The History of Separation of Church and State in the United States

The framers, shaped by Enlightenment rationalism, colonial religious strife, and a predominantly Christian populace, sought to avoid the religious wars of Europe by limiting federal power over faith. Their documents and correspondence reveal a commitment to religious liberty that preserved the church’s autonomy while acknowledging religion’s role in moral governance. Notably, while some founders expressed deistic views, the majority drew on Christian principles, and public acknowledgments of God were commonplace. Historical analysis shows that of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, at least 28 were Episcopalians, 8 Presbyterians, 7 Congregationalists, and others from various Protestant denominations, with only a few identified as Deists. This religious composition influenced their views, emphasizing a government supportive of religious morality without establishing a specific sect.