★★★★★ 4
Very Interesting and Important Book
Format: Hardcover
It took me a long time to read this book, but I highlighted and took notes all over it. It’s absolutely fascinating and well researched and I personally think it should be required reading in seminaries across the nation. Understanding how Christianity as a religion penetrated the fabric of American politics after FDR’s presidency and the New Deal is an important part of understanding American politics in the first place. I also realized what bothered me about this in the first place. Our founding fathers specifically wrote the bill of rights and the constitution to protect freedom of religion and also to keep it out of state affairs. This unfortunately is not what happened throughout the last 60 years. It is clear that prominent Christian figures throughout the decades have infiltrated American politics, some more than others. In my younger years I was oblivious to this and in some instances promoted American Christianity in the political discourse. After many years of intense research and study I understood why that is not healthy for our republican constitutional form of government.
Ever Since president Regan said the famous words “God Bless America” at the end of a speech, the phrase has been shoved down the ears of the American populace over and over again by political leaders to this very day. The playing of the National Anthem synonymous with “God Bless America” phrases and tunes has also in my opinion and observations, contributed to religious nationalistic patriotism. And although I am by no means against loving and appreciating one’s country, I also see the coercive methods of these efforts and am concerned that is creates a blind sense of obedience to the state under a religious umbrella which tarnishes Christianity as a whole. I also acknowledge that having the state influence, dictate and decide what is right for our lives is just as unhealthy and dangerous. If looked at from a practical standpoint, understanding the founding documents of our nation’s founding and establishment is exactly what keeps the healthy political balance alive.
I did have one issue with the authors writing and interpretation which significantly bothered me. The author categorized members such as Billy Graham and James Fifield among other pioneers of the movement as Christian Libertarians. I wholeheartedly disagree with that title. If one studies and understands the core of what Libertarianism is about, it is specifically against forcing or coercing any particular religion regardless of political or social means especially through the state. Libertarians acknowledge the right to believe in a religion or no religion. The fact that Reverend Graham utilized his religious position to influence politics is very much anti-libertarian and a vast majority of libertarians will very likely agree with that position. I suggest the author study libertarianism a bit more and do more research before tainting that label. Despite that hurdle, I still thought this was a very good and important book.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2019
