Transcript

Stephen McDowell: Some historians say George Washington was not a Christian

>> Stephen McDowell: Welcome to America's Providential History podcast, where we talk about the real story of America and explore the hand of God in our history. Now, here's your host, Steven McDowell. Hello. I'm glad you're joining us for this edition of America's Providential History. Now, if we began to look at the faith of the presidents in the last two podcasts, we've looked in particular at our first president, George Washington. In those podcasts, we looked at words from Washington and actions in his life that certainly demonstrate he was a man of Providence, a man who relied upon God, a man whom God, in his providential care, watched over him in many ways. but some have asked me, well, was George Washington a Christian? We know he was a man who professed faith and relied upon God, but was he genuinely a Christian? Well, you know, many people have said that the greatest of Washington's character qualities was his strong Christian faith. In fact, they would say this is the key to his accomplishments and career. During his lifetime, for many years after, almost no one would have doubted that he was a Christian. Bishop William Mead wrote, washington was regarded throughout America, both among our military and political men, as a sincere believer in Christianity as then received among us and a devout man is as clear as any fact in our history. So according to this influential leader in the church, who wrote a number of books on religious history and other things. But he said that the fact that he was a sincere believer is as clear as any fact in our history. But in more recent years, some have made other claims. In 1989, the Mount Vernon Ladies association, that's the organization that maintains Mount Vernon, they republished a work by John Frederick Schroeder, the Maxims of Washington, that was first published in 1854, which is a collection of Washington's words on various subjects. But while the quotes by Washington were basically the same in the original version and the republished version by Mount M. Vernon Ladies association, the introductory remarks for each section were changed under religious maxims. In the republished version, Washington is called a deist. In his original work, Schroeder gives quotations from contemporaries of Washington, like that well known Chief Justice John Marshall, who said he was a sincere believer in the Christian faith. Now, some historians today as well assert that, Washington was not a Christian. They call him a deist. one gentleman calls him a lukewarm Episcopalian. But the most prominent Washington biographers and compilers of his writings in the century and a half following his death all said he was a Christian, as did his family, relatives, friends and ministers. So why the difference in views? Well, it's not that more is known of his religious views today, but rather that those assessing his faith are mostly non believers who have a secular view of history and therefore deliberately downplay faith or don't see faith as important in people's lives. If they are Christian. They offer a shallow assessment of Washington's faith or evaluate his faith in light of a modern perspective. Now some, including some Christians, conclude, well, he was a deist because they say he did not mention Jesus Christ. He didn't take communion. He didn't use modern evangelical language when writing about God. He didn't write any doctrinal position on what he believed. Now I'll, look at each one of these things later on, but suffice it to say that Washington did write of Jesus Christ, even calling him divine. He also took communion at various times in his life. His writings are filled with acknowledgments of God and his belief in God. And his language was similar to that of many orthodox ministers in the Episcopal Church of which he was a member, his whole life. So his language of how he wrote about God reflects the basic language that was used by ministers, at that time. Now Washington didn't put forth in his writings of a set of personal doctrines, nor attempt to argue any particular Christian dogma since, as he said, he was not a preacher. But failure to do so doesn't exclude someone from as a person of faith. Again, Washington's faith reflected the Anglican Episcopal tradition, of which he was a part. So his writings show he had a deep knowledge of the Bible. And his actions indicate that he did embrace the Christian faith. Now, Washington was raised in a Christian home. He attended church throughout his life. He spent a lot of time in private and public prayer. He issued orders that promoted Christian living as essential. And many people that knew him and intimately and other acquaintances, testify he was a Christian. So certainly it rests upon those who claim he was not a Christian to prove so. So if he's a deist, where's the proof he was a deist? Well, it can't be seen in his writings or actions or testimonies of any who knew him. Now there's no indication that he had a conversion experience. He didn't write about a, one time experience where that regenerative experience. But of course that's the case of many people raised in Christian homes. They can't point to just one particular time when God dramatically converted them. Of course that does happen. And there are many people have written about that over time. And that happens to many people today. But there's been many who've been brought up in the way they should go, Raised in Christian homes from youth that have embraced the Christian faith and followed the Lord, but can't point back, look back at a particular instance where they say, right then and there was, when I was regenerated, now Washington may not have written of his heart's transformation, but his words and actions proclaim that he was a Christian. After all, Jesus said, we'll know them by their fruit. In fact, many ministers and others have written that the fruit exemplified in Washington's life could have only been produced by the Christian faith. And he also encouraged others to embrace Christianity. And so the support for Washington's Christian faith is so great, it would take a whole book to present it. In fact, there have been a number of such books written in century/ ago by William Johnson, more recent, books as well, that deal just with the faith of George Washington. So what I want to look at in this, and probably the next podcast as well, is just to give an overview of the, evidence of his Christian faith.

