There's long been debate over the intentions of America's founders about the role of religion. That's been turbocharged with the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Some Christian activists are redoubling claims that the U.S. had a Christian founding. But scholars note there's no established religion in the Constitution and some of the most influential founders weren't Christian. But most also weren't deists or anti-religious skeptics. The founders believed in prayer and that God was helping the revolutionary cause. Scholars say they created a sort of free market in which American religion has thrived to this day.

There’s long been debate over the intentions of America’s founders about the role of religion. That’s been turbocharged with the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July Fourth. Some Christian activists are redoubling claims that the United States had a Christian founding. But scholars note that there’s no established religion in the Constitution and some of the most influential founders weren't Christian. But most of them also weren’t deists or anti-religious skeptics. The founders believed in prayer and that God was helping the revolutionary cause. Scholars say they created a sort of free market in which American religion has thrived to this day.