by Lawrence Monks
While some Americans debate whether or not the United States of America is a Christian nation, one thing that cannot be debated is the influence of Western European Christianity on many of the values Americans hold strongly to today regardless of whether they even hold to a religious belief or not.
The influence of European Christianity, particularly the Protestant Reformation, played a foundational role in shaping some of the values that many Americans hold so dear. The religious transformations that swept through Western Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries not only redefined the nature of faith and governance in the Old World but also left a lasting impact on the English colonies in the New World. Let us briefly examine how the principles of Western European Christianity, particularly the Reformation, laid the foundation for values such as individual liberty, moral responsibility, sanctity of the law, and the pursuit of religious freedom, which became the bedrock of American identity.
1. The Protestant Reformation and Its Core Ideas
The Protestant Reformation, initiated by Martin Luther in 1517, was a religious revolution that challenged the authority of the The Church of Rome and all the churches united with the Apostolic See of Rome.
Along with Martin Luther, other prominent western church reformers John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli highlighted the primacy of scripture, salvation by faith alone, and the concept of the priesthood of all believers, among other teachings not directly pertinent to the focus of this article. Consequently, these reformers initiated a shift in the Western European mindset from institutional authority to individual conscience and personal faith.
This mindset greatly resonated deeply with American values. The idea that individuals could interpret scripture and approach God directly parallels with the later ideals of self-governance and personal liberty that would come to define the United States ideology.
2. Religious Dissenters and the Quest for Freedom
The Reformation gave rise to various religious dissenting groups—Puritans, Quakers, etc.—who sought to practice their faith free from state interference. Many of these groups faced persecution in Europe and saw the New World as a place to establish communities grounded in their religious convictions.
The Puritans, who settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony, sought to create a “city upon a hill,” a model society based on biblical principles. Their emphasis on hard work, education, and moral discipline contributed to what became known as the “Protestant work ethic,” a concept closely tied to American notions of self-reliance and success. Similarly, the Puritans’ Mayflower Compact laid the groundwork for self-governance and mutual accountability, which became principles that would later lead to the American democratic ideal.
3. The Separation of Church and State
A great misnomer many Americans believe to be true is that the American Constitution itself reads “separation of church and state.” However, nowhere within the United States Constitution do these words appear. What does appear in the Constitution are the following words of the “Establishment Clause” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The phrase "separation of church and state" was adapted from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, where he stated, "believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, ... thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."
The Danbury Baptists were a religious minority in Connecticut and felt threatened by the state's Congregationalist majority. The Danbury Baptists wanted to repeal laws that supported an established religion and ensure fair treatment of their minority form of Christianity within their state. Thomas Jefferson wrote his letter to assure the Danbury group that the newly approved Constitution would not allow for a state religion, but the ability for individuals to believe as each deems.
This means that the United States cannot establish a Church of the United States akin to the Church of England, nor may the United States as a whole purport official issues based on that taught of a specific religion. At the same time, however, the Establishment Clause does not prevent an elected official from holding views, supporting laws, and voting for laws based on his or her individual belief.
The origin of the American Establishment Clause goes back to the early 1600s just before Puritan settlers settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony. At this time, England was embroiled in a tumultuous period of religious upheaval, characterized by fervent quests for reform within the Church of England and the emergence of divergent sects establishing their own churches in pursuit of spiritual alignment. As a result, when the “troublesome” Puritans sought to establish their own home in the Americas, the English Crown saw a way to remove the Puritans while establishing a colony in the “New World” where Spain had been profiting so much and where the French were starting to enter.
These first Puritan settlers essentially left England for religious freedom to practice their type of Christianity as they saw fit. Within two decades of the establishment of their Puritan haven, minister Roger Williams strongly professed his favor for “believer’s baptism” over “infant baptism” that the Puritans held.
This separated Williams further from Puritan thought which led to him getting banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Since England was not interested in having English religious dissenters back in England, but saw these English dissenters as means of spreading England’s reach in the Americas, the Crown granted Williams a royal charter to establish the Colony of Rhode Island in 1662. Because Williams sought ”tolerance” of his differing religious view from England and Massachusetts Bay, Williams’ charter specifically tolerated different religious beliefs so that those who differed from his Baptist ideology could not be banished from Rhode Island.
Even though Rhode Island became the haven for the Baptist Church, the colony’s charter prevented religious persecution for various beliefs. Further, the charter prevented the Baptist Church or any religious group from being supported by public taxes nor requiring attendance to a specific church.
When the United States formed and the failure of the Articles of Confederation led to the drafting of the United States Constitution, the Baptists in Connecticut were concerned that the religious freedom that had allowed them to exist as Baptists in Rhode Island could be eliminated by the establishment of a state church in connecticut. This is why Thomas Jefferson wrote his letter to assure the Connecticut Baptists that they had nothing to fear.
This legacy of religious dissent played so strongly into the drafting of the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of religion and prevention of the establishment of a state religion. These ideals allowed diverse religious traditions to flourish in America, fostering pluralism of ideals and understanding which each individual may hold himself or herself.
4. The Influence of Calvinism on American Politics and Economics
John Calvin’s teachings, particularly the doctrine of predestination and the emphasis on moral discipline, had a profound impact on early American settlers. Calvinism stressed the importance of a covenantal relationship with God, which many colonists applied to their political systems. Town meetings and congregational governance reflected this covenantal model, emphasizing mutual responsibility and collective decision-making.
Economically, Calvinist principles contributed to the development of capitalism in America. Max Weber’s theory of the “Protestant work ethic” highlights how Calvinists’ focus on hard work, thrift, and stewardship influenced the entrepreneurial spirit that became central to American identity
One important origin of this mindset that led t "Weber's Protestant work ethic" was the Puritan idea of predestination. One sign that Puritans accepted as proving whether one was predestine for Heaven was how well-off or successful as well as faithful one was in this life. Therefore, the desire to prove oneself as being predestined for Heaven naturally led to this strong indvidualistic work ethic.
5. Education and the Role of Scripture
The Reformation’s emphasis on reading and interpreting scripture led to a strong commitment to education among early settlers. Colonists believed that literacy was essential for understanding the Bible, and this conviction spurred the establishment of schools and universities. Institutions like Harvard and Yale were found to train clergy and promote some broader intellectual pursuits.
This focus on education extended to civic life, shaping an informed citizenry capable of participating in democratic governance. The belief that individuals should be knowledgeable and morally grounded which arose amongst America's original Dutch, Huegonaut, and English settlers still remains a key American value today.
About the Writer
Lawrence Monks has a Masters in Liberal Arts from the University of St. Thomas-Houston and a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing from the University of Houston. He currently teaches AP US History, Western Civilization, and Entrepreneurialism at Saint Thomas' Episcopal School in Houston, Texas.
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