Research On Religion » Providence

Thomas Kidd on Benjamin Franklin’s Faith

tonygill — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 08:00:29 +0000

Benjamin Franklin is one of America’s most famous Founding Fathers, and is widely regarded as being amongst the “Deist” camp when it comes to religiosity. Prof. Thomas Kidd, a professor of history at Associate Director of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, joins us to discuss the life and spiritual development of Ben Franklin. We begin with a discussion of where Franklin ended his life and why he has a reputation as being a Deist, and what Deism encompasses, particularly in the late 18th century. We then boomerang to Franklin’s early life growing up in a very strict Calvinist/Puritan household. The King James Bible had an immense formative impact on Ben’s life, who said in his autobiography that he read it by age five. We talk about the relationship he had with some of his siblings including Jane Mecon and James, under who he worked as an apprentice in the printing business. Prof. Kidd walks us through Ben’s rebellious period in his late teens and early twenties, which took him to Philadelphia and abroad to London where he lived a very licentious life for a time. We also talk about some of his early writings under the pseudonym Silence Dogood, a bit of a poke at the famous preacher Cotton Mather, but one that also showed some degree of reverence for the Christian preacher as well. Franklin never received much of a formal education despite being very smart. Tommy speculates that Ben was removed from formal schooling as his parents start to suspect that his contact with educational institutions made him more skeptical of Christianity. We see how this plays a role in his attitude towards college, including a particular view towards Harvard (which we reveal in the podcast). Upon returning from London, we learn about how Franklin’s religiosity and experience with religious diversity gives him a more mature view, forming what Dr. Kidd terms a “doctrinal-less moralist Christianity.” We talk about how religion is laced throughout his most famous writings in Poor Richard’s Almanac and how well he knew the King James Bible, better than many of the more orthodox Christians at the time. The other major influence on Franklin’s development was his relationship with George Whitefield, which first started as a business partnership (as religious tracts and hymnals were popular sellers for printers at the time), and then later becomes a personal friendship. Tommy talks about how the two had numerous respectful conversations over their theological differences. We finish our discussion with Franklin’s later life approaching the US Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention and how the notion of God’s Providence began to play a larger role in his thinking. Prof. Kidd ends our discussion with some reflections on why understanding Franklin’s religion remains salient for our contemporary understanding of society. Recorded: May 29, 2017

Prof. Thomas Kidd’s Twitter feed and blog, The Anxious Bench (with other historians).

Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father, by Thomas Kidd.

American Colonial History: Clashing Cultures and Faiths, by Thomas Kidd.

Baptists in America: A History, by Thomas Kidd and Barry Hankins.

George Whitefield: America’s Spiritual Founding Father, by Thomas Kidd.

Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots, by Thomas Kidd.

God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution, by Thomas Kidd.

The First Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America, by Thomas Kidd.

RELATED PODCASTS

Thomas Kidd on the Pilgrims.

Thomas Kidd on the Great Awakening.

Mark David Hall on Roger Sherman, Puritan Patriot.

Mark David Hall on Religion & the Founding Fathers.

Mark David Hall on Religious Minorities in the U.S. Founding.

Daniel Dreisbach on Religious Rhetoric in the Founding Era.

Should Christians Have Fought in the US Revolutionary War? A Debate.

Chris Beneke on Religion, Markets, and the Founding Era.

John Fea on Religion & the American Founding.

Jonathan den Hartog on the Spiritual and Political Life of John Jay.

Michael McClymond on Jonathan Edwards.

Andrew Hoffecker on Charles Hodge and Princeton Theological Seminary.

Jonathan den Hartog on Patriotism and Piety.