Family and friends offer strongest support of Washington's Christian faith

Now, the words of his family and friends offer the strongest support of Washington's Christian faith because they knew him most intimately, were around him, and saw his life. Chief justice John Marshall was a close friend and was chosen by the family to write the president's biography. And Marshall said, without making ostentatious professions of religion, he was a sincere believer in the Christian faith and a truly devout man. president of the continental Congress during the revolutionary War, Elias Boudinot, who, by the way, also served as a, president, I think the first president of the American Bible Society. But he declared of Washington, the general was a Christian attorney. Jonathan Mitchell Sewell added, he was a firm believer in the Christian religion. For my own part, I trust I shall never lose the impression made on my own mind in beholding in this house of prayer the venerable hero, the victorious, leader of our host, bending in humble adoration to the God of armies and great captain of our salvation. Cunning Bedford Jr. Who is a signer of the constitution, said of his friend George Washington, to the character of hero and patriot, this good man added that of Christian. All his public communications breathed a pure spirit of piety, a resignation to the will of heaven, and a firm reliance upon the providence of God. Although the greatest man upon earth, he disdained not to humble himself before his God and to trust in the mercies of Christ. Now, Nelly Custis, who was Martha Washington's granddaughter, but Was also adopted by the Washingtons, when her father died during the American Revolution, she lived at Mount Vernon for 20 years. So just like his daughter, lived there and knew him and saw him. And in a letter to Jared Sparks. Jared Sparks was a chaplain of the Congress, but he also was the first compiler of Washington's writings. So in a letter to him, she declared, I should have thought it the greatest heresy to. To doubt his firm belief in Christianity. His life, his writings prove that he was a Christian as well. May we question his patriotism, his heroic, disinterested devotion to his country. So here we have friends of his, very prominent individuals serving in government and other places. Family members declaring his faith. And ministers who knew the president testified of his Christian faith as well. Now, the Reverend Henry Muhlenberg, he was the founder of the Lutheran Church in America. Helped to establish Lutheranism in America in the colonies. after visiting the general at Valley Ford, said, George Washington respects God's word, believes in the atonement through Christ. And bears himself in humility and gentleness. the Reverend Devereaux Jarrett pastored a church that Washington attended. And he said he was a professor of Christianity and a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. And so family and friends and pastors, ministers Affirmed his consistent devotional life as well. His nephew, Robert Lewis, spoke about his daily devotions. And his adopted son, George Washington Park Custis. He was the brother to Nellie Custis. They both grew up in the Washington home. The grandchildren of Martha and the adopted children of George and Martha. George Washington Park Custis, who, by the way, wrote m the memoirs of Washington, some decades later. Compiling words from Washington and stories. And he's the one that built Arlington House, a Robert E. Lee memorial just across the Potomac r from Washington, D.C. now set up on a hill in the middle of the Arlington, National Cemetery. But, George Washington Park Custis said the general faithfully attended to the things of God in public and private life. The Reverend Lee Massey, who was Washington's pastor while he attended Poet Church. Poet Church was about six miles away from Mount Vernon. That's where Washington went to church, before the Revolution. After the Revolution, he began to go to Christ Church in Alexandria. But Rev. Massey said, I never knew so constant an attendant on church as Washington. And his behavior in the House of God was ever so deeply reverential. That it produced the happiest effects on my congregation and. And greatly assist me in my pulpit affairs. And so, as mentioned earlier, the early prominent biographers of Washington said he was a Christian as well. For example, Jared Sparks wrote of him, a Christian in faith and practice, he was habitually devout. Eryn