The American Gospel--literally, the good news about
America--is that religion shapes our public life without
controlling it. In this vivid book, New York Times
bestselling author Jon Meacham tells the human story of how
the Founding Fathers viewed faith, and how they ultimately
created a nation in which belief in God is a matter of
choice.
At a time when our country seems divided by
extremism, American Gospel draws on the past to offer a new
perspective. Meacham re-creates the fascinating history of a
nation grappling with religion and politics--from John
Winthrop's "city on a hill" sermon to Thomas Jefferson's
Declaration of Independence; from the Revolution to the
Civil War; from a proposed nineteenth-century Christian
Amendment to the Constitution to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s
call for civil rights; from George Washington to Ronald
Reagan.
Debates about religion and politics are often
more divisive than illuminating. Secularists point to a
"wall of separation between church and state," while many
conservatives act as though the Founding Fathers were
apostles in knee britches. As Meacham shows in this brisk
narrative, neither extreme has it right. At the heart of the
American experiment lies the God of what Benjamin Franklin
called "public religion," a God who invests all human beings
with inalienable rights while protecting private religion
from government interference. It is a great American
balancing act, and it has served us well.
Meacham has
written and spoken extensively about religion and politics,
and he brings historical authority and a sense of hope to
the issue. American Gospel makes it compellingly clear that
the nation's best chance of summoning what Lincoln called
"the better angels of our nature" lies in recovering the
spirit and sense of the Founding. In looking back, we may
find the light to lead us forward.
"In his American
Gospel, Jon Meacham provides a refreshingly clear, balanced,
and wise historical portrait of religion and American
politics at exactly the moment when such fairness and
understanding are much needed. Anyone who doubts the
relevance of history to our own time has only to read this
exceptional book." --David McCullough, author of
1776
"Jon Meacham has given us an insightful and
eloquent account of the spiritual foundation of the early
days of the American republic. It is especially instructive
reading at a time when the nation is at once engaged in and
deeply divided on the question of religion and its place in
public life." --Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest
Generation
"An absorbing narrative full of vivid
characters and fresh thinking, American Gospel tells how the
Founding Fathers--and their successors--struggled with their
own religious and political convictions to work out the
basic structure for freedom of religion. For me this book
was nonstop reading." --Elaine Pagels, professor of religion,
Princeton University, author of Beyond Belief: The Secret
Gospel of Thomas
"Jon Meacham is one of our
country's most brilliant thinkers about religion's impact on
American society. In this scintillating and provocative
book, Meacham reveals the often-hidden influence of
religious belief on the Founding Fathers and on later
generations of American citizens and leaders up to our own.
Today, as we argue more strenuously than ever about the
proper place of religion in our politics and the rest of
American life, Meacham's important book should serve as the
touchstone of the debate." --Michael Beschloss, author of
The Conquerors
"At a time when faith and freedom seem
increasingly polarized, American Gospel recovers our vital
center--the middle ground where, historically, religion and
public life strike a delicate balance. Well researched, well
written, inspiring, and persuasive, this is a welcome
addition to the literature." --Jonathan D. Sarna, Joseph H.
& Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History,
Brandeis University, author of American Judaism: A History.
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