The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America: A History in Documents

by Matthew Harris (Editor), Thomas Kidd (Editor)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199912445
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/14/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Matthew L. Harris is Associate Professor of History and Director of the Graduate Program in History at Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Thomas S. Kidd is Associate Professor of History at Baylor University and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Studies of Religion. He is the author of God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution (2010) and other books.

Table of Contents

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

Editorial Reviews

"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

"[T]his brief treatment illustrates complexities with which the US and its leaders continue to struggle."—CHOICE

From the Publisher