At first glance, the American War of Independence does not appear to have anything to do with religion. The many grievances such as taxation without representation, searches and seizures without probable cause, confiscation of firearms, and the many other grievances listed by the Declaration may lead to the mistaken belief that religion was an exogenous factor in the Revolution. This article, in contrast to writings that focus on political causes, analyses the role and place of religion in war. It demonstrates the extent to which the Protestant theory of the 'just war' influenced the course of the war. Using Said's philology, namely his theories of 'reception' and 'resistance', the study addresses the problematic allusion to Protestant reformers, Protestant philosophers and the Puritan legacy of gun ownership.

War of Independence Protestant just war theory Washington