Abraham Lincoln : I believe the bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.
George Washington : It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.
Daniel Webster : If there is anything in my thoughts or style to commend, the credit is due to my parents for instilling in me an early love of the scriptures. If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity.
John Quincy Adams : So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every years.
John Adams – 2nd President of the United States
“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were… the general principles of Christianity.”
— Letter to Thomas Jefferson, June 28, 1813
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
— Address to the Massachusetts Militia, 1798
Andrew Jackson : That Book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.
Sir Isaac Newton : There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.
James Jennings : If a man’s Bible is coming apart, it is an indication that he himself is fairly well put together.
Thomas Jefferson – 3rd President of the United States, Author of the Declaration of Independence
“The doctrines of Jesus are simple, and tend all to the happiness of man.”
— Letter to Van der Kemp, 1816
“I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.”
— Letter to Benjamin Rush, April 21, 1803
Benjamin Franklin – Founding Father, Diplomat, Inventor
“As to Jesus of Nazareth, I think the system of morals and His religion… the best the world ever saw or is likely to see.”
— Letter to Ezra Stiles, March 9, 1790
“God governs in the affairs of men… and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”
— Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787
James Madison – 4th President of the U.S., Father of the Constitution
“We have staked the whole future of American civilization… upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
(Attributed, though debated, it reflects his broader writings on religion and morality.)
“Religion is the basis and foundation of government.”
— Letter to William Bradford, 1773
Patrick Henry – Founding Father, Famous for “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians… on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
— Attributed from writings and speeches
Noah Webster – Founding Educator, Creator of Webster’s Dictionary
“The moral principles and precepts found in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws.”
— Preface to Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828
“Education is useless without the Bible.”
— Advice to the Young, 1832
Samuel Adams – Signer of the Declaration, Governor of Massachusetts
“Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age by… inculcating the great and moral truths which are supported by the Christian religion.”
— Speech at the State House, 1790
Daniel Webster – Senator, Statesman, Lawyer
“If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering… but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions… no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us.”
— Speech, 1821
In Summary:
Even with their differences in denominational belief or personal theology, the Founding Fathers overwhelmingly believed that:
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Faith in God and Biblical values were essential for individual and national integrity.
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Christian moral teachings were necessary to sustain a free and virtuous republic.
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The Bible was seen not just as a religious book, but as a moral foundation for civil society.
Last edited on 04.27.2025