Bancroft wrote, in principle and practice, he was a Christian. Now, while Washington was president, he communicated with many different churches, and his words to them show his great support for Christianity, and their words back to him confirm his strong faith. the General assembly of the Presbyterian church in the USA sent a letter dated May 26, 1789. We esteem it a peculiar happiness to behold in our chief magistrate, a steady uniform, avowed friend of the Christian religion, who has commenced his administration in rational and exalted sentiments of piety, and who in his private conduct adorns the doctrines of the gospel of Christ, and on the most public and solemn occasions devoutedly acknowledges the good government of divine providence. Now, George Washington Park Custis again, he grew up in the home of Washington, his grandson, adopted son. He said General Washington was always a strict and decorous observer of the Sabbath. He invariably attended divine service once a day when within reach of a place of worship. Now, many times bad weather or roads kept Washington from traveling the great distance to his home churches. As I mentioned, he went to Poet Church, actually probably about seven miles from Mount Vernon, before the war. And after the war, he tended Christchurch, which is about 10 miles away. And you got to remember the roads weren't good. if you have mud on the roads, his carriage is not going to be able to get through that at all. And riding a horse is very difficult as well. So you're talking about taking, you know, a few hours to get to church, even when the conditions are good. And, how many of us do, would do that today? Ride in a carriage or a horse under all conditions and all kinds of weather. So, Nelly Custis wrote, he said General Washington had a pew in Pollock Church and one in Christ Church at Alexandria. Of course, both these churches are still there today. You can go and see them and they'll have a marker indicating, the pew where General Washington, sat. Ah, Nellie goes on. He's saying he had a pew in public church, one in Christ Church at Alexandria. Quote. Then he was very instrumental in establishing Poet Church. He attended the church at Alexandria when the weather and roads permitted a ride of 10 years. So even just to go to church, you had to be committed and, to travel that distance. And Washington faithfully attended church. In fact, he believed others should as well. When he was a young man around 30 years old in 1762, he rebuked his brother in law, Perwell Bassett, for not being at church and hearing the gospel he wrote him a letter dated August 28, saying, Dear Sir, I was favored with your epistle wrote on a certain 25th of July, when you ought to have been at church praying, as becomes every good Christian man who has as much to answer for you as you have. Strange it is that you will be so blind to truth that the enlightening sounds of the gospel cannot reach your ear, nor no examples awaken you to a sense of goodness could you but behold with what religious zeal I have made a church on every Lord's day. It would do your heart good and fill it, I hope with equal fervency. So here it is. Washington as a young man is riding a, relative, his brother in law saying, hey, I noticed you weren't at church and you went, and you should have been. You should follow my example and go to church, as is fitting for every man to do so. So Washington went to a variety of churches whenever he was away from home. When he was in Philadelphia in the fall of 1774, as a delegate to the First Continental Congress, he recorded attending the Quaker Meeting, St. Peter's to Christ Church, to the Presbyterian Meeting, even Romish Church. And while in the Boston area in 1775 and 1776, when he was, commanding the troops, he of course was selected as the first commanding general of the Continental Army. Assumed in June of 1775 that leadership. So when he was in the Boston area during that time, he found time to attend the Reverend Nathaniel Appleton's Congregational Church. And also he went to Christ Church, which was an Episcopal church. And throughout the war he attended services in the various towns in which he had set up his headquarters. For example, the two winters he spent in Morristown, NewSong Jersey, he attended the Presbyterian Church pastored by Timothy Johns. And so, here he is going to all kinds of churches during his life and during the very busy time when he was commanding general and also while he was, president.

