The 2024 election was, to many, an inflection point in American history. It ushered in a new administration, a new Congress, and a renewed opportunity to “make America great again.” But if America is to achieve its full potential, faith — which at times has seemed all but lost — must be part of its foundation. The good news is that there are positive signs that a movement is afoot to restore faith in America.
In the immediate years following World War II, America and its values were on the ascendency. Whether by design or coincidence, faith in America also surged during the immediate postwar years. For example, church attendance in America soared to its highest point in U.S. history, reaching as high as 63% during the 1950s. And in 1956, Congress adopted “In God we trust” as the national motto.
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In contrast, church attendance in America dropped from 51% to 36% during the 2010s. And, whether by design or coincidence, the same period saw numerous challenges, including a legal challenge to the national motto, to faith in America.
One recent example of such a challenge occurred in 2023. The deceptively named Military Religious Freedom Foundation complained to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy about a historic painting titled “Christ on the Water” that had adorned its walls for nearly 80 years. The MRFF complained that the painting’s depiction of Jesus caring for mariners in rough seas violates the Constitution. That is because the MRFF believes faith has no place in America’s public places, and especially so within the military. Alarmingly, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy quickly capitulated to the MRFF’s demands. Within hours, a painting that had adorned the academy’s walls for generations was covered with a shower curtain and then removed to a flood-prone basement room.
The tragic irony is that less than one year earlier, the Supreme Court in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District rejected the notion that public places must be purged of religion. Rather, challenges to religious expression in public must be evaluated by examining whether they are consistent with America’s history and tradition.
In the case of the “Christ on the Water” painting, America has a venerable tradition of allowing and promoting religious expression in public. Whether it be a nativity scene on a town square, a cross-shaped veterans memorial in a public park, or a Ten Commandments monument at the state capitol, religious displays have repeatedly withstood legal challenges.
Given the strong constitutional basis for keeping “Christ on the Water” in its original place, there must be an alternative explanation for its removal. Perhaps faith’s declining importance in daily American life, as cited above, has led to a general ambivalence. Or worse, perhaps a spirit of religious hostility has taken root in America.
Neither bodes well for faith in America. But Americans love a great comeback story.
Shortly after “Christ on the Water” was removed and banished to a basement room, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) sent a letter to the Merchant Marine Academy expressing his concern about its removal. A shrewd constitutional attorney, Cruz also took the opportunity to explain why the academy’s decision not only reflected poor leadership but also reflected an improper understanding of the Constitution. Unsurprisingly, the academy’s superintendent ignored Cruz. Ambivalence, hostility, or both.
The 2024 election wrought many changes in America, including a new secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, who has oversight over the Merchant Marine Academy. Joining Cruz’s effort, Duffy pledged to have the “Christ on the Water” painting returned to its original place.
And on Sept. 29, he announced its return: “Burying this historic painting in the basement wasn’t just a mistake — it was an insult to the faith and legacy of service that built this Academy and our nation. By restoring ‘Christ on the Water’ to its rightful place, we sent a clear message to our midshipmen: their Christian faith is a virtue to be proud of, not something to be censored.”
Duffy is correct. Faith is a virtue to be proud of, not censored. And ensuring our service members and merchant mariners have the freedom to live out their faith, even while in uniform, is crucial to religious liberty in America.
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Individually and collectively as a nation, we often experience the ebbs and flows of faith’s influence in our daily lives. But just like the “Christ on the Water” painting, faith can be restored to its rightful place in American life. Thankfully, we don’t often need a senator or a Cabinet secretary to ensure it.
As 2026 approaches, let us be encouraged by how things are changing. And let us be emboldened to seize the opportunities those changes have presented. In December of 1982, President Ronald Reagan said, “It was once written that America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” One of the most important ways to make America great again is by ensuring America remains good. Accordingly, restoring faith in America must be at the foundation of America’s goodness.
Mike Berry serves as executive director of external affairs and senior counsel at First Liberty Institute. He returned to First Liberty after serving as chief counsel to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).