Daniel Dreisbach on Biblical Rhetoric in the Founding Era

tonygill — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 09:00:18 +0000

The Bible was the most common book to be found in houses throughout the United States in the late 18th century, and it is no surprise that the Founders would rely upon passages from Scripture to inform the dialogue around the building of a new nation and governmental system. Prof. Daniel Dreisbach, a professor in the School of Public Affairs at American University, elaborates on how the Bible was used to frame political ideas during this revolutionary era. Our conversation begins with how religious symbolism manifested itself in the first presidential inauguration of George Washington, and how the choices made back then still echo throughout the ages and up to the present. We also discover that despite all the thoughtful planning that went into the pageantry of the first inauguration, the planners almost forgot one crucial thing. (You will have to listen to the audio to find out what that was.) We then turn to a discussion of the role of literacy, religion, and the King James Bible in the British American colonies and how this impacted how political leaders would frame their arguments for the new republic and communicate with the citizens. Irrespective of the religiosity of any given Founder, the presence of the Bible in American education meant that it was a references point for all people and a literary source for speaking a unified language in a new nation. Daniel notes that the King James version had a certain rhythm and poetry to it that lent itself to rhetorical uses. He also points out how Protestantism’s “dangerous idea” about a “priesthood of all people” also became a crucial component of justifying a democratic republic placing sovereignty in the common person as opposed to a monarch. We then discuss how the Bible was used rhetorically, with Daniel emphasizing its importance in crafting metaphors, providing weight and authority to political language, modeling new precedents that were being established with this revolutionary form of government, and promoting the notion of Providence at work in American history. Prof. Dreisbach provides specific examples of how this plays out and gives reference to a couple critical biblical passages including Micah 6:8 (on the role of government by covenant), Proverbs 14:34 (the need for an informed and virtuous citizenry), and Proverbs 29:2 (on the character of the magistrate). Daniel points out that while the Founders desired a virtuous political class, the Calvinist emphasis on original sin made it necessary to create institutions that built in a “Plan B” to contain the worst desires and actions of are all-too-human leaders. We finish off with Daniel providing his personal thoughts on what all this means for our contemporary period, what he learned over the decades of studying this era, and promising to come back later in the year to talk about the role of religious rhetoric in justifying the notion of liberty within the American experiment. Recorded: December 19,2016.

Reading the Bible with the Founding Fathers, by Daniel Dreisbach.

Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation between Church and State, by Daniel Dreisbach.

Faith and the Founders of the American Republic, edited by Daniel Dreisbach and Mark David Hall.

The Sacred Rights of Conscience, edited by Daniel Dreisbach and Mark David Hall.

The Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life, by Daniel Dreisbach, Mark David Hall, and Jeffry Morrison.

The Founders on God and Government, edited by Daniel Dreisbach, Mark David Hall, and Jeffry Morrison.

RELATED PODCASTS

Daniel Dreisbach on Abe Lincoln’s Religious Rhetoric.

Mark David Hall on Religion and the Founding Fathers.

John Fea on Religion and the American Founding.

Mark David Hall on Roger Sherman, American Patriot.

Mark David Hall on Religious Accommodations and the Common Good.

Mark David Hall on Religious Minorities in the U.S. Founding.

Chris Beneke on Religion, Markets, and the Founding Era.

Kyle Swan on Christianity and (Classical) Liberalism.

John Fea on the American Bible Society.

Jonathan den Hartog on Patriotism and Piety.

Jonathan den Hartog on the Spiritual and Political Life of John Jay.

Gary Scott Smith on Presidential Faith.

Daniel Dreisbach on Abe Lincoln’s Religious Rhetoric

tonygill — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 08:00:27 +0000

On the sesquicentennial anniversary of the waning months of the US Civil War, Dr. Daniel Dreisbach — professor of Justice, Law, and Society at American University — stops by to discuss the use of religion in Abraham Lincoln’s rhetoric. We pay special attention to Lincoln’s most famous, and shortest, speeches – the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural.

The conversation starts with an examination into the use of biblical language dating back to the earliest days of colonial America. Prof. Dreisbach notes three consistent aspects of political language used from the early 17th century through Lincoln’s era: 1) the citizenry was biblically literate; 2) the nation was by and large Protestant; and 3) there was a vision of America as being God’s “new Israel.” We revisit some themes of earlier podcasts with Mark David Hall regarding how many of the Founding Fathers of the revolutionary era were influenced heavily by religious thinking, despite the best known Founders (e.g., Madison, Jefferson) being more influenced by the Enlightenment.

