Was President George Washington a Christian?

Written By: Jim Swanson  |  Posted: Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

            In 2006 Peter Lillback and Jerry Newcombe published a book entitled George Washington's Sacred Fire (Providence Forum Press). The book was dedicated, "To the children of America- past, present, and future, especially to those who have ever wondered, 'Was George Washington a Christian?'" The authors' conclusion is a decided Yes!

            The book represents a huge undertaking. Lillback claims he had been working on it for twenty years. He read everything that George Washington ever wrote and all that others wrote about him. The volume is 725 pages, with ten additional appendices and 110 pages of endnotes and bibliography, nearly 1200 pages in all! To say the least, it is a well-researched tome. The title is taken from a quote given by Washington in his first inaugural address in 1789. "The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." The book had moderate success until recently when Glenn Beck featured it on his broadcast. Suddenly George Washington's Sacred Fire became a best seller. The premise of the book, that Washington was a Christian, is in harmony with the conclusions of several other popular writers including David Barton, Peter Marshall, Tim LaHaye, and D. James Kennedy.

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