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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... Leland , a Baptist and , therefore , a theological forefather of the Rev- erend Jerry Falwell . Though considered anti - religion by some , Jefferson had become a hero to evangelicals - not despite his advocacy Introduction.
Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America Steven Waldman. become a hero to evangelicals - not despite his advocacy of separation of church and state , but because of it . Baptists believed state - supported ...
... become quite optimistic that he would indeed be able to bring these generous but un- saved souls to God , plus get some cheap labor . " If one asks for anything they have they never say no , " he wrote . " They should be good servants ...
... become a place of social and spiritual nourishment for the gentlemen farmers who came to run the colony . Though it became more genteel and less coercive , Anglicanism remained the legally established , official religion of the colony ...
... become " Separatists " because they believed that the Church of England was so corruptly entangled with Catholicism that nothing short of a clean break would suffice . They had left England and sought religious refuge in Holland . Their ...
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 |