The interview then jumps over to the early life and times of Abraham Lincoln, a descendant of Puritans and born into a family that was active in a Calvinist Baptist tradition. While Daniel points out that Abe was known to ridicule preachers and exhibit some skepticism about his theological upbringing in his teen and early adult years, Lincoln was unmistakably shaped by the religious milieu of his time. The role of the King James Version Bible weighed heavily in his early education and was the dominant translation of Scripture in America during the early 19th century. Prof. Dreisbach points out some of the unique aspects of the KJV Bible with respect to its use of words and cadence that made it accessible to a “less educated” (or ploughboy) population. Tony notes that given Lincoln’s humble upbringing, this version of the Bible would seem to resonate with Lincoln.

We then move to Lincoln’s political career observing that the use of religious rhetoric in speeches was apparent quite early, including in his Young Men’s Lyceum and “House Divided” speeches. Lincoln comes to the White House at a time when states are seceding from the republic and his First Inaugural Address takes on a more “workman” flavor, laying out the difficulties facing the divided nation, though at the end there are references to the “better angels of our nature.” The podcast then fast forwards to the Gettysburg Address, given several months after the famed battle, and turning point, of the Civil War. Daniel fills us in on some of the background of the speech itself, dismissing the popular notion that it was written on the back of an envelope during the president’s train ride to Pennsylvania. Instead, Prof. Dreisbach points out that it is a carefully crafted speech with language that is not directly taken from the Bible, but calls strongly upon its use of particular words and phrases. He recounts a number of these portions of the speech and further observes that in its spoken form it has a cadence that is reminiscent of the King James Bible. The theme of conception, birth, death, and re-birth is also highlighted.

With Gettysburg and Vicksburg behind us, and the war drawing to a close, we then examine Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, which also clocks in as a remarkably short speech. Unlike the Gettysburg Address, though, the Second Inaugural uses references to God and the Bible more directly. Daniel observes that this is not a speech that gloats upon (inevitable) victory by the Union forces, but instead develops a tone of reconciliation and noting that all parties in the conflict have borne the costs of the sin of slavery that blemished this young nation. We discuss whether the concept of providence was a strong theme in the speech, with Daniel taking a very nuanced version of this question and noting that Lincoln was circumspect in seeing the United States as the “new Israel” as earlier Puritans had done. We finish with some of Dr. Dreisbach’s personal reflections on what he learned in studying Lincoln’s rhetoric and what it means for our understanding of our modern times. Recorded: March 6, 2015.

(Note: Tony is well aware of his odd pronunciations of “rhetoric” and “address” and was surprised at how “ploughboy” he sounded when reviewing the tape.)

RELATED LINKS

Daniel Dreisbach’s bio at the School of Public Affairs, American University.

“Lincoln’s 700 Words of Biblical Meditation,” by Daniel Dreisbach (at the Library of Law & Liberty).

“The Sacred Sounds of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address,” by Daniel Dreisbach (at the Library of Law & Liberty).

Faith and the Founders of the American Republic, edited by Daniel Dreisbach and Mark Hall.

The Sacred Rights of Conscience, edited by Daniel Dreisbach and Mark Hall.

The Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life, edited by Daniel Dreisbach, Mark Hall, and Jeffry Morrison.

Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation between Church and State, by Daniel Dreisbach.

RELATED PODCASTS

Sean Scott on Religious Rhetoric in the US Civil War.

Mark David Hall on Religion and the Founding Fathers.

Mark David Hall on Roger Sherman, Puritan Patriot.

Mark David Hall on Religious Minorities in the American Founding.

Chris Beneke on Religion, Markets, and the Founding Era.

John Fea on Religion and the American Founding.

Sean Scott on Religious Rhetoric in the US Civil War

tonygill — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 08:00:57 +0000

As we approach the sesquicentennial mark of the cessation of hostilities in the US Civil War, Prof. Sean Scott — visiting assistant professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University — joins us to talk about the religious views of the “common folk” in the “Old Northwest” and his book A Visitation of God: Northern Civilians Interpret the Civil War. His research dives into the personal letters, diaries, sermons, and other forms of correspondence of individuals living in the Great Lakes states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.

The conversation begins with Prof. Scott describing one of his previous jobs, namely searching for “lost” documents related to President Abraham Lincoln. We find out that he had success in finding a few pieces of correspondence that were not yet documented and he received a special reward for doing so! This then sends us into a discussion about how Scott became interested in the Civil War era and the more specific topic of religious rhetoric in the mid-1800s. While much of his interest in the subject was generated in graduate school, he does note that he wrote a paper on the Civil War in junior high school which may have prompted his current interest.

