Was Washington a Deist?
My secular schooling led me to believe Washington was a Deist, a person who believed God created the world, then left it on its own, and no longer had any dealings in human affairs. A Deist rejects the manifestations of divine power in the Bible, does not believe in miracles, and does not accept the idea of God becoming a man.
Having now studied my number one patriotic hero for much of my adult life, I have come to the conviction Washington was not a deist. He did often use the Deistic phrase "Divine Providence" when referring to God, but usually used it in a way which implied the very opposite meaning given the phrase by Deists. Washington spoke of Divine Providence as taking an active role, including performing miracles, in human affairs. To him God protected, delivered, gave victory, and was worthy of constant praise and Thanksgiving.
It would be stretching evidence too far to say Washington was a conservative, Bible-thumping, born again evangelical. He was an Episcopalian vestryman; this in and of itself has certain obvious religious implications. It is often difficult to pin down the precise spiritual beliefs of public figures. Washington is no exception to this rule.
Having now studied my number one patriotic hero for much of my adult life, I have come to the conviction Washington was not a deist. He did often use the Deistic phrase "Divine Providence" when referring to God, but usually used it in a way which implied the very opposite meaning given the phrase by Deists. Washington spoke of Divine Providence as taking an active role, including performing miracles, in human affairs. To him God protected, delivered, gave victory, and was worthy of constant praise and Thanksgiving.
It would be stretching evidence too far to say Washington was a conservative, Bible-thumping, born again evangelical. He was an Episcopalian vestryman; this in and of itself has certain obvious religious implications. It is often difficult to pin down the precise spiritual beliefs of public figures. Washington is no exception to this rule.