Andrew Jackson: Old Hickory in Christian America

Spiritual Lives

By: Jonathan M. Atkins

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Although Andrew Jackson gained notoriety as a rakish young man, religion's influence on him ebbed and flowed as he established himself as part of the South's planter elite. With his devout wife, Rachel, he attended church and knew his Bible and religious subjects well, and while his determination to preserve his reputation involved him in numerous personal conflicts—including a duel that led to his killing a rival—he blended the principles of the antebellum South's honor-based culture with his belief in a traditional, orthodox version of Christianity. Likewise, he easily reconciled his religion with his ownership of slaves and his advocacy of Native American removal, and while he equated his enemies with the forces of evil, he always attributed his military and political accomplishments to the blessings of Providence.

As he aged, Jackson became more devout, but he never experienced a dramatic conversion—contradicting the expectations of the leading revivalists of his era's Second Great Awakening—and he consistently promoted religious liberty and separation of church and state as core republican principles.

Ultimately, Jackson's faith reflected a version of Christianity widespread in his era, and his frequent appeals for divine guidance and for God's blessing on his nation further encouraged the development of an American civil religion.

©2025 Jonathan M. Atkins (P)2025 Tantor Media

A new way to look at Jackson

My overwhelming perception of Jackson has been impulsive and a bit of a hot head. Dr. Atkins gives a new layer to Jackson’s motivations by exploring his faith and how it formed an unshakable foundation for how he lived both his public and private life. It’s a fascinating new look at a complex figure in American history and I thoroughly enjoyed it.