June 23, 2026

Did George Washington Kneel in Prayer at Valley Forge?

Did George Washington Kneel in Prayer at Valley Forge?

Did George Washington kneel in prayer at Valley Forge? American Christians love a painting that depicts that and claim it demonstrates that the United States was founded as a Christian nation — but Washington may never have done it. This NPR article discusses the painting and the history:

https://www.npr.org/2026/05/27/nx-s1-5747094/church-and-state-george-washington

And in Episode 303 ("The Founders, Part One") we discuss Washington's views of religion as part of our "A Christian Nation?" series, which examines the proposition that America was founded as a Christian country.

 

 

A Christian Nation?
Blake Henke

Host

Blake Henke earned his History degree from the University of Virginia in 1990, with a thesis on his Civil War–era relatives, and later completed a Master’s in Environmental Science and Policy at Johns Hopkins in 1996. Since 1991, he has built a career in environmental science, founding North Star Science and Technology, LLC in 1998, specializing in wildlife bio-telemetry. He also consults for Virginia Waters and Wetlands and conducts field work for Cell Tower Osprey Management, while pursuing interests in history, religion, and outdoor hobbies.

image for Upcoming Episodes!

Upcoming Episodes!

Episode 303 "The Founders, Part One" (coming June 24!): What were the personal religious beliefs of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, and John Adams, and what role did they see for religion in the United States? B…
image for Animated Map of the China-Burma-India Theater, 1937–1945

Animated Map of the China-Burma-India Theater, 1937–1945

Listeners interested in a visual representation of the progress of the fighting in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II — the subject of much of our discussion in three episodes of the "Tea, Drugs, and Jesus" series, which conside…