Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? - Lecture 1

In this first of three lectures, historian John Fea — author of Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? — cuts through the partisan noise surrounding Christian nationalism to offer a rigorous, historically grounded examination of religion and the American founding.

Fea traces how the term "Christian nationalism" has exploded in mainstream discourse since 2016, yet is often applied so loosely it loses analytical meaning. Drawing on decades of scholarship, he argues that what's missing from both left and right is a nuanced historical narrative — one that neither cherry-picks the past to score political points nor dismisses the genuine role of Christianity in early American life.

In this lecture, you'll explore:

· How the phrase "Christian nationalism" has evolved from fringe to mainstream political discourse

· Why figures as diverse as Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, the Social Gospel movement, and Jerry Falwell all invoked the idea of a "Christian nation" — each with vastly different meanings

· How most Americans, from 1789 through the 1960s, understood themselves to be living in a Christian nation — and why that consensus fractured

· The key legal and cultural turning points — from Everson v. Board of Education (1947) to Roe v. Wade (1973) — that transformed Christian nationhood into a culture war battleground

This lecture sets the stage for a three-part series that will also examine the Bible's role in the American Revolution and the religious (or secular) character of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution — topics of renewed urgency as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026.

Perfect for: history enthusiasts, students of American religion and politics, educators, and anyone seeking a thoughtful alternative to partisan narratives about America's founding and faith.