Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in AmericaThe culture wars have distorted the dramatic story of how Americans came to worship freely. Many activists on the right maintain that the United States was founded as a “Christian nation.” Many on the left contend that the Founders were secular or Deist and that the First Amendment was designed to boldly separate church and state throughout the land. None of these claims are true, argues Beliefnet.com editor in chief Steven Waldman. With refreshing objectivity, Waldman narrates the real story of how our nation’s Founders forged a new approach to religious liberty, a revolutionary formula that promoted faith . . . by leaving it alone. |
From inside the book
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... Adams The angry Unitarian . The Godly Roots of Rebellion Fear ofAnglicans and Catholics helps cause the American Revolution . George VVashington Protected by Cod . Holy \Var George Washington uses religious tolerance, and appeals to Cod ...
... Adams 33 The angry Unitarian 5. The Godly Roots of Rebellion 40 Fear of Anglicans and Catholics helps cause the American Revolution 6. George Washington 56 Protected by God 7. Holy War George Washington uses religious tolerance , and ...
... Adams's campaign operatives during the 1800 presidential election had suggested that the Francophile Jefferson would destroy America's Christian heritage just as the French revolutionaries had undermined their own . Quot- ing ...
... help religion at all ? Some of the most important battles were fought in the newly minted states , where men such as Madison and Adams first began articulating their answers to these questions . During this period xii INTRODUCTION.
... original intent , and they were the ones who had done the intending ! This book has five main characters : Benjamin Franklin , John Adams , George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and James Madison . INTRODUCTION xiii.
Contents
18 | |
John Adams | 33 |
George Washington | 56 |
The pious infidel | 72 |
Natures God Meets the Supreme Judge | 86 |
James Madison | 93 |
A Diabolical Persecution | 100 |
The Mighty Current of Freedom | 107 |
Forgetting the Powerful Friend | 127 |
The First Amendment Compromise | 141 |
They Were Right | 188 |
Index | 209 |
207 | 243 |
Other editions - View all
Founding Faith: How Our Founding Fathers Forged a Radical New Approach to ... Steven Waldman No preview available - 2009 |
Founding Faith: How Our Founding Fathers Forged a Radical New Approach to ... Steven Waldman No preview available - 2009 |