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Loading... The Faiths of Our Fathers: What America's Founders Really Believed (original 2003; edition 2006)by Alf J. Mapp Jr. (Author), Lynn Binder (Cover designer)I picked up this book as an impulse buy Noble from the “Books for Grads” table as I was checking out of Barnes & Noble last month. The fact that Mapp has done the research from original writings for each of the founders he discusses, and bases his conclusions on this information made the book a worthwhile read for me. I have read a least one biography on most of the founders he discusses; several on some of them. It is my opinion that his conclusions are right on target. And, it is an easy read, also a plus. The Founders often get pulled into all sides of current debates and none more so than faith. One side says that they are all a pack of church-hating Diests who would exile all Christians if they could. The other claims they were all Bible-thumping zealots who would create a theocracy if they could. The answer, of course, lies somewhere in the middle. Mapp has done some wonderful research and makes some intriguing points. Jefferson hated priests, yes, thought Christ was a mere man, yes, but he also believed in some sort of afterlife. Diest, not really, Christian, not really - actually something in between. This is just an example, but a good one. Mapp talks about some well-known Founders and the less-known ones like Mason, Carroll, and Salomon. An excellent work that takes the middle road. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)270.7Religions History, geographic treatment, biography of Christianity History of Christianity Peace of Westphalia to French revolution (1648-1789)LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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