Religious views of George Washington
While some of the other Founding Fathers of the United States, such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Patrick Henry, were noted for writing about religion, Washington rarely discussed his religious and philosophical views.[1] Washington's moral values can also be inferred from his correspondence with Reverend John Lathrop on June 22, 1788, praising the clergyman's work and discussing his support for the proposed U.S.In colonial-era Virginia, office-holding qualifications at all levels—including the House of Burgesses, to which Washington was elected in 1758—required affiliation with the current state religion and an undertaking that one would neither express dissent nor do anything that did not conform to church doctrine.At the library of the New-York Historical Society, some manuscripts containing a leaf from the church record of Pohick were available to Benson Lossing, an American historian, which he included in his Field Book of the Revolution; the leaf contained the following signed oath, required to qualify individuals as vestrymen: I, A B, do declare that I will be conformable[8] to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, as by law established., 1765."[12] However, Washington's personal diaries[13] indicate that he did not regularly attend services while home at Mount Vernon, spending most Sundays writing letters, conducting business, fox-hunting, or doing other activities.After the religious ceremony and Pulpit service Washington, along with the greater congregation, would exit the church, leaving wife Martha with the communicants to receive communion.In one definitive case a Pastor James Abercrombie of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, in Philadelphia took exception to the advent and, considering it his duty, said in one of his sermons that he was unhappy to see people in elevated stations not set an example by receiving communion.Washington later discussed the incident with a Congressman at a dinner and related to him that he had honored the preacher for his integrity and candour, and that he had never considered that his example was of any influence.[19][20] In 1915 the great-grandson of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton reported that his grandmother said, when she was 97 years old (about 1854), "If anyone ever tells you that George Washington was not a communicant in the Church, you say that your great-grandmother told you to say that she 'had knelt at this chancel rail at his side and received with him the Holy Communion."[31] The Catholic historian and philosopher Michael Novak writes that Anglican laymen of that period rarely invoked the name of Jesus Christ.[34]Washington referenced Jesus as the "divine Author of our blessed Religion" in his "Circular Letter to the Governors" of 1783 in the following prayer: "I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens.Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.[37]Washington rejected an additional sentence, also written by Alexander Hamilton, with a stronger sentiment: "does [national morality] not require the aid of a generally received and divinely authoritative Religion?"[37] For decades, Washington was credited with starting the tradition of adding the words "so help me, God" to the presidential inaugural oath, although experts at the Library of Congress, the U.S. Senate Historical Office, and Mount Vernon have said there is no evidence to support that claim.It urges the people in the young country to express their gratitude to God for: his protection of them through the Revolutionary War and the peace they had experienced since; for allowing the Constitution to be composed in a "peaceable and rational manner;" for the "civil and religious liberty" they possessed; and "in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us."The proclamation also states that "it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."In his letters to young people, particularly to his adopted children, Washington urged upon them truth, character, honesty, but said little or nothing related to specific items of religious practice.[48] Analysts who have studied Washington's papers held by the Library of Congress say that his correspondence with Masonic Lodges is filled with references to the "Great Architect of the Universe.[50][51] An unfinished book of Christian prayers attributed to him (as a youth) by a collector (around 1891) was rejected by Worthington C. Ford, editor of an edition of Washington's papers, and the Smithsonian Institution for lack of authenticity.