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 | Religion in American Politics: |
ADDITIONAL REVIEWS: "Despite the constitutional separation of church and state, the two have in fact had a long, convoluted, intertwined history, as explored by Frank Lambert in his new book, Religion in American Politics: A Short History. While no official faith-based litmus test has ever been established for those running for elected office, Lambert, a history professor at Purdue University, posits that the influence of religion is, and has been, both foreground and background in American politics.... Perhaps Lambert's most successful achievement with his book is the correction of the perception that this phenomenon is anything new, or that it will go away any time soon."--In the Fray Magazine "Among other things, Lambert shows how the American sons of the Enlightenment were drawn to secularism, at least politically but, in the case of Jefferson and some others, in terms of personal belief as well. The representatives who met in 1787 to write the Constitution (replacing the Articles of Confederation, the looser document that sprang directly from the revolution) ensured that Christianity was not the nation's official state religion. We learn that Adams was hardly alone in his reaction to Jefferson's victory over him. Religious leaders connected to Adams' party, the Federalists, called Jefferson unfit to lead 'a Christian nation', even one that was unofficially so."--George Featherling, Seven Oaks Magazine "The book's fine scholarly grain allows several sides of the story to shine through at once, yet Religion in American Politics: A Short History also paints a welcome big picture. . . . The book's most encouraging aspect is its sensitive treatment of diversity within religious traditions. . . . [T]o read his history is to sense how much poorer American public culture would be without the active participation of people of faith. Imagine the civil rights movement without the spirituals."--Marion Maddox, Australian Review of Public Affairs "It's hard to have a conversation or argument about religion and politics in America without dragging history into it. At the very least, many of us feel compelled to invoke the Founders on behalf of a vision of America either as some sort of 'Christian nation' or as the first and most successful secular republic. In his brief but generally judicious Religion in American Politics, Purdue historian Frank Lambert demonstrates that this is nothing new: Proponents of both visions have been arguing back and forth since the time of the founding. Since his is a 'short history,' Lambert doesn't exhaustively document every intersection of religion and politics. Rather, he picks his moments, showing how they reveal particular versions of our hardy perennial debate."--Joseph Knippenberg, Weekly Standard "Lambert's subtle and learned exposition of the evolution of religion within American culture is admirably clear and engaging."--Andrew Preston, Ecclesiastical History "Religion in American Politics is one of those rare scholarly books that actually manage to deliver more than it promises. In charting the relationship between politics and religion in American life, Lambert manages to provide an elegant, even-handed, and comprehensive account of the role religious faith has played in shaping the nation's destiny."--Shawn Francis Peters, Journal of Church and State "Religion in American Politics is a useful survey, not least because Lambert seeks to probe beyond some of the shopworn examples of religious and political entanglements."--Randall Balmer, Cambridge Journals ADDITIONAL ENDORSEMENTS: "Lambert's short history is long on insights into the fraught relationship between religion and politics in American life. Judicious in its balance, the book provides a compendious overview of the current conflicts that divide Right from Left, and it deepens our understanding of those struggles by grounding them in the repeated contests between Christian and secular visions of the republic."--Leigh E. Schmidt, Princeton University "With brevity and clarity, this book provides a sweeping survey of the often uneasy relationship between religion and politics in the American experience, from the founding era to the twenty-first century. Frank Lambert provides a concise introduction to the major themes and key controversies, one that will appeal to general readers and students alike."--Daniel L. Dreisbach, author of Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation between Church and State "Excellent. A sensitively told, compelling, and important narrative. Frank Lambert treats the various religious players throughout American history fairly and insightfully, showing how even religious groups that compete furiously (and sometimes viciously) nevertheless contribute to a vital and pluralistic religious culture that enriches the competing groups."--Christopher J. Eberle, author of Religious Conviction in Liberal Politics File created: 11/19/2009 | |
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