We then look at his recent research on how Northerners tended to use religious imagery and language to correspond with one another during this tumultuous era in American history. Tony asks a number of methodological questions about who was included in the study, how were documents tracked down, what was the nature of those documents, and whether Sean ever had a “chill up his spine” when reading these sometimes very emotional documents. We talk about Sean’s emphasis on “common folk” who included everyone from individual soldiers, to farmers, housewives, preachers, and even a prominent banker or two. Prof. Scott also notes that few scholars have studied the area of the Old Northwest, favoring instead the South, mid-Atlantic states, or New England. Sean makes the case that his region of focus represented an interesting melting pot of different people as many of these states had just been settled in the few decades before the Civil War and were still attracting a wide range of individuals from across the country. Many of these folks were not necessarily in favor of the abolition of slavery or shared the same views of secession that other Yankees might.

We then examine some of the first bits of rhetoric to come out in the months immediately leading up to the war and the first few months of fighting. Sean notes that there was a strong sense of Providence that ran through much of the rhetoric, seeing the US as the New Israel and/or individuals understanding the war in terms of payment for a variety of sins including slavery. The view that God’s hand was running through, or directing, the conflict was reflected a number of different ways. And given the diverse population of the Old Northwest at the time, some of the preaching from the pulpit about the Civil War led to divisions among congregation members, with some individuals deciding to up and leave their church.

Following our discussion of the first few months of the war, our conversation turns to a more thematic approach to the use of religion to understand the conflict. We cover whether or not Christians advocated picking up the sword to do battle or preferred more pacifistic methods. We also discuss how family members who remained at home used religion to cope with their loved ones going off to war. This includes both wives who sent their husbands and often faced the difficult challenge of raising a family on their own, and fathers who had to impart the wisdom of Christian manhood to their sons who were placed in difficult situations. As the war comes to an end, the theme of whether northern Christians would follow the path of forgiveness or mete out revenge on the South. Sean finds that there was a great deal of the latter, including towards “copperheads” (traitors to the Union cause that lived in the North). We finish with how religious rhetoric was used as a lens to view the Lincoln assassination. The image that Lincoln was a “providential” figure in American history was bolstered by the fact that he was killed on Good Friday, shortly after the end of the war. Sean concludes with a few thoughts on what he learned from his study of this era and how it might apply to our world today. He argues about the danger of religion becoming too closely connected to political causes and how the study of the past brings a much needed humility towards how we live our lives today. Recorded: October 16, 2014

A Visitation of God: Northern Civilians Interpret the Civil War, by Sean A. Scott.

While God Is Marching, by Steven Woodworth (mentioned in podcast).

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Melissa Matthes on Sermons After Tragedies.

David Dixon on Religious Rhetoric and the Civil Rights Movement.

Should Christians Have Fought the War of Independence?

Philip Jenkins on Religion and World War I.

Ron Mock on Pacifism, War, and Terrorism.

Tracy McKenzie on the First Thanksgiving.

Corey Olsen on J.R.R. Tolkien (An “Encore Episode”)

tonygill — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 08:00:00 +0000

While the staff at RoR is on vacation, and in honor of my son’s high school homework assignment to read The Hobbit over summer break, we re-run an episode exploring the life, times, and writings of J.R.R. Tolkien with Prof. Corey Olsen, founder of The Mythgard Institute, a privately-run center for learning about Tolkien and mythology more generally.

Without doubt, Corey is passionate about the subject of Middle Earth, as is evidenced by his alternate moniker The Tolkien Professor. Tony probes where this passion came from and whether or not Christians should be wary of these stories that contain elves, goblins, and other seemingly pagan creatures. Not surprisingly, there are a number of deeply devout individuals who are hesitant to let their children read books by Tolkien or see the movies. However, Prof. Olsen does a remarkable job in discussing what myths are and what mythology is meant to do, and why religious believers should embrace these works of fantasy fiction.

