Synopses & Reviews
Bringing to life the complex creeds and personalities of America's Founding Fathers, this book confronts many of the myths about the religious views of some of the most notable figures in history. Offering clear and candid portraits of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Paine, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison as both religious reformers and political rebels, this analysis tells the illuminating story of these unorthodox men of faith and thought and reclaims their spiritual inheritance for all Americans. Providing a careful examination of how the Founders nature-based spirituality was tied to their fascination with science, this record includes discussions on Washingtons aversion to using the word "God" in public pronouncements, Jefferson's mathematical calculations to show that the biblical great flood would have been impossible, and Paine's thoughts on the possibilities of alien life.
Review
"An interesting and valuable contribution to the growing literature of the Founders and their precious legacy of freedom of religion." Willard Sterne Randall, author, Thomas Jefferson: A Life
Review
Imaginatively conceived and very well-written.” Jon Roberts, author, Darwinism and the Divine in America
Review
"A masterful synthesis of the founding fathers' spiritual inclinations." James E. McWilliams, author, A Revolution in Eating: How the Quest for Food Shaped America
Review
"To the ongoing debate over the place of religion in the early Republic, Gary Kowalski has made a vigorous, thoughtful, and eminently readable contribution." Forrest Church, author, So Help Me God: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle over Church and State
Review
"Should be read for the sheer joy of the read, certainly; but more to the point, it should be required reading for every voting American." Phyllis Tickle, author, The Shaping of a Life
About the Author
Gary Kowalski is the senior minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, Vermont. He is the author of Goodbye, Friend; Science and the Search for God; and The Souls of Animals. He lives in Burlington, Vermont.