The Myth of a Christian Nation | Part 1: Evangelical Revisionist History

This week, Ashley and Bailee kick off Part 1 of a deep-dive into one of the most widely accepted beliefs in evangelical culture: that the United States was founded as a Christian nation.From childhood teachings to political messaging, many of us were told that America’s identity is inherently tied to Christianity — but as we started asking questions, that narrative began to unravel.In this episode, we trace the roots of that belief — from the Founding Fathers and the realities of America’s founding, to the Civil War, where both sides claimed God, to the rise of Reagan-era politics and the Moral Majority. Along the way, we explore how Christianity and nationalism became intertwined, and how the idea of a “Christian nation” was built over time.Correction: Pat Robertson built CBN (not Jerry Fallwell), later creating CBN University (now Regent University) and the Christian Coalition. While Robertson and Falwell were both giants of the Religious Right, their primary organizations were separate.Recommendations: “Jesus and John Wayne” (Kristin Kobes Du M ez) — Analyzes the development of a particularly masculine strain of evangelicalism that influenced Christian nationalist culture (commonly recommended alongside Stewart).“Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States” (Samuel Perry & Andrew Whitehead) — Sociological research on Christian nationalist beliefs and how they correlate with political identity.Episode 29: The Puritans: The Religion That Built & Broke AmericaReferences:Balmer, R. (2006). Thy kingdom come: How the religious right distorts the faith. Basic Books.Balmer, R. (2014). The real origins of the religious right. Politico Magazine.Biag, L. (2025). Race, religion, and reproductive rights: Understanding the conservative anti-abortion movement in America. Imagine: A Promise & McNair Scholars Undergraduate Journal. University of California, Santa Barbara. ucsb.eduFea, J. (2016). Was America founded as a Christian nation? Westminster John Knox Press.Frazer, G. (2012). The religious beliefs of America’s founders. University Press of Kansas.Holmes, D. L. (2006). The faiths of the founding fathers. Oxford University Press.Jefferson, T. (1820). The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth (The Jefferson Bible).Madison, J. (1785). Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments.McKeegan M. The politics of abortion: a historical perspective. Women's Health Issues. 1993 Fall;3(3):127-31. doi: 10.1016/s1049-3867(05)80245-2. PMID: 8274866.Noll, M. A. (2002). America’s God. Oxford University Press.Rakove, J. N. (2010). Revolutionaries: A new history of the invention of America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Wald, K. D., & Calhoun-Brown, A. (2018). Religion and politics in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield.Connect with Us:📸 Instagram: @praisebetopod🎵 TikTok: @praisebetopod▶️ YouTube: @praisebetopod💻 Web: www.praisebetopod.com💸 Patreon: patreon.com/praisebetopod