As early as 1800, in the first hotly contested presidential campaign, Federalist Party preachers from New England denounced Jefferson as an “infidel” and rallied behind Unitarian John Adams’s “God-fearing” presidency. From the outset of our experiment in government, in fact, the founders fought tooth and nail in a contest over American values: a vigorous, sometimes savage, yet nearly forgotten thirty-year conflict to redeem the nation’s soul. . . “

In this talk based on the writings of Rev. Forrest Church, Jane Martin Buckley will examine the religious backgrounds of our first five American Presidents. Which were Unitarian? How did “Freedom/Liberty” vs. “Order/Law” influence the debate? How did the influence of the French Revolution play into decisions? Does what we know about Washington-Adams-Jefferson-Madison-Monroe influence who
we are as Americans today?