Faith of Our Fathers

This famous painting captures George Washington in a moment of prayer at Valley Forge.
George Washington was a man of faith in the Anglican tradition. His speeches and speech were laced with references to God, Providence, the Creator and Author of all Good. He beseeched his soldiers to attend services when possible and to pray. He requested that Congress send chaplains for the Continental Army. Does this sound like a man who viewed God as a disinterested "Clockmaker" who wound up the world and is watching it, from a distance, wind down?

Many contemporary historians are determined to label all of our Founding Fathers deists or atheists, in short, imposing their own world view and values on the heroes of the past. George Washington has become a battleground, of sorts, between those looking for his faith, and those trying to dismiss it. When will they learn that "Freedom of Religion" does not mean to all of us what it means to them--"freedom from religion"?