Although the USA is in decline and may not be the strongest nation much longer, it is important when answering this question to review history. The vast majority of early settlers in the U.S. were people who were persecuted because of their religious beliefs. Indeed, some of my own distant relatives who came over were Anabaptists. They branched off into the Amish and Mennonite traditions after they arrived. They came over here because they dreamed of practicing their religion without restriction. It was because of this that the founders wanted to insure that people were free to practice their religion without interference by government.

When forming the first government, the founders wanted to make sure that government would neither promote nor inhibit religion. This was because some of them had been persecuted for their religious beliefs in their home countries. Thomas Jefferson clearly didn't want to favor one religion over another and said of the Religious Statute of Freedom "...They meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination." Jefferson, Autobiography; from George Seldes, ed., The Great Quotations, Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1983, p. 363

Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli ratified in 1797 began with, "As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..." Although Christians certainly constituted a majority of the founders, some were Deists and atheists. They were fairly clear in this treaty that although Christianity certainly had an influence on government, the government was not founded on that religion.

Although certainly not founded on Christianity, of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, nearly half held seminary or Bible school degrees.

Our first president, George Washington stated, "To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian." Writings of Washington, pp. 342-343

The second president, John Adams stated, "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God." letter to Thomas Jefferson- June 28, 1813

Finally, Benjamin Franklin said, "As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see." to Ezra Stiles, President of Yale University on March 9, 1790

It is without a doubt that many of the founders were Christians. That no doubt influenced them while drafting the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. However, other influences included the Iroquois Nation. Much of our constitution was created from the Iroquois' own constitution.

What can be gleaned from all of this? Christianity had a great influence on our country, but the founders were also clear they were not founding the country on Christianity. To do so would violate their insistence that government not promote a specific religion.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabaptist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Article_11.GIF
http://christianity.about.com/od/independenceday/a/foundingfathers.htm
http://www.iroquoisdemocracy.pdx.edu/

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