Historical Christian Confirmations
In US Supreme Court Decisions And The Presidency
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, December 1, 2025 (Donate)
The US has been recognized as a godly nation built on Scripture
and the Christian faith from its earliest inception. There were exceptions to
this of course, but the majority was openly Christian and the US concept of law
and morality was predicated on the Bible’s truth.
Historically in the USA, it has been to one’s favor to be
Christian in politics. This was the case in the Supreme Court decisions as well
as presidential affiliations with church membership.
The elements of the Christian faith were felt in every area—even
the legislative body (which is too big to assess in this short chapter). Though
the 2026 Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, is an
outspoken godly Christian.
Supreme Court
Early court decisions were up front about Christianity and
the biblical faith. The most explicit case is Church of the Holy Trinity v.
United States (1892). Justice Brewer stated that “this is a Christian
nation.”
The Court reached this conclusion after reviewing American
history, colonial charters, governmental practices that acknowledged God, and
the influence of Christianity on American law and culture. This is the only US
Supreme Court decision that directly uses the phrase “Christian nation.”
Another case often discussed is Vidal v. Girard’s
Executors (1844–1845). Although it does not use the phrase “Christian
nation,” the Court affirmed that Christianity was foundational to American
education and morality. Justice Story wrote that the Bible, especially the New
Testament, provided the clearest principles of morality and could rightly be
taught in schools. Of course, this all changed in the 1960’s when the Bible was
taken out of the classroom and the religion of secular humanism began taking
its reign in government-funded schools. Secular humanism currently has dominated the classroom even though Torcaso vs. Watkins (1961) acknowledged it as a religion.
In Zorach v. Clauson (1952), the Supreme Court stated
that “we are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being.”
While not calling the nation Christian by name, the Court affirmed that
American institutions rest upon belief in God and that public acknowledgment of
God is consistent with the Constitution.
Finally, in Scheidler v. National Organization for
Women (1997), the Court referenced the Holy Trinity as part of its
historical reasoning. It did not repeat the Christian nation statement but
affirmed the relevance of earlier historical characterizations of America’s
religious heritage.
In other words, the founding of the US and basis for US law
is not based on Hinduism, Islam, secular humanism or any other religion outside
of the Bible. Again, that doesn’t mean that every single person was a biblical
Christian, but most were and the governmental system was set up in such a way
as to reflect godly law.
Presidents
Hosts of Presidents openly acknowledged Jesus Christ as Lord
and Savior. Most attended trinitarian churches. The three who were openly non-Trinitarian
are Thomas Jefferson, John Adams (unitarian), and John Quincy Adams (unitarian).
Below is the list of US Presidents who were members of
Trinitarian churches. A Trinitarian church is one that affirms the biblical
doctrine of the Trinity: one God in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. This includes Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican or Episcopal,
Lutheran, Congregationalist (before the Unitarian split), Reformed, Dutch
Reformed, Disciples of Christ, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and similar
historic Christian bodies.
Again, only three US Presidents were clearly members of
non-Trinitarian churches: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John Quincy Adams.
Jefferson rejected the Trinity and never joined a church after adulthood. John
Adams and John Quincy Adams both joined the Unitarian churches that had been
emerging in New England that denied the Trinity and demoted Jesus Christ’s
deity.
All other Presidents were members of Trinitarian Christian
churches.
Anglican / Episcopal (Trinitarian)
· George Washington
· James Madison
· James Monroe
· William Henry Harrison
· John Tyler
· Zachary Taylor
· Franklin Pierce
· Chester A. Arthur
· Franklin D. Roosevelt
· George H. W. Bush
· George W. Bush (later Methodist)
Presbyterian (Trinitarian)
· Andrew Jackson
· James Polk
· James Buchanan
· Grover Cleveland
· Benjamin Harrison
· Woodrow Wilson
· Dwight D. Eisenhower (affiliated with Presbyterianism)
· Donald Trump (could also be listed as Reformed, Marble Collegiate Church)
Methodist (Trinitarian)
· Ulysses S. Grant
· William McKinley
· William Howard Taft
· Harry S. Truman
· George W. Bush
Baptist (Trinitarian)
· Warren Harding
· Harry Truman (dual affiliation)
· Jimmy Carter
· Bill Clinton
Congregationalist (historically Trinitarian until late 18th century)
· Calvin Coolidge (still Trinitarian in his era)
· Herbert Hoover
Reformed / Dutch Reformed (Trinitarian)
· Martin Van Buren
· Theodore Roosevelt
Disciples of Christ (Trinitarian)
· James Garfield
· Lyndon B. Johnson
· Ronald Reagan (baptized Disciples of Christ)
Quaker (orthodox at the time = Trinitarian enough for historical classification)
· Herbert Hoover
· Richard Nixon
Roman Catholic (Trinitarian, non-Protestant)
· John F. Kennedy
· Joe Biden
Other Trinitarian or broadly orthodox Protestant
· Abraham Lincoln (not a member of any church but attended Trinitarian congregations; often counted but technically not a members
· Barack Obama (member of United Church of Christ during its Trinitarian period)
How deep were the conviction of these Presidents? As
mentioned, some were very open about their faith. Others, might leave you
wondering based on their actions—which often speak louder than words. Well,
sometimes, their words revealed their allegiance wasn’t always with the Bible.
This is especially the case in more recent times. There has
been a secularization of many in this country and without exception, this
reaches those elected. So, one may have good reasons for questioning certain Presidents
as to their true convictions.
After all, it is good, from a historical perspective, to be
a Christian during election season and one’s elected tenure but other religious
flavors may cloud one’s judgment when making official decrees and laws.
One of the tests of sincere Christian faith since the 1970s
has been the issue of abortion. Abortion is murder of the pre-born. If an
elected official supports it, then it is hard to believe that that person
really holds to the biblical faith which commands us not to murder but to
protect innocent lives. Although, I’m sure there are plenty of other ways that Christians
recognize the faithful versus those “going through the motions”.
The total “official” number of Presidents in Trinitarian
churches is 44 out of 47. Of course that comes with caveats. Nevertheless, we
will all stand before God in judgment and our true thoughts will be revealed.
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.
