What do you think?
Rate this book
The United States A Christian Nation
David Brewer understood the true nature of America's founding. He noted that America's intrepid pioneers had come to America in obedience to the Great Commission, that is, to advance the Christian faith. That purpose, he claimed, had never changed, from the earliest colonizations to 1892, the year he delivered his famous Church of the Holy Trinity case which showed that America was founded as a Christian Nation: "Churches and church organizations...abound in every city, town and hamlet...a multitude of charitable organizations exist...everywhere under Christian auspecies...gigantic missionary associations, with general support...aim...to establish Christian missions in every quarter of the globe.
These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation."
The evidence is in and weighed on the scales of Supreme Court Justice David Brewer (1837-1910). Consider just some of the facts which are rarely discussed by those who want any discussion of the Christian religion removed from today's history textbooks:
**Maryland's 1776 constitution states that "the legislature may, in their discretion, lay a general and equal tax, for the support of the Christian religion."
**In several colonies and states a profession of the Christian faith was made an indispensable condition to holding office.
**North Carolina's constitution, which remained in force until 1868, reads in part: "That no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Christian religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the State, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State."
**States were permitted to require a religious test for office holders.
The United States: A Christian Nation is almost never quoted by secular scholars because it destroys their argument that America was not founded as a Christian nation. American Vision reprinted this book for the first time in nearly 100 years, in 1996, and it again went out of print for several years. We are pleased to present Brewer's fascinating study of the Christian Heritage of America once again!
Every pebble of evidence he turns up cries out: "America is a Christian nation!" Brewer's landmark work studies declarations of the court, the recognition of Sunday, Chaplains, colonial charters, civil liberty, charitable organizations, and much more.
Drawing from a wealth of original sources, such as the colonial charters, state constitutions, and legal statutes of early American history, Justice Brewer makes the undeniable case for the Christian character of this nation, and encourages his listeners to preserve and contribute to America’s Christianity in the face of adversity.
The classic 1905 lectures from one of America’s greatest Supreme Court justices are back in print—revised and expanded with a new introduction by Gary DeMar, and enhanced with images and explanatory footnotes.
The United States A Christian Nation is U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Josiah Brewer’s lecture series on the unmistakably Christian origins and values of the United States.
Drawing from a wealth of original sources, such as the colonial charters, state constitutions, and legal statutes of early American history, Justice Brewer makes the undeniable case for the Christian character of this nation, and encourages his listeners to preserve and contribute to America’s Christianity in the face of adversity.
This edition includes the text of Justice Brewer’s most famous Supreme Court decision, Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States, as well as an historical introduction to the case by Herb Titus.
About the Author: David Josiah Brewer (1837–1910) served for almost 46 years in various judicial capacities, including the First Judicial District of Kansas (1865–1869) and the Kansas Supreme Court (1870–1884). In 1884, President Chester A. Arthur appointed him to the 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, where he served until 1889 when President Benjamin Harrison appointed him to the U.S. Supreme Court. Following his appointment, Brewer became a prolific writer and speaker on a wide range of public issues. In addition to authoring more than 700 judicial opinions, Brewer wrote four books and delivered speeches and lectures almost without number. He served until his death in 1910.
These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation."
The evidence is in and weighed on the scales of Supreme Court Justice David Brewer (1837-1910). Consider just some of the facts which are rarely discussed by those who want any discussion of the Christian religion removed from today's history textbooks:
**Maryland's 1776 constitution states that "the legislature may, in their discretion, lay a general and equal tax, for the support of the Christian religion."
**In several colonies and states a profession of the Christian faith was made an indispensable condition to holding office.
**North Carolina's constitution, which remained in force until 1868, reads in part: "That no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Christian religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the State, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this State."
**States were permitted to require a religious test for office holders.
The United States: A Christian Nation is almost never quoted by secular scholars because it destroys their argument that America was not founded as a Christian nation. American Vision reprinted this book for the first time in nearly 100 years, in 1996, and it again went out of print for several years. We are pleased to present Brewer's fascinating study of the Christian Heritage of America once again!
Every pebble of evidence he turns up cries out: "America is a Christian nation!" Brewer's landmark work studies declarations of the court, the recognition of Sunday, Chaplains, colonial charters, civil liberty, charitable organizations, and much more.
