History, Culture and Faith – A President and a Preacher Brought Back Faith 

By Dr. Rick Chromey 

Most Americans know Dwight D. Eisenhower as a soldier, commander, president. 

Eisenhower’s leadership of the D-Day invasion (June 6, 1944) changed the war for the Allies. His “I Like Ike” slogans and television ads reimagined political campaigns. And his eight-year presidency remains highly ranked by historians. 

However, Eisenhower’s personal faith is strangely overlooked. 

Eisenhower professed Christianity throughout his life. His highly religious family held compulsory Bible studies twice a day. The young Ike also attended a Brethren church with his family but eventually grew beyond his Mennonite heritage. Since Eisenhower was never baptized, he owed no allegiance to any church. 

Nevertheless, his faith in God remained through his war years. 

During the “Happy Days” of the 1950s, Eisenhower presided over a post-war America featuring interstate highways, rockets and cookie cutter suburbs. He prioritized civil rights for Black Americans and technological advancement. The “nifty Fifties” proved a decade of unfettered prosperity and tidy “Father Knows Best” lifestyles mixed with duck-and-cover nuclear fears and rock ‘n‘ roll. 

In the 1950s, America rediscovered her roots. The nation experienced a Christian revival that blossomed into the 1970s and 1980s via the Jesus and megachurch movements. In 1940 less than half of Americans were church members (49%). But during the 1950s America returned to church…in droves. 

Including Eisenhower. 

Only ten days after his inauguration (February 1, 1953), the new president was baptized into the National Presbyterian Church, creating a transformative moment for man and nation. 

Melding Faith and America’s identity. Eisenhower believed to be an American meant a belief in God. In fact, atheism was the religion of Communism, and he vowed to stop and end the “Red Menace.” With his Christianity emboldened, he modeled how Christian leaders prioritized prayer. He prayed openly in public (including prior to his inaugural address). He opened Cabinet meetings with silent prayer. And started the National Prayer Breakfast. 

On February 7, 1954, President Eisenhower gave a White House radio address for an American Legion initiative called “Back to God.” The former soldier and commander told his troops: 

… I am delighted that our veterans are sponsoring a movement to increase our awareness of God in our daily lives… All the history of America bears witness to this truth. Out of faith in God, and through faith in themselves as His children, our forefathers designed and built this Republic… Today as then, there is need for positive acts of renewed recognition that faith is our surest strength, our greatest resource. 1 

Billy Graham Joins Ike’s Army. Moses had Aaron. Luther had Melanchthon. If Ike was going to move America “Back to God” he needed a mouthpiece. 

Enter the Rev. Billy Graham. 

The fiery young evangelical preacher became a household name in 1949, after his Los Angeles revival meeting attracted national media coverage. During the 1950s, Graham was a fixture on radio and television. And that caught Ike’s eye. 

In 1954 Eisenhower invited Graham to be his White House spiritual advisor. It’s the same year Congress approved the insertion of “under God” in our national Pledge and affixing “In God We Trust” to U.S. paper currency. When Graham wasn’t in the White House, he was traveling throughout America preaching revivals…and sensing something new. 

Graham wrote Eisenhower that his “constant references to spiritual needs and faithful attendance at church have done much to help in the spiritual awakening that is taking place throughout the nation.” 2 

The Devolution of America. When Eisenhower left office in 1961, church membership stood at 69% (up 12% since 1950). Three in four Americans (73%) attended religious services and 93% believed in God. It’s never been that high since. 

The 1950’s culture reflected Judeo-Christian values. Over 85 Top 40 religious songs in the 1950s alone were released.3 Americans packed cinemas for movies like Ben Hur, The Robe and The Ten Commandments. Nearly every social disorder indicator was low, including public (and media) profanity, crime and divorce (2-3%). In every state, abortion was illegal. Most adults (72%) were married. 

In 1955, Eisenhower offered this ominous warning to Americans: 

“If the State gives rights, it can – and inevitably will – take away those rights. Without God, there could be no American form of government, nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first – the most basic – expression of Americanism.” 4 

Two years after Eisenhower left office, a rogue Supreme Court, without legal precedent, ruled it unconstitutional for American public schools to use non-sectarian prayers and Bible readings for its moral curriculum (even though most U.S. communities wanted them practiced). 

The State removed the right…starting with the children. 

Since that ruling, America devolved as a culture. Between 1960-1970, violent crime increased 126%. By the 1990s profanity and alternative lifestyles normalized while churches stagnated and closed. During the 00’s and 10’s America became more angry, disrespectful, perverse, irreligious, hateful, hurtful, addicted, suicidal, bankrupt and lost. 

Despite their control of America’s social, educational and entertainment institutions, the secularist, hedonist and atheist contributed little to change America for the good. 

It’s why Eisenhower knew this battle for America’s soul required a Higher Power: 

“Each day we must ask that Almighty God will set and keep His protecting hand over us so that we may pass on to those who come after us the heritage of a free people, secure in their God-given rights and in full control of a Government dedicated to the preservation of those rights.” 5 

Like the Founding Fathers, Eisenhower recognized America’s constitutional liberties hinge upon our religious faith. If we forget God, or worse ignore and denounce Him, the foundations fail with the fury of an invading army that has no mercy. 

In the 1950s it took a president and a preacher to help America rediscover this truth. 

What will it take for our generation? 

 

Sources: 

1  Dwight D. Eisenhower, Remarks Broadcast as Part of the American Legion “Back to God” Program. February 7, 1954. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-broadcast-part-the-american-legion-back-god-program 

2 “How Dwight Eisenhower Found God in the White House” by William I. Hitchcock; History.com (March 20, 2018; Updated May 10, 2023). https://www.history.com/news/eisenhower-billy-graham-religion-in-god-we-trust?fbclid=IwY2xjawG87rABHR7vIuK2N2z-a0__52OVKV2gyT5O8lHRNJdH4qXSqpgAlTKN2YtKjHPQeA 

3 Songs like “Crying in the Chapel” by the Orioles (#1, 1953), “Peace in the Valley” by Elvis Presley (#39, 1957) and “The Three Bells” by The Browns (#1, 1959). See “Chart-topping Singles about Faith…Through the Decades” by Goldmine (August 2022): https://www.goldminemag.com/music-history/the-chart-topping-singles-about-faith-inspiration-and-hope-through-the-decades 

4 Dwight D. Eisenhower, Remarks Recorded for the “Back-to-God” Program of the American Legion. February 20, 1955. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-recorded-for-the-back-god-program-the-american-legion 

5 Ibid. 

 

Dr. Rick Chromey is an author, historian and theologian who speaks and writes on matters of religion, culture, history, technology and leadership. He’s available to speak at your church or Christian school on American history, apologetics and comparative religions. Readers are also invited  to subscribe to Rick’s daily Morning MANNA! inspirational email. www.mannasolutions.org.