Daniel Dreisbach

An academic, author, and attorney with an interest in the intersection of religion, politics, and law in American life.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

My book, “Reading the Bible with the Founding Fathers,” is now available from Oxford University Press and other booksellers! https://t.co/kK7MFOUzeS

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“What Shall We Say? Human Nature is intollerant when ever it has power. Trust Power then without a counterprize to no Man to no sect to no Party. Amen and Amen.” John Adams to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 5 June 1812. #HumanNature

#JohnAdams #AdamsPapers

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

The House of Representatives, “like all other assemblies, will be composed of some bad & some good men; &, considering the natural lust of power so inherent in man, I fear the thirst of power will prevail to oppress the people.” George Mason, VA Ratifying Convention, 4 June 1788.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

I’m in Greenville, South Carolina, this morning, paying my respects to native son “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. He is buried, next to his wife Katie, at Woodlawn Memorial Park.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“The foundations of national Morality must be laid in private Families. The Mothers are the earliest and most important Instructors of youth.... The Vices and Examples of the Parents cannot be concealed from the Children.” #JohnAdams, June 2, 1778. #AdamsPapers

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

1 June 1774: Virginia #HouseOfBurgesses set apart the “first Day of June ... as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, devoutly to implore the divine Interposition for averting the heavy Calamity, which threatens Destruction to our civil Rights, and the Evils of civil War.”

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

On June 1, 1774, the day “set apart” by the Virginia House of Burgesses for “Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer,” George Washington recorded in his diary: “June 1st. Went to Church & fasted all day.”

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

31 May 1780: If we “reform our evil ways [&] humble ourselves…; we might then, putting our trust in God, humbly hope that our public calamities would be soon at an end,…our rights & liberties secured, & glory, peace & happiness dwell in our land.” Simeon Howard, #ElectionSermon

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“...I reiterate the possession of my dependence upon Heaven as the source of all public and private blessings....” President #GeorgeWashington to the General Assembly of the #PresbyterianChurch, late May or early June, 1789.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“…where licentiousness begins, liberty ends.”

The Rev. Mr. Samuel West, Massachusetts-Bay #ElectionSermon, May 29th, 1776.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

29 May 1789: “It shall still be my endeavor to manifest ... the sincerity of my desires to contribute whatever may be in my power towards the preservation of the civil and religious liberties of the American People.” #GeorgeWashington to Bishops of the #MethodistEpiscopal Church.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“It is our duty to endeavour always to promote the general good; to do to all, as we would be willing to be done by, were we in their circumstances [cf. Matt 7:12], to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before GOD [Micah 6:8].” Samuel West, #ElectionSermon, 29 May 1776.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“It is an indispensable duty, my brethren, which we owe to God, and our country, to rouse up & bestir ourselves, and, being animated with a noble zeal for the sacred cause of liberty, to defend our lives & fortunes, even to the shedding the last drop of blood.” Samuel West, 1776.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“The love of our country, the tender affection that we have for our wives and children, the regard we ought to have for unborn posterity, yea, everything that is dear and sacred, do now loudly call upon us to use our best endeavours to save our country.” Samuel West, May 29, 1776

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“the same principles that oblige us to submit to civil government, do also equally oblige us, where we have power and ability, to resist and oppose tyranny; and that where tyranny begins, government ends.” The Rev. Samuel West, Massachusetts #ElectionSermon, May 29th, 1776.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“It is our duty to endeavour always to promote the general good; to do to all, as we would be willing to be done by, were we in their circumstances [cf. Matt 7:12], to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before GOD [Micah 6:8].” Samuel West, #ElectionSermon, 29 May 1776.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

In FEDERALIST No. 78, Publius (#AlexanderHamilton) acknowledged the “controversies which grow out of the folly and wickedness of mankind” and “the ordinary depravity of #HumanNature.” It was 1st published on May 28, 1788, in vol. II of J & A McLean’s edition of “The Federalist.”

[James Madison Foundation @JamesMadisonFdn]

Please join us for the 29th Annual James Madison Lecture featuring bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick! Mr. Philbrick joins Dr. Jeffry Morrison to discuss “The Revolution at 250” on June 29, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Attend in person or via livestream.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“We adore Almighty God, the author of every perfect gift, who hath endued you with such a rare and happy assemblage of talents, as hath rendered you equally necessary to your country, in war and in peace.” Presbyterian General Assembly to President #GeorgeWashington, May 26, 1789

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“Public virtue is the most certain mean of public felicity; and religion is the surest basis of virtue. We therefore esteem it a peculiar happiness, to behold in our chief magistrate, a steady, uniform, avowed friend of the christian religion.…”Presbyterians to GW, 26 May 1789.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

“Public virtue is the most certain mean of public felicity; and religion is the surest basis of virtue. We therefore esteem it a peculiar happiness, to behold in our chief magistrate, a steady, uniform, avowed friend of the christian religion.…”Presbyterians to GW, 26 May 1789.

[Daniel Dreisbach @d3bach]

26 May 1789: our #POTUS “has commenced his administration in rational and exalted sentiments of piety; and..., in his private conduct, adorns the doctrines of the gospel of Christ; and…devoutly acknowledges the government of divine Providence.” Presbyterians to #GeorgeWashington