A Public Expression of Faith

Our nation's history is full of expressions of faith in many areas of public life. And on this important occasion, it's a good time to reflect on that history! As a new President takes the oath of office in Washington, DC, we thought you would enjoy this article on the religious heritage of presidential inaugurations.

The first presidential inauguration occurred on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City (the city served as the nation’s capital in 1789-1790). Congress made extensive preparations for that event, with the participation of fourteen clergy, including ministers from different denominations and a rabbi.

Local papers reported the first of these activities:

On the morning of the day on which our illustrious President will be invested with his office, the bells will ring at nine o’clock, when the people may go up to the house of God and in a solemn manner commit the new government, with its important train of consequences, to the holy protection and blessing of the Most High. An early hour is prudently fixed for this peculiar act of devotion and it is designed wholly for prayer. 

See Eisenhower’s handwritten inauguration prayer

and more presidential expressions of faith at the WallBuilders museum.

Presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage.