Faithful Politics Podcast
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Church & State 250: The Myths of a Christian Nation
Posted
July 11, 2026
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39
July 11, 2026
39
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Was America founded as a Christian nation, or has that story been repeated so often that it feels true?
Warren Throckmorton, retired professor of psychology and author of The Christian Past That Wasn’t and co-author of Getting Jefferson Right, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to test popular founding myths against primary sources. Throckmorton walks through claims about the Constitution, religious tests, Benjamin Franklin’s prayer motion, Thomas Jefferson, the Danbury Baptists, the Cape Henry prayer, the 1774 Continental Congress prayer, and David Barton’s influence on modern Christian nationalist history.
He argues that many Christian nation claims depend on selective quotation, invented stories, or ignoring the actual records of the Constitutional Convention. The conversation also explores why these myths are emotionally powerful. Fear, identity, and power can make bad history feel comforting, especially when people believe their faith or country is being taken away.
Guest Bio
Warren Throckmorton, PhD, is a writer, researcher, and retired professor of psychology at Grove City College. His work examines Christian nationalism, American religious history, psychology, and the misuse of historical claims in public life. He is the author of The Christian Past That Wasn’t: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History and co-author, with Michael Coulter, of Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson. In this conversation, Throckmorton brings together historical fact-checking and psychological insight to explain why myths about America’s Christian founding remain powerful, why primary sources matter, and why separation of church and state protects religious freedom
Book Mentioned
The Christian Past That Wasn’t: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History by Warren Throckmorton
Bookshop.org
Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson by Michael Coulter and Warren Throckmorton
Bookshop.org
Relevant Links & Resources
The Throckmorton Initiative
Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She DoesWhy Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026. Bookshop.org
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