Faith and the Presidency From George Washington to George W. BushIn 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 79
Page v
... faith-based initiatives and foreign policy have raised concerns about the separation of church and state, the use of religious language, and God's relationship with the United States. Numerous indicators (recent elections, polls, levels ...
... faith-based initiatives and foreign policy have raised concerns about the separation of church and state, the use of religious language, and God's relationship with the United States. Numerous indicators (recent elections, polls, levels ...
Page vi
... based on objective, scientific, pragmatic, prudential, ''neutral'' factors, not religious presuppositions or values. They insist that the intrusion of religious commitments into policy making ''is disturbing, if not downright dangerous ...
... based on objective, scientific, pragmatic, prudential, ''neutral'' factors, not religious presuppositions or values. They insist that the intrusion of religious commitments into policy making ''is disturbing, if not downright dangerous ...
Page vii
... faith and presidential leadership.''8 Similarly, one religious conservative laments that professing Christians ''may still hold office, provided they either aren't sincere about their faith ... based optimism of Thomas Jefferson; Abraham ...
... faith and presidential leadership.''8 Similarly, one religious conservative laments that professing Christians ''may still hold office, provided they either aren't sincere about their faith ... based optimism of Thomas Jefferson; Abraham ...
Page xi
... Nation 293 Ronald Reagan: Making America God's Shining City on a Hill 325 George W. Bush: A Faith-Based Presidency 365 Conclusion 415 Notes 431 Index 635 This page intentionally left blank faith and the presidency This Contents.
... Nation 293 Ronald Reagan: Making America God's Shining City on a Hill 325 George W. Bush: A Faith-Based Presidency 365 Conclusion 415 Notes 431 Index 635 This page intentionally left blank faith and the presidency This Contents.
Page 5
... Christian faith; support for faith-based initiatives; opposition to gay marriage, abortion, and the use of new embryonic stem cells in research; and claims of critics that Bush believes God led him to invade Iraq evoke much debate today ...
... Christian faith; support for faith-based initiatives; opposition to gay marriage, abortion, and the use of new embryonic stem cells in research; and claims of critics that Bush believes God led him to invade Iraq evoke much debate today ...
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