Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. BushOxford University Press, 2006 M10 12 - 680 pages In the wake of the 2004 election, pundits were shocked at exit polling that showed that 22% of voters thought 'moral values' was the most important issue at stake. People on both sides of the political divide believed this was the key to victory for George W. Bush, who professes a deep and abiding faith in God. While some fervent Bush supporters see him as a man chosen by God for the White House, opponents see his overt commitment to Christianity as a dangerous and unprecedented bridging of the gap between church and state. In fact, Gary Scott Smith shows, none of this is new. Religion has been a major part of the presidency since George Washington's first inaugural address. Despite the mounting interest in the role of religion in American public life, we actually know remarkably little about the faith of our presidents. Was Thomas Jefferson an atheist, as his political opponents charged? What role did Lincoln's religious views play in his handling of slavery and the Civil War? How did born-again Southern Baptist Jimmy Carter lose the support of many evangelicals? Was George W. Bush, as his critics often claimed, a captive of the religious right? In this fascinating book, Smith answers these questions and many more. He takes a sweeping look at the role religion has played in presidential politics and policies. Drawing on extensive archival research, Smith paints compelling portraits of the religious lives and presidencies of eleven chief executives for whom religion was particularly important. Faith and the Presidency meticulously examines what each of its subjects believed and how those beliefs shaped their presidencies and, in turn, the course of our history. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 88
Page 4
... declared, ''The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our ...
... declared, ''The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality's foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our ...
Page 7
... declared at Reagan's funeral that his father was ''a deeply, unabashedly religious man.''18 His wife, Nancy, praised his ''strong, unshakable religious beliefs.''19 As president, Reagan claimed that his relationship to God was vital to ...
... declared at Reagan's funeral that his father was ''a deeply, unabashedly religious man.''18 His wife, Nancy, praised his ''strong, unshakable religious beliefs.''19 As president, Reagan claimed that his relationship to God was vital to ...
Page 13
... declared: ''Our laws and institutions necessarily are based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind.... [I]n this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian....[T]his is a ...
... declared: ''Our laws and institutions necessarily are based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind.... [I]n this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian....[T]his is a ...
Page 17
... declared George W. Bush, ''to be a model to the world of justice.''68 This conviction has helped motivate and vindicate America's actions at home and abroad.69 Positively, it has helped inspire the United States to engage in acts of ...
... declared George W. Bush, ''to be a model to the world of justice.''68 This conviction has helped motivate and vindicate America's actions at home and abroad.69 Positively, it has helped inspire the United States to engage in acts of ...
Page 29
... declared, ''I attribute all glory to that Supreme Being,'' who had caused the several forces that contributed to America's triumph to harmonize perfectly together.60 No people ''had more reason to acknowledge a divine interposition in ...
... declared, ''I attribute all glory to that Supreme Being,'' who had caused the several forces that contributed to America's triumph to harmonize perfectly together.60 No people ''had more reason to acknowledge a divine interposition in ...
Contents
3 | |
21 | |
53 | |
Saving the Last Best Hope of Earth | 91 |
4 Theodore Roosevelt and the Bully Pulpit | 129 |
Presbyterian Statesman | 159 |
6 Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Quest to Achieve an Abundant Life | 191 |
7 Dwight David Eisenhower Dynamic Conservatism and the Religious Revival of the 1950s | 221 |
The First Catholic President | 259 |
First Servant of the Nation | 293 |
Making America Gods Shining City on a Hill | 325 |
A FaithBased Presidency | 365 |
Conclusion | 415 |
Notes | 431 |
Index | 635 |
Other editions - View all
Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. Bush Gary Scott Smith Limited preview - 2006 |
Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. Bush Gary Scott Smith Limited preview - 2006 |
Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. Bush Gary Scott Smith Limited preview - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
abortion Abraham Lincoln administration American argued Baptist believed Bible biblical Billy Graham Bush Bush’s campaign Catholic Christ Christian church Civil Religion claimed Clergy Letters Congress conservative contended David declared Democratic divine Eisenhower Eisenhower’s election evangelical faith faith-based federal foreign policy Franklin Franklin Roosevelt freedom George W George Washington God’s Graham human ibid Inaugural Address insisted Iraq issues James Jesus Jewish Jews Jimmy Carter John July June justice Kennedy Kennedy’s leaders liberty Methodist ministers moral National National Religious Broadcasters pastor peace political PPF 21A pray Prayer Breakfast Presbyterian president Presidential Protestant quotation Quoted relationship Republican Robert role Ronald Reagan separation of church Sept sermons slavery social Soviet speeches spiritual Theodore Roosevelt theological Thomas Jefferson United University Press urged vote White House William Woodrow Wilson wrote York