Includes bibliographical references (pages 1159-1169) and index.

pt. I: The controversy. Deism defined: shades of meaning, shading the truth ; Did Washington avoid the name of Jesus Christ?: addressing a fundamental argument -- pt. II: The historical background of George Washington. Washington's Virginia and the Anglican mission to the Indians ; George Washington's Virginian ancestors -- pt. III: The life of George Washington. The childhood of George Washington ; The Christian education of George Washington ; The personality of George Washington ; George Washington the soldier ; George Washington on character and honor ; The sacred fire of liberty: was George Washington a godly leader? ; George Washington's family life -- pt. IV: George Washington the churchman. The parishioner ; The vestryman ; The low churchman ; George Washington and the Bible ; The spirituality of George Washington ; George Washington and prayer ; Valley Forge: the crucible of Washington's "sacred cause" -- pt. V: The debate over George Washington and communion. Did Washington take communion? ; Shadow or substance?: putting Professor Boller's evidence for Washington's deism on trial ; The struggle for the Episcopal Church: Washington's non-communication and non-communion in Philadelphia -- pt. VI: George Washington the deist? George Washington and the Enlightenment ; George Washington and religious liberty: a Christian or deist idea? ; George Washington, member of the Masonic Order ; More objections to Washington the Christian: slaves, slander, passion, and Tripoli ; "Minds of peculiar structure": George Washington vs. deism -- pt. VII: George Washington the Christian. George Washington's god: religion, reason, and philosophy ; Washington and the Doctrine of providence ; George Washington's Christian worldview ; The gospel according to George Washington ; George Washington and forgiveness: a consideration of the historicity of two classic Washington anecdotes on forgiveness ; George Washington's clergy and their sermons.

George Washington on heaven and eternal life ; The revenge of Parson Weems: Washington's unparalleled praise for an unexpected person -- Conclusion: George Washington's sacred fire -- Appendices. The rules of civility and decent behavior in company and conversion ; Representative Biblical quotations and allusions used by George Washington ; George Washington's written prayers ; George Washington's "daily sacrifice prayers" or "the spurious prayers" ; A summary of Washington's most important sermons ; Abiel Leonard's prayer ; Sermon by the Reverend Bryan Lord Fairfax ; The wisdom of George Washington ; George Washington and the Anglican theology of latitudinarianism ; Tributes to Washington by his contemporaries: his Christian faith, striking appearance, and moral character.