Drawing from a wealth of original sources, such as the colonial charters, state constitutions, and legal statutes of early American history, Justice Brewer makes the undeniable case for the Christian character of this nation, and encourages his listeners to preserve and contribute to America’s Christianity in the face of adversity.
The classic 1905 lectures from one of America’s greatest Supreme Court justices are back in print—revised and expanded with a new introduction by Gary DeMar, and enhanced with images and explanatory footnotes.
The United States A Christian Nation is U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Josiah Brewer’s lecture series on the unmistakably Christian origins and values of the United States.
Drawing from a wealth of original sources, such as the colonial charters, state constitutions, and legal statutes of early American history, Justice Brewer makes the undeniable case for the Christian character of this nation, and encourages his listeners to preserve and contribute to America’s Christianity in the face of adversity.
This edition includes the text of Justice Brewer’s most famous Supreme Court decision, Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States, as well as an historical introduction to the case by Herb Titus.
About the Author: David Josiah Brewer (1837–1910) served for almost 46 years in various judicial capacities, including the First Judicial District of Kansas (1865–1869) and the Kansas Supreme Court (1870–1884). In 1884, President Chester A. Arthur appointed him to the 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, where he served until 1889 when President Benjamin Harrison appointed him to the U.S. Supreme Court. Following his appointment, Brewer became a prolific writer and speaker on a wide range of public issues. In addition to authoring more than 700 judicial opinions, Brewer wrote four books and delivered speeches and lectures almost without number. He served until his death in 1910.
- GenresHistoryAmerican History
117 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1905
11 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
David J. Brewer
229 books1 followerDavid J. Brewer is President of Hudson Taylor University in Georgia and Professor of Christian Philosophy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 17, 2025
Such a helpful read. Associate Justice David Brewer explains that although the United States is not a Christian nation in the sense that Christianity is the established religion (or in the sense that all citizens are Christian, or in the sense that we legally require public officeholders to profess Christianity), it should nevertheless be recognized as the "leading Christian nation in the world" as a matter of "historical, legal, and social truth."
What does he mean? Well, it is a legally true that our "laws and customs are based upon the laws of Moses and the teachings of Christ." Brewer traces the development of American colonies and eventually the American constitutional system, including early state constitutions, with the goal of showing how our nation not only presupposed Christianity as our shared value system as its shared moral foundation, but was, in fact, established to promote and uphold the Christian faith. He also notes the oaths clause and Sundays excepted clause in the federal constitution, as well as early state and federal court decisions which recognized Christianity as our shared public moral system and as part and parcel of the common law.
I love that Brewer commends the young men in his audience to promote Christianity as part of their patriotic duty. "In our land, from the very first, Christianity and patriotism have worked together," he says. "And we who are citizens of this republic—recognizing the identification of Christianity with its life [...]—ought, even if not agreeing with all that is claimed for it, to at least accord to it respect." Brewer adds that "Christian nations are the civilized nations," and "the most thoroughly Christian are the most highly civilized." That is why "it is a patriot's duty to uphold [Christianity] and extend its influence." On this topic, Brewer echoes many of our founding fathers, such as John Witherspoon, who famously said, "He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who set himself with the greatest firmness to bear down on profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy to his country."
I also appreciate many of the minor points he makes. Although our material prosperity is a blessing, it also brings about the temptations of luxury and wealth, for which Christianity is the only antidote. Our standing as a world power on the geopolitical stage is dependent upon our willingness to abide by our Christian beliefs. The incredible racial unity that we experience here in America is the result of the gospel influence in our society tearing down racial hostility.
Brewer also seemingly advocates for an optimistic postmillennial eschatology, albeit without calling it such. "Does the day of peace seem a long way off?" he asks. His response rings with optimism for the conquering power of the Gospel: "We must have divine patience and understand the divine mathematics of a thousand years as one day. . . . But the leaven of the immortal truth that right rather than might attests that the ideal life is already working in the mass of humanity, and slowly, it will leaven the whole lump. . . . Is it not a great thing to be a leader among the nations in the effort to bring on that day when the sword shall be beaten into the plowshare and the spear in to the pruning hook, and when war shall cease?" He observes that with the rising influence of Christianity in the world, "The spirit of liberty is shaking thrones and dynasties the world over, and making government of the people and for the people a nearer fact." This is the case in America as well: "And the more thoroughly this republic is filled with the spirit of the gospel, the more universal the rule of Christianity in the hearts of our people, the more certainly will she ever be the welcome leader in movements for peace among the nations."
