ACSI Research Fellow Program

Christian schools across the United States have an incredible opportunity to help children understand not only the story of our nation, but the deeper foundations that still impact its governance today. When young students grasp how faith shaped America’s founding, they are empowered to live as responsible, thoughtful citizens who recognize that freedom and virtue are gifts to steward wisely.

From the earliest colonial settlements to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, faith played a pivotal role in shaping American civic life. The founders believed that liberty could not exist apart from moral character and religious conviction. We know that “religion and virtue are indispensable supports” for a free society, and that the belief in human dignity as grounded in the image of God, the imago Dei, influenced the very framework of law, justice, and human rights that became the bedrock of the American experiment.

And as educators, we recognize that every lesson springs from a worldview. Teachers bring their own convictions and assumptions into the classroom, shaping how truth, morality, and purpose are communicated—whether intentionally or not. Because of this, we must be deliberate about grounding curriculum in a biblical worldview, the same worldview that informed America’s founding. The belief that all people are created equal, that rights come from God and not government, and that virtue sustains freedom are truths born from Scripture. When we teach from this foundation, we do more than convey facts; we transform hearts and minds with principles that have the power to change lives.

When students learn that founders such as John Adams and Benjamin Franklin viewed education, virtue, and service as vital to a flourishing public life, they begin to see that their faith has relevance beyond the church walls. Adams famously wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” This timeless truth underscores the link between faith and freedom; one cannot thrive without the other.

Teaching about how faith shaped America’s founding is not about claiming that every founder was an orthodox Christian. Rather, it is about recognizing that the principles of natural law, human dignity, and public virtue—ideas deeply rooted in biblical truth—shaped the institutions they established. By understanding this, students learn that history and faith are not opposing narratives but interconnected threads of one greater story. For years, this understanding has been forced out of education. Yet as Christian educators, we know a child who realizes that citizenship is defined by responsibility as well as rights, and that liberty depends on moral character, is a child being equipped to carry the torch of freedom with wisdom and faith.

Christian schools have the privilege, and the duty, to highlight the importance of faith in our founding. Lessons can explore how the Ten Commandments influenced early American laws, how the Puritans sought to build a “city on a hill,” and how early Americans believed government should reflect God’s moral order. These moments remind students that biblical truth is not confined to the church but speaks to every area of life, including government and citizenship.

And as students grow in understanding, they begin to see that their personal actions matter. They learn that they have their own spheres of influence. When they pray for their leaders, volunteer in their communities, or stand for truth, they live out the same convictions that inspired America’s founding generation. When children learn to say, “My faith matters in the public square,” they begin to understand that being a Christian and being a citizen are not competing identities. Rather, they are complementary callings.

It is equally vital that children understand the gift of religious liberty, which is one of our nation’s most cherished freedoms. In his letter to the Hebrew congregation in Newport, George Washington wrote, “May the children of the stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.” That timeless message reminds us that freedom of worship and belief are divine rights, not privileges granted by man or government.

When we teach children about the connection between faith and freedom, we also teach humility. The founders understood human nature as fallen and designed checks and balances to guard against corruption. As James Madison wrote, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” In the same way, faith reminds us that freedom must be cherished and guarded; it is a trust, not a guarantee.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, these lessons take on renewed urgency. When children understand why the founding matters, they become faithful stewards of liberty who will lead with conviction, compassion, and courage. They will think deeply, act selflessly, and carry forward the values that built this nation.

With the American Cornerstone Institute’s Little Patriots initiative, this mission is at the heart of all we do. We help teachers, families, and students experience civics as a calling—rooted in faith, informed by history, and animated by service. Through curriculum, interactive lessons, and resources available at no cost, we strive to help children not just learn about their country but truly love it wisely and faithfully.

In every Christian school and home, may we raise children who love God and love America not out of obligation, but out of understanding. When the next generation recognizes that the freedoms they enjoy were born of faith, sacrifice, and virtue, they will be equipped to protect and preserve them. Let us teach them not only the story of our founding, but the divine meaning behind it.