George Washington's Christian faith is evidenced by his many charitable contributions

Nelly Custis, again, this is his, in essence, his daughter, granddaughter, adopted daughter. Nelly Custis commented that during his presidency, whenever Washington was in NewSong York and Philadelphia, this is where NewSong York was, where the Continental Congress met. The first year in 1789 with the first Congress, and then the next eight years, well, more than eight. But the next number of years of Washington's term, it met in Philadelphia. It wasn't until 1800 when, the Capitol opened and the White House opened, that the seat of the national government shifted to Washington, D.C. of course, by that time George Washington had died. He died at the end of 1799. But while he was in NewSong York and Philadelphia, while he was president, according to Nellie Custis, he never omitted attendance at church in the morning. Unless detained by indisposition. No one in church attended to the services with more reverential respect. George Washington Park Custis, his grandson or adopted son, wrote of his time with the Washingtons in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, on Sundays, unless the weather was uncommonly severe. The President and Mrs. Washington attended Divine service at Christ Church. And in the evenings the president read to Mrs. Washington in her chamber a sermon or some portion from the sacred writings. In fact, earlier he read sermons to his family when at home at Mount Vernon especially. They weren't able to attend church and hear a sermon. He would read them a sermon. And in his library he had many Christian books, religious books and sermons and others. And when in NewSong York, The Washingtons attended St. Paul's Church. So George Washington not only attended church regularly, but for many years he served on the vestry of two different, parishes, Fairfax and Truro, which included his two home churches, Poik and Christ Church. So, being a vestryman, the vestrymen were the leaders of the church. And this was an elected position. So he was elected by his fellow church members to serve on the kind of like a elder board vestry, for the church. And so obviously his fellow church members considered him qualified to serve in a position of leadership within the church. His character was excellent and his belief was orthodox. Captain Azariah Dunham observed. He had embraced the tenets of the Episcopal Church. Yet his charity led him equally to respect every denomination of the followers of Jesus. There is no reason to believe from his words or actions. That he held to anything but Protestant orthodoxy. So he did not, like a deist, have a generic, all inclusive set of tenets of faith. interestingly, he, apparently believed that Roman Catholicism had errors. In fact, he wrote concerning Catholic Canadians. That a true Christian spirit will lead us to look with compassion upon their errors without insulting them. So he understood doctrine, he understood Protestant orthodoxy, understood the beliefs of the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, where they varied in their, doctrinal beliefs. And so Washington's Christian faith, is also evidenced by his many charitable contributions throughout his life. He generously gave to many churches, many Bible societies, many gospel works. Because he had a heart for those in need. And he supported the poor in many ways, making direct donations as well as donating, to his church. And by the way, as a member of the vestry, one of the roles of the vestryman, within their geographic area. Of their church is to find out who had any needs, any of the poor, any orphans, widows, and to meet those needs, just like, the church is supposed to do the poor, that the church is to prioritize according to scripture, the poor saints. When you look in the NewSong Testament, you see that most of the donations, maybe all of the donations that we see collected were going to assist the poor saints because they were their spiritual family. And so the role of the leaders of the church of which Washington was one, okay, meet the needs. Practically, we're to help the poor as we're taught in the scripture and we. That begins with the poor household of God. And so that's part of his, responsibility. So he took responsibility to assist those in need, wherever he saw that need, and so he worked toward that. But he gave money and contributed directly to those needs. Contributed, of course, directly to many churches, to many Bible societies to help get the Bible in the hands of every person, contributed to organizations that propagated the gospel and preached the gospel as well. And so what we see is that Washington, from his friends, his family, his pastors, his fellow leaders in every sphere of life, they all acknowledged Washington was a man of Christian faith. A Christian man in his words and his actions and what he did, speak reveals nothing but the fact that Washington was a believer in the tenets and principles of the Christian faith. Now there's much more that I do want to cover regarding you know, evidence of his Christian faith. And there's, there's ah, so much more that we I'm going to want to have another podcast to cover it. But just one more point I want to make in this podcast is that the writings of Washington reflect his intimate knowledge of God. Now he used at least 80 different names for the Lord, names of Jehovah, the Lord of hosts and divine author of our blessed religion, and so many others, he used. Now this doesn't reveal to me someone who has understands there are 80 different names of the bi. Of the Lord of the Bible. In fact, when you read the Bible, there's many, many, many names used, for the Creator, the Lord of all, the sovereign, supreme One, and he was so intimately acquainted with the scripture that Washington used