The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American

by Andrew L. Seidel

Some found Eisenhower’s showy religion, displayed so late in life and immediately after assuming political office, hypocritical. Professor and journalist William Lee Miller observed, “President Eisenhower, like many Americans, is a very fervent believer in a very vague religion.”21 Miller was right. The newfound piety of Eisenhower and many Americans was both shallow and ignorant. In 1951, 53 percent of Americans could not name even one of the gospels.22 America’s religious literacy has not improved; in 2010 about 49 percent could not name one gospel.23 This is precisely the result we’d expect to see from a group of citizens who were deliberately being marketed a vague religion. Despite this vast ignorance of Christianity’s basic tenets, religion invaded the halls of government. Between 1952 and 1956, as RIAL and the anti–New Deal religion peaked, Congress saddled Americans with most of the political piety so familiar today. The timeline is telling: 1952 – National Day of Prayer. Billy Graham says it would be “thrilling” and “glorious” to “see the leaders of our country kneeling before almighty God in prayer” and to use those leaders to bring the nation to Jesus.24 On the Capitol steps, Graham calls for a National Day of Prayer.25 Congress quickly agrees.26 1953 – The National Prayer Breakfast is held for the first time, and President Eisenhower attends.27 This was integral to the anti–New Deal, corporate religion.28 1953 – Congressmen propose 18 separate resolutions to ad...