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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... prayer in school , courtroom displays of the Ten Commandments , and other emotional issues , both sides follow a well - worn script : The " reli- gious " side wants less separation of church and state , and the " secularists " want more ...
... and Cathe- dral Musick , The Books of Common prayer , or church Government by Bish- ops . They are nothing else but reliques of Popery , and remnants of Baal , " sniffed one prominent Puritan . " They viewed the Anglican 6 FOUNDING FAITH.
... Prayer to the crowd that had assembled for his hanging , According to one account . " It seemed as if the spectators would rise to hinder the execution . " Then , wrote historian George Bancroft , " Cotton Mather , on horseback among ...
... prayers - of earthlings . Yet he believed that humans have at powerful need " to pay Divine Regards to SOMETHING . " So , ever the engi- neer , Franklin concluded that God created a system of deputy gods . " The IN- FINITE has created ...
... prayers , poems , and readings that served these ends . One self- composed prayer evoked a God who relishes the joy of His subjects , reveals His power in the laws of science , and cares most that we behave well : Powerful Goodness ...
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 |