A casual perusal of the history of the Mass Bay Colony, the formation of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, the Virginia Constitution, etc., shows that our forefathers were first and foremost, God fearing, and specifically mostly Protestant.
The continuing influence of religion is shown in the first Great Awakening that made the Revolution possible by breaking down the petty bickers of the different sects, the Second Great Awakening that was part of the impetus that destroyed slavery, and then the 1900's holiness revival that resulted in American missionaries all around the world and prohibition here at home.
So I contend that the heart and soul of the culture of America in here golden years was a healthy church. The Puritan work ethic, respect for parents and elders, Godly shame and outrage over sexual immorality, honesty in business, justice in government, etc.
I maintain that our down fall began in the US seminaries back at the turn of the last century when the ministers studied German Higher Criticism, came to reject holy writ, and started to preach sentimental hoo ha. Then the folks came to regard the ministry with at best a polite patronizing attitude or outright mockery and rejection. We lost the fear of God as a people when we lost respect for his word. There has always been a hardened unbelieving secular section of America, but the heart and soul of all that was good came from the Church.
The clergy at the time of the Revolution was held in high regard, they preached up the fight, laid a philosophical ground work for the righteousness of it all and urged the people on from the strongest motivation possible, an enlightened conscience. They were considered the Black Column. The Brits desecrated Puritan Churches of Boston and said that the revolt would never be put down until they had rooted out "that damn Puritan spirit."
So in any case my point is this- our goodness came from our faith. That is my position.
And- I can stack up quotes from the founding fathers to support my position that would fill a library. George Washington's farewell comes to mind, Linconln's second inaugural, on and on.