many, many m. Many different names, for God. and one of those was the divine author of our blessed religion. Speaking of Jesus Christ. Washington often used biblical phrases in his writings. Again, that reveals the depth of the knowledge of the Bible. Today, many secular historians, when they read through Washington's words being quite ignorant of Scripture, they don't even know when Washington's quoting. In fact, not just, academicians, but just your average American are so ignorant of Scripture that when our founding fathers in their writings referred to Scripture over and over and over again, they didn't quote, put down the reference for, because they knew everybody understood this was a scriptural truth. But, so people can't recognize how biblically minded, not just Washington, but really all about all of our founders were. But so he often used biblical phrases, and that reveals his depth of knowledge of the Bible. In a letter from 1782, the circular to the States, this is the letter he sent to the governors, kind of what he thought might be his last formal instruction here. If we're going to survive as a nation, I'm going to leave you some, advice. It's very good that you ought to read it. But he referred to Ecclesiastes 9, 11 when he wrote, the race is not always to the swift or the battle to the strong. Writing to the Marquis de Castillo, he referred to Isaiah 2, 4, expressing his wish that the swords might be turned into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks. And as the scripture expresses it, the nations learn war no more. Well, after that peace that we entered into, he wrote to Lafayette, the Frenchman, who had come and offered his services and became like Hassan to Washington. He wrote to him, I am become a private citizen on the banks of the Potomac, and under the shadow of my own vine and my own fig tree, I am solacing myself. Now, that phrase my own vine and fig tree is used, four or five times in the Bible. First Kings 4, 25 Micah 4, 4 Zechariah 3, 10. And he loved that phrase, under my own vine and fig tree. And he actually used it many times, not just this one time, because it connotes the fruit of a people who are obedient to God. Under my own vine and fig tree speaks to private property rights. It speaks to being productive and eating the fruit of your productivity. It has a wealth of, ideas communicated in it. In fact, that's how it's used in the scripture. It speaks of the flesh flourishing, the blessing that comes when a people follow and obey God. And he understood that in the birth of America. Here's the birth of a new nation, a nation built upon Christian self government and Christian liberty. That flourishing would come forth where people could, sit under their own vine and fig tree, eat of their own vine and fig tree, invite others to come under their own vine, and fig tree. So it speaks to productivity, individual enterprise, private property, which would be unleashed after America became a new nation. And by the way, this year, 2026, we're celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of America when we declared in that covenant the Declaration generation of independence, that we are free people and would covenant together and agree together to walk together, in this, that 250 years as we look back, we have been the most flourishing, prosperous, free, giving, helping nation that there ever has been. Sure, we've had problems, but we've been a great blessing. We've been able to sit in our own vine and fig tree and eat from our own vine and fig tree as Washington spoke about because of men like George Washington who gave and labored so much. And again, what we're presenting is it was his Christian character and his Christian faith that was key to his accomplishments and key to the foundation of the United States of America. Washington and other writings spoke of Pharaoh in Exodus 5. Seven, who compel the children of Israel to manufacture bricks without the necessary ingredients. He also referred in other letters to the widow's mite, which is, you can read that in Mark 12:41 44 and Luke 21:1 4. And he mentions the widow's mite in a letter to his adopted son. And there are many more biblical phrases in his writings.

We've been examining just overview of Washington's Christian faith

And so we're been examining just overview of Washington's Christian faith. And we saw how everybody would declare he was a Christian. His friends, his relatives, those that knew him, those that looked at the fruit of his action. His words reflect that his membership in the church, supported the church, his leadership, in two churches elected by his fellow members of the church. His writings reflect his great knowledge of God, from 80 different names to God to referencing many, many scriptures, in his writings and certainly his friends and his family's personal testimony of his Christian faith are very strong evidences, for this man, had a genuine faith, a strong faith, a real faith. And there's more I want to cover, but, I hope you can then come back next week to the podcast because I have a lot more that I want to look at for just this overview of was answering the question, was George Washington a Christian? Well, if you want to know the sources for a lot of the quotes that I gave today, I'll, point you to my book, Apostle of Liberty, the World Changing Leadership of George Washington. You can order a copy from our website, providencefoundation.com and, because I give the references from his writings and compilation of his writings and papers that were made later on. And, so this testimony that I've presented in this podcast and will next week is very well, documented. So I hope you can join us next week. I want to look at part two. Answering the question, was George Washington a Christian? Well, hope to have you with us. God bless you. It.