[53] In a letter to George Mason in 1785, he wrote that he was not among those alarmed by a bill "making people pay towards the support of that [religion] which they profess", but felt that it was "impolitic" to pass such a measure, and wished it had never been proposed, believing that it would disturb public tranquility."[67] A French citizen who knew Washington well during the Revolutionary War and the presidency stated "Every day of the year, he rises at five in the morning; as soon as he is up, he dresses, then prays reverently to God.Rush observes he never did say a word on the subject in any of his public papers except in his valedictory letter to the Governors of the states when he resigned his commission in the army, wherein he speaks of the benign influence of the Christian religion.Historian Fred Anderson says that Washington's Providence was, "a generally benevolent, as well as an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient being, but He was hardly the kind of warm and loving God embraced by the evangelical Protestants.There is every reason to believe, from a careful analysis of religious references in his private correspondence, that Washington's reliance upon a Grand Designer along Deist lines was as deep-seated and meaningful for his life as, say, Ralph Waldo Emerson's serene confidence in a Universal Spirit permeating the ever shifting appearances of the everyday world.[82]In 2006 Peter Lillback, the president of Westminster Theological Seminary, published a lengthy book through his own non-profit organization on the subject of Washington's religious beliefs.[84] Lillback has explained more recently that evidence unavailable to earlier historians shows that Washington referred to himself frequently using the words "ardent," "fervent," "pious," and "devout."Although he did most often address God in the proper names a Deist might use—such as "Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be" and "Disposer of all human events"—the actions that Washington expected God to perform, as expressed both in his official public prayers (whether as general or as president) and in his private prayers as recorded, are the sorts of actions only the God of the Bible performs: interposing his actions in human events, forgiving sins, enlightening minds, bringing good harvests, intervening on behalf of one party in a struggle between good and evil (in this case, between liberty and the deprivation of liberty), etc.[96] Martin I. J. Griffin, stated in a Catholic research publication that "the alleged visit of Father Neale was improbable" and that "nothing in Washington's life gives a basis for a belief in its probability.
Charles Willson PealeFounding Fathers of the United StatesThomas JeffersonBenjamin FranklinPatrick HenryWashingtonAnglican ChurchvestrymanwardenVirginiaestablished churchFreemasonsProvidenceJohn LathropLawrence WashingtonGeorge WashingtonChurch of Englandvestrycolonial-era VirginiaHouse of BurgessesNew-York Historical SocietySupreme Governor of the Church of EnglandOath of SupremacyEpiscopal ChurchAmerican RevolutionVirginia Statute for Religious FreedomAnglican CommunionMount VernonPaul Leicester FordPohick ChurchAlexandriaFirst Continental CongressQuakerCatholiccommunionJames AbercrombieSt. Peter's Episcopal ChurchElizabeth Schuyler Hamiltonbaptized as an infantRevolutionary WarBaptistJohn GanoValley ForgeRupert HughesGeorge ClintonPotomac RivergodfatherPhilip SchuylerWilliam ColfaxTobias LearMichael NovakJesus ChristChernowContinental CongressfastingFarewell AddressAlexander Hamiltonpresidential inaugural oathLibrary of CongressU.S. Senate Historical OfficeRufus Wilmot GriswoldWashington IrvingNational Thanksgiving ProclamationConstitutionMasonic LodgesGreat Architect of the UniverseWorthington C. FordSmithsonian InstitutionGeorge MasonTouro Synagoguereligious tolerationfreedom of religionanti-CatholicGuy Fawkes NightMuslimsNewport, Rhode IslandSavannah, GeorgiaNew YorkPhiladelphiaCharlestonRichmondJared SparksNelly Custis-LewisDr. RushAsa GreenGouverneur MorrisabolitionistnewspapersOney JudgeGranite FreemanAnglicanThe LiberatorslavesDelaware IndianFred AndersonRalph Waldo Emerson'sDavid L. HolmesThe Faiths of the Founding FathersBritannicaChristian deistchurch attendanceconfirmationPeter LillbackWestminster Theological SeminaryGlenn Becktheistic rationalistRon Chernowdivinity of ChristTrinityOriginal Sinefficacy of prayerChrist Church, AlexandriaLeonard NealeSt. Thomas ManorMarylandJesuitconfessionconditionally baptizedMartin I. J. GriffinBibliography of George WashingtonList of George Washington articlesReligious affiliations of presidents of the United StatesGriffin, Martin I. J.Novak, Michael & JanaBasic BooksWayback Machine