
The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America
A History in Documents
Oxford University Press Inc
Erschienen am 15. Dezember 2011
Buch
Softcover
206 Seiten
978-0-19-532650-5 (ISBN)
Beschreibung
Whether America was founded as a Christian nation or as a secular republic is one of the most fiercely debated questions in American history. Historians Matthew Harris and Thomas Kidd offer an authoritative examination of the essential documents needed to understand this debate. The texts included in this volume - writings and speeches from both well-known and obscure early American thinkers - show that religion played a prominent yet fractious role in the era of the American Revolution.
In their personal beliefs, the Founders ranged from profound skeptics like Thomas Paine to traditional Christians like Patrick Henry. Nevertheless, most of the Founding Fathers rallied around certain crucial religious principles, including the idea that people were "created " equal, the belief that religious freedom required the disestablishment of state-backed denominations, the necessity of virtue in a republic, and the role of Providence in guiding the affairs of nations. Harris and Kidd show that through the struggles of war and the framing of the Constitution, Americans sought to reconcile their dedication to religious vitality with their commitment to religious freedom.
In their personal beliefs, the Founders ranged from profound skeptics like Thomas Paine to traditional Christians like Patrick Henry. Nevertheless, most of the Founding Fathers rallied around certain crucial religious principles, including the idea that people were "created " equal, the belief that religious freedom required the disestablishment of state-backed denominations, the necessity of virtue in a republic, and the role of Providence in guiding the affairs of nations. Harris and Kidd show that through the struggles of war and the framing of the Constitution, Americans sought to reconcile their dedication to religious vitality with their commitment to religious freedom.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
Matthew L. Harris and Thomas S. Kidd have assembled a fine collection of primary documents that will serve as a useful guide for scholars, teachers, and students interested in the Christian America debate. * John Fea, author of Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?: A Historical Introduction * Harris and Kidd have crafted a work that is at once readable and informative. Indeed, even non-specialists who read their book will be able to comprehend the key questions about the place of religion in American life without feeling overwhelmed. * Renewing Minds * This brief treatment illustrates complexities with which the US and its leaders continue to struggle. * CHOICE *Weitere Details
Sprache
Englisch
Verlagsort
New York
USA
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Maße
Höhe: 216 mm
Breite: 140 mm
Dicke: 12 mm
Gewicht
300 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-532650-5 (9780195326505)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
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Matthew Harris | Thomas Kidd
The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America
A History in Documents
Buch
12/2011
Oxford University Press Inc
103,71 €
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Matthew Harris | Thomas Kidd
The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America
A History in Documents
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11/2011
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Matthew Harris | Thomas Kidd
The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America
A History in Documents
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11/2011
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OUP eBook
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Personen
Assistant Professor of History, Colorado State University--Pueblo
Herausgeber*in
Associate Professor of History and Director of the Graduate Program in HistoryAssociate Professor of History and Director of the Graduate Program in History, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Associate Professor of HistoryAssociate Professor of History, Baylor University
Inhalt
Introduction: The Founding Fathers and Religion ; Chapter 1: Religion and the Continental Congress ; Chapter 2: Religion and State ; Chapter 3: Constitution and Ratification ; Chapter 4: Religion and the Federal Government ; Chapter 5: Disestablishment and the Separation of Church and State ; Chapter 6: The Founding Fathers' Own Views on Religion ; Select Bibliography