At a Flag Day speech in 1954, Eisenhower elaborated on his feelings about the place of religion in public life when he discussed why he had wanted to include “under God” in the pledge of allegiance, “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and in war” (President Eisenhower signs “In God We Trust” into law). In 1956, President Eisenhower signed the words, ‘one nation under God’ into law as the nation’s official motto, just two years after having the phrase inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance. Ever since this addition, its given reason to some to deem the pledge unconstitutional. As Americans with a country founded on the principle of Christianity, it seems almost preposterous that after 238 years some are now fighting to strip the nation of the very foundation it was built on. Contrary to popular beliefs, one of the Framers first orders of business after establishing our Nation’s government, was to circulate English bibles to all of the schools and homes in America. This may be exactly why the Constitution protects the people from government rule under the power of the “church” like that of England, yet the words “separation of church and state” are not found in our Nation’s Constitution (Religion and the Founding of the American Public).
Webster's World 