Did the founders create a Christian nation? No, but religion did shape their thinking

Life-size bronze sculptures of the signers of the U.S. Constitution stand in the Signers' Hall on July 7, 2016, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz, File)

When he talks about the role of religion in the founding of the United States, historian Gregg Frazer does not attract eager audiences.

“Neither side really wants to hear what I say,” says Frazer, a professor of history and political studies at The Master’s University, a Christian school in Santa Clarita, California.

The founders, Frazer says, did not create a Christian republic. Several key founders either rejected core Christian doctrines or were vague enough to keep historians debating. For Frazer, that often disappoints audiences of his fellow Christians.