GeorgeWashington And Religion

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There are many questions that could be raised about the attitude of George Washington toward Christianity? Why, for example, did GeorgeWashington refuse to take communion for most of his adult life, thereby (in effect) excommunicating himself from the Church of Christ? Why are his references to the Lord Jesus Christ in his voluminous collection of public and private papers almost non-existent? Why did Washington aspire and attain to the rank of Grand Master in the Masonic lodge, a lodge in which each promotion requires the applicant to swear to an anti-Christian oath?

When it comes to Washington's religious/philosophical bent there is simply too much of a mythical or legendary nature to rely on anything other than primary source documents. These would include such things as Washington's own public and private correspondence and the writings of those who knew him extremely well, such as his pastor.

Professor Paul Boller is a Bible believing Christian – not a liberal in any sense of the word. Almost half a century ago he conducted an exhaustive study of George Washington’s own writings, public and private, together with statements by his contemporaries, whose authority can be taken as reliable. These he compiled into a book entitled, George Washington & Religion.

These include stories about Washington’s rigorous devotional life and his partiality for, and sharing of communion with virtually every denomination. One story has GeorgeWashington drawing his pistol and firing at a subordinate officer who dared to interrupt his devotions. Everyone it seems wanted to portray GeorgeWashington religiously in their own image and to do so read far more into Washington’s religious pronouncements than actually exists.

An Answer From Washington's Pastor

But the real picture emerges from interviews with people who knew Washington well, such as Dr. James Abercrombie, Washington’s pastor at Christ Church in Philadelphia during the eight years of his Presidency. Dr. Abercrombie, Assistant Rector of Christ Church in Philadelphia, had grave doubts about the state of Washington's soul. While his wife went forward to kneel with the communicants on communion Sunday, Washington always walked out the back door.

Rebuked indirectly from the pulpit, he acknowledged his offense and promised never to attend church on communion Sunday, a promise that he kept. Dr. Abercrombie left us these words: "That Washington was a professing Christian, is evident from his regular attendance in our church; but, Sir, I cannot consider any man as a real Christian who uniformly disregards an ordinance so solemnly enjoined by the divine Author of our holy religion, and considered as a channel of divine grace."

The question that begs for an answer is, “How can men like GeorgeWashington of only nominal Christian faith produce a document that is faithful to the Word of God?” But far more important than trying to analyze the faith of the founders, is a careful examination of what they actually gave us. As we have seen, their biggest failure was an inability to distinguish between the biblical covenant model and the man-centered social contract.

There is no doubt that GeorgeWashington thought and spoke highly of Christianity as a socially cohesive force in society. He was convinced of the sovereignty of God in the affairs of men. Further, he strongly encouraged chaplains in the Continental Army and served in a leadership capacity in his local church, attending about once a month. However, we must not confuse "Churchianity" with Christianity. Church attendance was with Washington a social obligation and a means of expressing his humanitarianism.

"Unitarian" not "Deistic" is perhaps the best way to characterize many of the key founders. While some were members of Trinitarian churches, men like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and most likely GeorgeWashington, were Unitarian in outlook. Unitarianism, or Socianism, is characterized by a denial of the Divinity or active Lordship of Jesus Christ in the affairs of men.

Here is Washington's attitude toward the necessity of Christianity as a qualification for public office: In this enlightened age & in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets . .[Ed. Note -- that not even atheism, paganism, idol worship, devil worship, blasphemy, or vulgarity in false religion] deprive him of the right of attaining & holding the highest offices that are known in the United States. (SOURCE: Letter To the members of the New Church of Baltimore (22 January 1793)