Faith and Freedom Speaker Series

The role of faith in the founding of America is complex and often polarizing. The notion and phrase ‘separation of Church and State’ were coined by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, referencing the Bill of Rights' prohibition on a singular, national church.

The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University received a Celebrate America! grant in support of a lecture series in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, “Faith and Freedom Speaker Series: Christianity and the Spirit of 1776.” Throughout 2026, the circuit will feature four lectures exploring the religious roots of America’s founding and how Christianity influenced the success of the country’s Revolution and its shift toward independence.

The series began in early 2026 with a lecture by Dr. Thomas Kidd examining how, in the American founding, many evangelical Christians and small numbers of influential skeptics (and a range of believers in between) united around religious principles that underpinned the Revolution's success and helped create America. Dr. Vincent Phillip Muñoz followed up with his discussion, “What Should We Celebrate When We Celebrate the Fourth of July?” In his lecture, Muñoz explores his thoughts on the political philosophies adopted by the Founding Fathers.