Were these books used as a result of Jefferson, or instituted very shortly after his departure from public life? History is unclear on this point, which can be debated ad nauseum, but one fact is glaringly unchallenged.
That fact is that during our early years as a newly-founded nation, the Bible was one of the books, and the only religious text, taught in our public schools.
That fact alone gives lie to the neo-liberal-concept of "Separation of Church and State" as it is abused today, and gives truth to America's having been founded as a Christian nation.
;-/
I would find it very hard to believe that Jefferson would recommend or mandate the Bible being taught in public schools given a) his distaste for the New Testament and b) the way he set up the theology department to be separate from the rest of the university at the University of Virginia.
Sorry. "That fact alone" conveniently ignores that Jefferson was a Deist, not a Christian, and that one of the achievements he asked to have on his gravestone was authorship of Virginia's Statute of Religious Freedom, which says in part:
WE the General Assembly of Virginia do enact that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil rights.
While many of the Founders were Christians, they didn't establish a Christian nation, or a Judeo-Christian nation or anything of the sort.
They established a FREE nation.