Church & State 250: The Myths of a Christian Nation

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: [email protected] America founded as a Christian nation, or has that story been repeated so often that it feels true? Warren Throckmorton, retired professor of psychology and author of The Christian Past That Wasn’t and co-author of Getting Jefferson Right, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to test popular founding myths against primary sources. Throckmorton walks through claims about the Constitution, religious tests, Benjamin Franklin’s prayer motion, Thomas Jefferson, the Danbury Baptists, the Cape Henry prayer, the 1774 Continental Congress prayer, and David Barton’s influence on modern Christian nationalist history. He argues that many Christian nation claims depend on selective quotation, invented stories, or ignoring the actual records of the Constitutional Convention. The conversation also explores why these myths are emotionally powerful. Fear, identity, and power can make bad history feel comforting, especially when people believe their faith or country is being taken away.Guest BioWarren Throckmorton, PhD, is a writer, researcher, and retired professor of psychology at Grove City College. His work examines Christian nationalism, American religious history, psychology, and the misuse of historical claims in public life. He is the author of The Christian Past That Wasn’t: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History and co-author, with Michael Coulter, of Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson. In this conversation, Throckmorton brings together historical fact-checking and psychological insight to explain why myths about America’s Christian founding remain powerful, why primary sources matter, and why separation of church and state protects religious freedomBook MentionedThe Christian Past That Wasn’t: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History by Warren ThrockmortonBookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889835820Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson by Michael Coulter and Warren ThrockmortonBookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798990900622Relevant Links & ResourcesThe Throckmorton InitiativeURL: https://warrenthrockmorton.substack.com/ Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/Support the showKeep the conversation going.Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, suggest a future guest, or connect with us directly?Visit our website:faithfulpoliticspodcast.comBrowse our bookstore, featuring books from many of our guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstoreSupport the show and help us keep these conversations going:patreon.com/cw/FaithfulPoliticsSubscribe for behind-the-scenes content, reflections, and updates:faithfulpolitics.substack.comContact the hosts:Josh Burtram, Faithful Host: [email protected] Wright, Political Host: [email protected] Faithful Politics:Instagram: faithful_politicsFacebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast