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 84
Page v
... federal level? In the past five years, hundreds of editorials, op-ed pieces, newspaper and magazine articles, television talk shows and news programs, dozens of books, and numerous academic conferences have examined these questions ...
... federal level? In the past five years, hundreds of editorials, op-ed pieces, newspaper and magazine articles, television talk shows and news programs, dozens of books, and numerous academic conferences have examined these questions ...
Page vii
... federal government has grown larger and more powerful and as its policies have had a greater impact, the influence of a president's faith on his performance of his duties and the role of religion in shaping policies have become even ...
... federal government has grown larger and more powerful and as its policies have had a greater impact, the influence of a president's faith on his performance of his duties and the role of religion in shaping policies have become even ...
Page viii
... federal funds to finance religious goals and programs. Still others want presidents to emphasize widely shared religious values and advance policies that embody these convictions. By providing in-depth analysis of the faith of eleven ...
... federal funds to finance religious goals and programs. Still others want presidents to emphasize widely shared religious values and advance policies that embody these convictions. By providing in-depth analysis of the faith of eleven ...
Page 13
... federal, state, and local—the relationship between institutional religion and the state has been complicated. The perceived ideal relationship between church and state has varied in different periods of American history, depending on ...
... federal, state, and local—the relationship between institutional religion and the state has been complicated. The perceived ideal relationship between church and state has varied in different periods of American history, depending on ...
Page 19
... federal bureaucracy, Congress, and public expectations. However, the religious beliefs of all of the presidents examined in this book, except Kennedy, played a significant part in shaping key aspects of their administrations ...
... federal bureaucracy, Congress, and public expectations. However, the religious beliefs of all of the presidents examined in this book, except Kennedy, played a significant part in shaping key aspects of their administrations ...
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