An exceptional assemblage of original letters, family Bibles, and artifacts from the nation’s founding era is shedding light on the pivotal role that Scripture played in shaping early America.
This captivating collection is currently showcased at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. In alignment with the commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the exhibition delves into the profound influence Scripture had on the nation’s formative years, documented through original texts and historical relics.
The collection boasts remarkable items such as the first English Bible printed in America, family Bibles of several founding fathers and other notable figures, alongside an original letter from Thomas Jefferson discussing religious freedom.
These documents collectively map how biblical language permeated the founding era, significantly shaping dialogues around liberty, education, and public life.
Anthony Schmidt, serving as the museum’s director of collections and curatorial, shared with Fox News Digital that the exhibition harnesses primary sources to explore the Bible’s influential role in early American history.
“The Bible has been an integral part of this nation’s founding and history,” Schmidt said.
“That’s not a theological claim; it’s what the documents show. The founding fathers referenced Scripture, argued from it, and built political frameworks on its language about human dignity and liberty.”
One section explores how Scripture was part of everyday life during the nation’s earliest years, displaying the first Bible printed in English in America alongside family Bibles owned by several founding fathers and other historical figures.
Schmidt said the objects were intentionally selected to tell what he described as th
“These objects show the Bible’s impact not only on religious life, but on early American art, education and politics.”
Another section examines the relationship between faith and government through Jefferson’s writings on religious liberty and one of the nation’s earliest published arguments for resisting tyranny.
Visitors can also view Revolutionary-era printed materials that helped unify the colonies, documents tracing early Jewish civic life in America, portraits of George Washington and other colonial-era figures, a hand-colored lithograph memorializing Abraham Lincoln, and busts of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
Schmidt said one of the collection’s central goals is to encourage visitors to engage directly with original historical documents.
“We want visitors to encounter the history of this country and see, in the primary documents, what impact the Bible actually had on the people who built it,” he said.
He noted that while the founding fathers often disagreed on matters of religion, the historical record shows many were still influenced by the Bible’s language and ideas.
“Many of the founders disagreed about religion, and disagreed sharply, but they were still shaped by the Bible’s language and arguments,” Schmidt said. “We want people to engage with that evidence and come to their own conclusions.”