The Role of Religion in the Founding of the United States: A Case Study of the First Inaugural Ceremony
- Langues et Littératures : Revue du Groupe d’Études Linguistiques et Littéraires , (28) : 91-109
Résumé
This paper tries to answer the following question: To what extent did Christianity influence Washington’s political thoughts and actions during the First Inaugural Ceremony? The article argues for a possible influence of religion on his political writings and actions. In other words, an objective analysis of the religious expressions in his First Address, and a better examination of his actions during the whole ceremony, give more light, not only to his personal faith, but also to the vision he had about the place and the role of religion in the founding of the United States. No matter the way scholars may have considered Washington, they did not try to understand to which extend his Protestant inheritance influenced his political writings and actions. Along with the other Founding Fathers, much has not been said about the religious origin of his political thought, writings, and actions; and in the debate, his own words are generally overlooked. Following Schleiermacher’s approach to hermeneutics, this paper uses the First Inaugural Ceremony as a case study.
Mots-clés
religion, serment, discours, Washington