Attending a lecture at Providence Christian College, in Pasadena (on Americas key Founders & Examining the Evidence for a Christian America)

This week, my wife and I attended a lecture at Providence Christian College in Pasadena. The lecture was on ‘The Religious Beliefs of Key American Founders,’ and ‘Examining the Evidence for a Christian America.’

The speaker was Dr. Gregg L. Frazer. Dr. Frazer coordinates the Political Studies program at the Master’s University. He has spent a significant amount of time investigating the philosophies of America’s Founding Fathers and authored the book ‘The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders; Reason, Revelation, and Revolution.’

Through his PowerPoint presentation, Dr. Frazer provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that America’s key Founders, such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, were not born-again Christians; in fact, they were ecumenical “theistic rationalists.” Moreover, based on some of their own writings, they were heretics.

He gave a convincing rebuke of how so many professing Christians within America have wrongfully Christianized the forefathers, wrongfully teaching that they were all born-again followers of Jesus Christ. He also spoke on how many Christians have wrongfully categorized the United States of America as a “Christian Nation.” He refers to those who do this as “Christian America Advocates.” However, the evidence tells just the opposite of our Forefathers and Nation.

I, too, was once a Christian America Advocate (CAA), but it was around 2010 when the evidence proved to me otherwise. It was then that I realized that my Patriotism had become idolatry, and I repented.

Dr. Frazer did an excellent job at reaffirming these truths and convictions, but I also learned new things.

He also spoke on how CAA’s maliciously altered or misused some of the Father’s quotes. For example

• They twisted Scripture to support their so-called “truths.”
• They have changed some of the Founders’ quotes by replacing their own ecumenical words like “religion” or “religious” with “Christian” or Christianity.”
• They have taken them out of context, misquoting them.
• They have misused and misplaced ellipses to make their point (admittedly, this word had slipped my vocabulary)
• They have falsely attributed quotes from Christian men to some of the Founding Fathers.
• They used “early pronouncements” out of context.
• They have distorted a ‘Biblical Christianity’ with an Americanized Christendom.

I have to admit, some of this reminded me of a class I took on detecting deception by performing a forensic analysis of written statements.

Using a respectful tone, Dr. Frazer spoke of one well-known CAA named David Barton and how many Christians (myself included) have been wrongfully indoctrinated by David Barton. That Barton is not a scholar, nor a trained historian, and by utilizing some of the above tactics, Barton lacks intellectual honesty (I was a Barton fan in the 1990’s).

Having said all that, though Dr. Frazer did an outstanding job of exposing the intellectual dishonesty of CAA’s, he also warned against the dangers of the opposing extreme views, and that there is a healthy balance.

Since the inception of social media, I have noticed that many professing Christians have given the appearance of committing idolatry with the U.S. Constitution. Many of them have put the Bill of Rights above and before the Scriptures. The truth is, our Constitution was penned by “theistic rationalists.” Though I greatly benefit from the First Amendment, I must see it for what it is. It is a secular ecumenical document that fosters an environment for ecumenicalism and religious pluralism.

That, my friend, is not Christian. We need to think less like Americans and more like Christians. The book of Acts is still open.¹ Again, though, Christians do benefit from the First Amendment out in the world. This ecumenical and contra-scriptural document is not obligatory, nor should it be desired in the Lord’s Church.

Lastly, I am grateful for this lecture and for our experience at Providence Christian College. After talking to some of their staff, speaking with the pastor who invited us, and doing further research, if you’re seeking an undergraduate degree, please consider this college.

May I close with a passage that puts this into perspective.

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” – Philippians 3:20-21

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1. Excluding todays Continuationism, as I hold to Cessationism ↩︎