Cromwell appointed his son Richard, to succeed him as the "Great Protector" on his death bed in 1660. Richard was inept and Charles the II returned from exile in France with his catholic wife. Charles II was likely catholic in secret and almost certainly homosexual. He had no children Thus the Restoration and some degree of tolerance accepted.
This set the scene in America for what became known as the
Restoration Colonies.
One thing that Charles II inherited was the war with Holland. As part of this Dutch New Amsterdam became New York after a British victory.
Quakers not popular in England established themselves in Pennsylvania and Delaware especially.
The Carolinas were founded largely by slave owners from Barbados. This was the foundation of slavery in America.
Anyhow those who perceived themselves as miss fits or persecuted for their religious believes came to America in droves. There was fierce debate and strange religious ideas of all manner of description all largely of a Christian bent.
Religious strife continued in England. James II a catholic succeeded Charles 11. James abdicated fled to France and though the Crown Jewels in the Thames on his way out. Parliament sent for William of the Dutch House of Orange and installed him King. He was fiercely protestant and there was more brutality in Ireland. This legacy continues to this day. This is why the protestants of Northern Ireland, call themselves "Orange Men." To this day they still fly the flag of the Dutch House of Orange in parades. This is the proverbial "Red Rag to a Bull" as far as the Catholics are concerned.
This all existed up to, through, and after the American War of Independence. The population and especially the founding fathers were either the descendants of Oliver Cromwell's men or of those who had suffered mightily under them. They were well aware of the disaster of imposing religious belief especially by the state. This is how and why they were so concerned the State and government not sanction ANY religion.
It was not that there were unbelievers, but that they believed fervently that the state, and therefore government, putting into law and practice any sanctioning or prohibition of any religious belief was are recipe for violence and civil war. It is my contention the long shadow of Oliver Cromwell and Puritan England loomed large in their thoughts and writings.
