The Bible In Early America
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, November 17, 2025 (Donate)
Pre-1776
From the earliest initial colonies to colonial America just
before the Revolutionary War, the Bible was the foundational textbook in nearly
every classroom—especially after The Great Awakening that occurred
earlier in the 1700s. Children learned to read using passages from Scripture,
especially from the Psalms and the Gospels.
The famous New England Primer, the most widely used
schoolbook of the 1600s and early 1700s, taught the alphabet, phonics, and
basic doctrine with biblical verses and moral lessons. Teachers used the Bible
to reinforce spelling, reading comprehension, and memorization, because nearly
every family owned one and it was rightly viewed as the highest authority on
truth and morality (and all matters!).
Beyond literacy, the Bible shaped ethics and the foundation
for rights, truth, dignity, honesty, love, hope, faith, science, and morality.
Students were taught to model their behavior on biblical virtues such as
honesty, diligence, and respect for authority.
Colonial leaders believed a literate and moral population
was necessary for maintaining a Christian protestant society, so
biblical instruction was woven into daily school, life and political routines—prayer,
Bible readings, and so much more. Many colonies also had laws requiring
children to learn Scripture to prevent “that old deluder, Satan” from keeping
people ignorant of God’s Word. By 1776, biblical education had deeply
influenced the mindset, values, and language of the American colonies.
Post-1776
After 1776, the American colonies could no longer depend on
England for Bibles because wartime hostilities cut off imports—obviously! To
meet the need, churches, political leaders, and individuals first relied on any
remaining copies already in the colonies and on limited shipments that arrived
through other European sources such as the Netherlands and Scotland. That is,
if they weren’t intercepted by the British. These supplies were small,
inconsistent, and far from enough for a population that considered Scripture
essential for worship, education, and family life.
The shortage soon became so severe that congressional
committees received formal petitions asking for help. In 1777, the Continental
Congress even discussed importing Bibles from Europe, but wartime
conditions and costs made this difficult. As the war continued, it became clear
that the United States needed its own printing capacity.
The first complete English Bible was printed in the United States and it was produced by Robert Aitken in Philadelphia. He published the New Testament in 1777 and 1778, then completed the full Bible in 1782.
Recognizing the national need, the Continental Congress
officially commended Aitken’s work in September 1782, making it the only Bible
ever recommended by Congress. Aitken’s Bible marked the beginning of American
Bible printing, and by the 1790s other presses in places like Philadelphia,
Boston, and New York began producing additional editions. By 1816, the American
Bible Society (ABS) formed and Bible printing exploded.
The Bible In Washington’s Era
The Bible was used for swearing in public figures. George
Washington used a Bible at his first presidential inauguration on April 30,
1789. This particular Bible, kept by St. John’s Masonic Lodge No. 1 in New
York, became a national treasure.[1]
Washington placed his hand on it while taking the oath,
giving the volume a symbolic connection to the birth of the presidency and the
new republic. It is a large, beautifully bound 18th century King
James Bible, notable for its ceremonial use ever since. Many later
presidents and public figures have used it for inaugurations and major civic
events, adding to its historical prestige.
George Washington also help commission anther Bible printed
in the USA in New York. It was the Brown’s Self-Interpreting Family Bible of
1792, produced by minister John Brown of Haddington, Scotland. Originally
published in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1778, this first printing in the USA was
vital in 1792.
A friend, Dale Mason, has an original copy of it and has
republished it with the permission of Mount Vernon, the Washington estate. I’ve
seen it and was fascinated by it. This new printing is called, The
Forgotten George Washington Bible.
Brown’s was unique because it combined the full King James text with extensive study helps designed for ordinary families rather than scholars. It included verse-by-verse explanations, thematic summaries, theological notes, and practical applications that clarified difficult passages. Brown also added detailed introductions, maps, genealogies, and cross references, making it one of the earliest truly comprehensive study Bibles.
Its clear organization and accessible language helped
families read Scripture confidently without relying on clergy for
interpretation. The work became influential in both Britain and America and set
the pattern for later family and study Bibles.
Conclusion
The Bible in early America helped education thrive, society
develop, sciences thrive, and gained morally astute people. It opened the doors
for citizen to begin abolitionists movements and women’s rights—whose roots go
back to the early days in the republic where the Bible’s teachings became
clear.
With mixed feelings, much was inherited from the former ties
to the British Empire. Though much good came from “our parent”, there was also
terrible baggage like slavery and many opposed it but it took years to get
rooted out in some Southern states (13th Amendment finally) where about 5% were slave owners. But it
was the teaching in the Bible that opened the door to that freedom.
□
Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist
since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website.
He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and
researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head
of the Oversight Council.
Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a
personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has
spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
[1]
The Free Masons used to be a Christian organization or “club” with people from
various denomination going back to the early 1700s with James Anderson. Over
the years—particularly in more modern times, it has changed significantly from
those original roots. See World religions and Cults Volume 1 by Bodie Hodge and
Roger Patterson published by Master Books.