After convincingly proving his case that the United States is the leading Christian nation in the world, Brewer concludes with the following charge for his hearers: "Place the Bible on your table and enshrine the Master in your heart and you may be sure you are building up a home which will be not merely peace and blessing to you, but also for the strength and glory of the republic." Amen!
What does he mean? Well, it is a legally true that our "laws and customs are based upon the laws of Moses and the teachings of Christ." Brewer traces the development of American colonies and eventually the American constitutional system, including early state constitutions, with the goal of showing how our nation not only presupposed Christianity as our shared value system as its shared moral foundation, but was, in fact, established to promote and uphold the Christian faith. He also notes the oaths clause and Sundays excepted clause in the federal constitution, as well as early state and federal court decisions which recognized Christianity as our shared public moral system and as part and parcel of the common law.
I love that Brewer commends the young men in his audience to promote Christianity as part of their patriotic duty. "In our land, from the very first, Christianity and patriotism have worked together," he says. "And we who are citizens of this republic—recognizing the identification of Christianity with its life [...]—ought, even if not agreeing with all that is claimed for it, to at least accord to it respect." Brewer adds that "Christian nations are the civilized nations," and "the most thoroughly Christian are the most highly civilized." That is why "it is a patriot's duty to uphold [Christianity] and extend its influence." On this topic, Brewer echoes many of our founding fathers, such as John Witherspoon, who famously said, "He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who set himself with the greatest firmness to bear down on profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy to his country."
I also appreciate many of the minor points he makes. Although our material prosperity is a blessing, it also brings about the temptations of luxury and wealth, for which Christianity is the only antidote. Our standing as a world power on the geopolitical stage is dependent upon our willingness to abide by our Christian beliefs. The incredible racial unity that we experience here in America is the result of the gospel influence in our society tearing down racial hostility.
Brewer also seemingly advocates for an optimistic postmillennial eschatology, albeit without calling it such. "Does the day of peace seem a long way off?" he asks. His response rings with optimism for the conquering power of the Gospel: "We must have divine patience and understand the divine mathematics of a thousand years as one day. . . . But the leaven of the immortal truth that right rather than might attests that the ideal life is already working in the mass of humanity, and slowly, it will leaven the whole lump. . . . Is it not a great thing to be a leader among the nations in the effort to bring on that day when the sword shall be beaten into the plowshare and the spear in to the pruning hook, and when war shall cease?" He observes that with the rising influence of Christianity in the world, "The spirit of liberty is shaking thrones and dynasties the world over, and making government of the people and for the people a nearer fact." This is the case in America as well: "And the more thoroughly this republic is filled with the spirit of the gospel, the more universal the rule of Christianity in the hearts of our people, the more certainly will she ever be the welcome leader in movements for peace among the nations."
After convincingly proving his case that the United States is the leading Christian nation in the world, Brewer concludes with the following charge for his hearers: "Place the Bible on your table and enshrine the Master in your heart and you may be sure you are building up a home which will be not merely peace and blessing to you, but also for the strength and glory of the republic." Amen!
March 1, 2015
I'm reading The United States: A Christian Nation; Reprint of 1905 lectures by Justice Brewer, covers history from the time of Columbus to present (his) with many quotes from the Court's 1892 "Holy Trinity" case. Many other court cases cited. Great history read for those who like American history by a Justice forgotten (on purpose). The appendixes have the entire Holy Trinity vs. United States case along with a review of the 1900 George L'Hote v. City of New Orleans case.
August 17, 2010
While Brewer makes it clear that America was founded as a Christian nation, and shows how why we could be none other than such, there are other areas where I disagree with his assessments and conclusions.
Read
March 23, 2014Pretty much irrefutable evidence of the Christian underpinnings of our nation. Enough in fact, to convince anyone with a truly open mind.
October 14, 2017
Gobs of proof that the US is a Christian nation.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews