Dear Editor:

A letter last week titled “Christian Nationalism: A crisis of faith,” asserted that America is not a Christian nation. On the contrary, this nation was and remains a Christian nation from the time the first settlers set foot in the New World and “fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven” until today.

Even into the 20th century, public statements and action by presidents and signage on public buildings in Washington, D.C. continued to proclaim that faith. In 1930, the Ten Commandments were carved into the granite of the new Supreme Court Building. In 1956 President Eisenhower adopted and signed into law our national motto, “In God We Trust.” In 1983 Ronald Reagan, with Congressional support, declared the “Year of the Bible.” Many of our federal buildings and monuments recognize our Judeo-Christian values. These include the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Library of Congress, and the Capitol Building.

Our founding documents reference God, faith, religious principles, and the freedom of religion. These include the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Articles of Confederation and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedoms.  John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

In colonial Massachusetts a town was required to have both a school, to ensure biblical literacy and civic knowledge, and a church/meetinghouse (Congregational at that time) where worship services and town meetings were held. Even today, the U.S. House and Senate, begin each session with prayer.

From its founding until today the U.S. is predominantly Christian. All of our founding documents were greatly influenced by Christian values and beliefs. The rights in those documents were considered rights bestowed, not by governments and man, but God, “that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.”

From the patriots of 1773 to the patriots of today, it is the love of God and love of country that built this nation and are keys to its survival.

Joe Grant

Wiscasset