by Jeroslyn JoVonn
March 30, 2026
Ben Carson is releasing a new children’s book aimed at teaching young readers about the role of religious faith in America’s founding 250 years ago.
As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary this summer, Dr. Ben Carson is emphasizing the role of faith and religious principles in the nation’s founding and identity.
The retired neurosurgeon and former Housing and Urban Development secretary under President Donald Trump, Carson, is promoting his new children’s book, “Built on Faith,” using it to argue that America’s founding is deeply tied to religion. He says the connection has been lost over time, citing concerns that some schools are not teaching what he considers accurate history. Instead, he says it promotes ideas he believes undermine patriotism and traditional values.
“A lot of people really don’t understand the role of faith in our country,” he told Fox News Digital. “They say, ‘We’re not a faith-based country.’ I wonder if those people have read our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, which says that our rights come from our creator.”
Carson pointed to George Washington’s faith, noting that the nation’s first president was known for frequent prayer and was sometimes called “bulletproof Washington.” He referenced the Battle of Monongahela during the French and Indian War, where Washington reportedly survived despite having two horses shot out from under him, bullet holes in his coat, and fragments in his hair without being wounded.
Before becoming president, George Washington was, according to legend, spared in battle despite repeated attempts on his life—something Carson cited as evidence of divine protection. Carson also pointed to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, recalling how Benjamin Franklin urged the delegates to pray during a deadlock, after which they went on to complete the U.S. Constitution.
Carson argued the document’s longevity, lasting nearly 250 years, is a testament to what he believes was divine inspiration.
“He said, ‘We need to talk to God.’ And they prayed, and they got up, and they put together the Constitution of the United States, which has lasted as a single constitution for 250 years,” Carson said. “I don’t think there’s any other country that can say that they’ve had a Constitution without changing it for 250 years. And I think it was a God-inspired document.”
“And if we continue to follow it, we will continue to do well,” he added.
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, his children’s book, Built on Faith, is set for release in late June ahead of July 4. He argues the book reinforces the nation’s founding principles, while expressing concern that schools are straying from core subjects and traditional history.
Still, Carson says he sees hope in Gen Z, pointing to a growing spiritual revival among younger Americans and rising church engagement across the generation.
“One of the encouraging things is you may have noticed that a lot of Gen Zers are starting to go back to church, and are starting to realize that the path we were on can’t possibly lead to a good place,” Carson said. “They just put their brains in gear.”
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