Our discussion explores the important influences of Tolkien’s life, including his deeply-held Roman Catholicism, his love of languages, and his passion for mythology. We learn that Tolkien not only created the mythical world that we see in movies such as The Lord of the Ring trilogy, but that he fully developed six different languages and a storyline about their historical roots, an amazing feat if one considers how complex our everyday languages are. Tolkien’s relationship with C.S. Lewis is also discussed. Admittedly, Tony is not a big fan of this genre of fiction, so he was surprised to find out the degree of influence Tolkien had on Lewis. Corey shares a number of interesting tidbits about their longstanding and fruitful relationship.

We finally, then, get to the spiritual themes in The Hobbit. Prof. Olsen notes that Christianity was not something that was explicitly woven into Tolkien’s writings, though his deeply-held faith did condition how he crafted his mythic worlds. Providence, fate, and free will emerge as very important spiritual themes in Tolkien’s writings and Corey points to various examples within the story where this becomes apparent. (Not to worry, folks. There are no spoilers to the Hobbit film series in this interview.) Prof. Olsen also speculates about how Tolkien probably was influenced by the ancient Christian writer Boethius. We then finish off with whether or not, as a Tolkien aficionado, Corey is anticipating the release of Peter Jackson’s film. He even manages to get Tony excited about maybe, just maybe, reading the book. Recorded: November 9, 2012.

Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, by Corey Olsen.

RELATED PODCASTS

Micah Watson on C.S. Lewis

Jason Jewell on Reading the “Great Books”

Jonathan den Hartog on the Spiritual & Political Life of John Jay

tonygill — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 08:00:57 +0000

With Independence Day quickly approaching, we once again take a look at the role of religion in shaping America’s Founding. Prof. Jonathan den Hartog, associate professor of history at Northwestern College (St. Paul, MN), surveys the life, times and influence of John Jay, one of the “forgotten Founding Fathers.” A few folks will recognize John Jay as one of the three authors of The Federalist Papers and as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but not very many individuals can elaborate the extensive role that religion played in his life.

We start the interview off with a general overview of Jay’s public life, noting the significant roles he played during the Revolutionary Era, then during the process of establishing the governmental framework we have today, and finally to his final three decades as a champion of civil society. Prof. den Hartog then takes us back more deeply into Jay’s history and points out two influential religious strands that are interwoven in his political thought and actions, namely his French Huguenot ancestry and his experience with orthodox Anglicanism. We then break down Jay’s life into three phases: the republican era, the Federalist era, and his voluntarist period.

Jay’s “republican phase” marks the period leading up to the Revolutionary War and its immediate aftermath when the nation was tasked with the mission of crafting a government. We learn that Jay had some mixed feelings about going to war with Britain, being a supporter of the Olive Branch Petition, but quickly came to support the war once it began in earnest. Jonathan reveals how much of Jay’s theology motivated his political views, with particular attention to the role of Providence, as well as communal guilt, repentance, and blessing. Jay’s concern over the poor treatment of the Indians reflects this religious stream of thought. Jay played little direct role in the construction of the new national government, but his doubts regarding the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, and his view of Providence working in American history, push him to advocate for a more centralized federal government.

Upon ratification of the Constitution, we enter into Jay’s “federalist period,” wherein he plays an active role in shaping the various components of the nation’s new government, including as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, an important ambassadorial role, and then as governor of New York. The radicalization of the French Revolution plays a significant role in shaping Jay’s thought during this period as he witnesses the “de-Christianization” efforts of the Jacobins. We bring up a concern over the so-called “Bavarian Illuminati” as one of the early conspiracy theories that informs the thought of the age. Both Jonathan and Tony note how the decade of the 1790s was a very turbulent period in American history and that many of the themes arising then have echoes throughout the next two centuries. Due to Jay’s concern over this socio-political turbulence, he advocates as a governing figure for a stronger presence of religion in the public arena, including the call for a public day of thanksgiving.

John Jay’s “federalist era” comes to an end with his retirement from politics in 1801 and issues in the “volutarist period.” Although he didn’t believe he would live much longer, in part brought about by the death of his wife shortly after his political retirement, he does live nearly three more decades. It is during this time that he continues to advocate for the strong presence of religion in American culture via civil society. In addition to a number of voluntary organizations that includes missionary groups and clergy training groups, he eventually comes to head the American Bible Society (ABS). We learn what the ABS, an organization that still exists today, is all about. