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The Myth of Christian America  /  MCA (13 of 14): Faith of the Founding Fathers #3  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 1
David Bercot says John Adams “lived by very strong Christian convictions” in conduct (defending the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre, working for peace afterward), yet later rejected the Trinity and questioned miracles and hell; how should Christians weigh moral integrity and “Christian code” against doctrinal belief when deciding whether to call someone a Christian?
Another way to ask: Adams often acted in a very moral, “Christian” way but later rejected key Christian beliefs. How should we balance good character and actions versus what someone believes when deciding if they are a Christian?

Direct Answer Based on David Bercot’s teaching, moral integrity and “a Christian code of conduct” are admirable but not enough to honestly label someone a genuine Christian if that person rejects core Christian beliefs like the Trinity and key claims about Jesus and revelation.

Support from Transcript:

  • Bercot praises Adams’ conduct: he “successfully defended the British soldiers” and insisted “the rule of law had to be upheld,” rejecting mob violence.
  • He highlights Adams’ peacemaking: after the war Adams “worked to make peace with England” and later reconciled with Jefferson.
  • Bercot notes Adams’ public Christian language (inaugural address) and Massachusetts Constitution references to God and support for public worship.
  • Yet Adams “came to reject…Calvinism” and “reject the doctrine of the Trinity,” later becoming “basically…a unitarian.”
  • Adams wrote: “No prophecies, no miracles are necessary,” and mocked Trinitarian math (“two and one make three”).
  • Bercot concludes: modern conservatives “would [not] consider a person with those beliefs to be a genuine Christian…So it’s not honest to portray him that way.”
Discussion Follow-ups How might we honor a person’s real virtues without using the word “Christian” in a way that empties it of meaning? Where is the line between “professing” and “genuine” in Bercot’s framework?

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