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Scholars of religion and the American Founding often misunderstand the commitment of Calvinist Founding Fathers to natural law, philosophical inquiry and reason. There is little or no place for natural, 'unassisted' reason in Reformed theology, these scholars claim, because scripture is presumed to be the exclusive source of moral duty and therefore the only authoritative source for direction on civil order and justice. Hence, reference to nature or reason supposedly evinces inconsistency or unprincipled compromise between these Founders' religious and political beliefs and practice. This article challenges this view of Reformed theology, correcting the widespread misunderstanding that taints much of the scholarship on the religious beliefs of the Founders and the significance of religion in the Founding. The evidence presented also challenges crucial premises used to build theories concerning colonial American political thought. Contrary to popular interpretations, the Reformed tradition affirms the natural law, the harmony of reason and revelation, and the legitimacy of rational inquiry. Discussions on the work of Founders John Witherspoon and James Wilson serve as case studies, demonstrating their consistency with the Reformed tradition.
