I think formal group actions, adopted and published are even more useful.
After three years of war, the Continental Congress in the first of three instances Novak identifies for us gave out official thanksgiving decrees. Novak points out that in the first of these in 1779:
"In 1779 the Congress urged the nation 'humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God' to ask 'that he would establish the independece of these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue.' "
We can all quote poach and find lots of items to use in making our points, but when I get seriously thoughtful about the issue I like to go to the original actions, writings and original sources and look at them in-whole.
The Continental Congress being aware on its first day of action the variety of denominations represented by the various delegates spent its initial time arriving at an agreement about how to begin its deliberations and settled on a prayer to be given and resolved that it be prepared and no action be taken or deliberations held until it was delivered the next morning in a formal manner with these men on their knees.
Novak quotes Sam Adams in arriving at who should deliver it, "Sam Adams arose to say he was no bigot, and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue, who was at the same time a friend to his country." My point is that we, as a people, couldn't even bring ourselves to think of our nation's future without formally deciding how to begin such meetings with proper prayer -- hardly the actions of people that didn't see all actions of their lives in a full religous context.
Very good and clarifying. The nature of American Government is against religious bigotry and toward respect for conscience.
That said virtue, objective virtue, is a necessary perquisite to liberty. The Christian model performs admirably compared to any other religion in the world.
America was not and could not be founded by Atheists, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or etc.