The Faiths Of The Founding Fathers


Cover of the book The Faiths Of The Founding Fathers by David L. Holmes, Oxford University Press, USA
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: David L. Holmes ISBN: 9780195300925
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Publication: December 15, 2009
Imprint: Language: English
Author: David L. Holmes
ISBN: 9780195300925
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication: December 15, 2009
Imprint:
Language: English
It is not uncommon to hear Christians argue that America was founded as a Christian nation. But how true is this claim? In this compact book, David L. Holmes offers a clear, concise and illuminating look at the spiritual beliefs of our founding fathers. He begins with an informative account of the religious culture of the late colonial era, surveying the religious groups in each colony. In particular, he sheds light on the various forms of Deism that flourished in America, highlighting the profound influence this intellectual movement had on the founding generation. Holmes then examines the individual beliefs of a variety of men and women who loom large in our national history. He finds that some, like Martha Washington, Samuel Adams, John Jay, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson's daughters, held orthodox Christian views. But many of the most influential figures, including Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, Jefferson, James and Dolley Madison, and James Monroe, were believers of a different stripe. Respectful of Christianity, they admired the ethics of Jesus, and believed that religion could play a beneficial role in society. But they tended to deny the divinity of Christ, and a few seem to have been agnostic about the very existence of God. Although the founding fathers were religious men, Holmes shows that it was a faith quite unlike the Christianity of today's evangelicals. Holmes concludes by examining the role of religion in the lives of the presidents since World War II and by reflecting on the evangelical resurgence that helped fuel the reelection of George W. Bush. An intriguing look at a neglected aspect of our history, the book will appeal to American history buffs as well as to anyone concerned about the role of religion in American culture.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
It is not uncommon to hear Christians argue that America was founded as a Christian nation. But how true is this claim? In this compact book, David L. Holmes offers a clear, concise and illuminating look at the spiritual beliefs of our founding fathers. He begins with an informative account of the religious culture of the late colonial era, surveying the religious groups in each colony. In particular, he sheds light on the various forms of Deism that flourished in America, highlighting the profound influence this intellectual movement had on the founding generation. Holmes then examines the individual beliefs of a variety of men and women who loom large in our national history. He finds that some, like Martha Washington, Samuel Adams, John Jay, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson's daughters, held orthodox Christian views. But many of the most influential figures, including Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, Jefferson, James and Dolley Madison, and James Monroe, were believers of a different stripe. Respectful of Christianity, they admired the ethics of Jesus, and believed that religion could play a beneficial role in society. But they tended to deny the divinity of Christ, and a few seem to have been agnostic about the very existence of God. Although the founding fathers were religious men, Holmes shows that it was a faith quite unlike the Christianity of today's evangelicals. Holmes concludes by examining the role of religion in the lives of the presidents since World War II and by reflecting on the evangelical resurgence that helped fuel the reelection of George W. Bush. An intriguing look at a neglected aspect of our history, the book will appeal to American history buffs as well as to anyone concerned about the role of religion in American culture.

More books from Oxford University Press, USA

Cover of the book Masters of the Battlefield: Great Commanders From the Classical Age to the Napoleonic Era by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Performance of Politics:Obama's Victory and the Democratic Struggle for Power by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Great Wave : Price Revolutions And The Rhythm Of History by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation : Or the Method of Realizing Nirvana through Knowing the Mind by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book Six Degrees of Social Influence: Science, Application, and the Psychology of Robert Cialdini by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book Psychophysiological Recording by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book T. S. Eliot by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Real North Korea: Life and Politics in the Failed Stalinist Utopia by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book Music In The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book Norse Mythology:A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Company-State: Corporate Sovereignty and the Early Modern Foundations of the British Empire in India by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book Democrat and Diplomat: The Life of William E. Dodd by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Last Indian War:The Nez Perce Story by David L. Holmes
Cover of the book The Prince of Medicine: Galen in the Roman Empire by David L. Holmes
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy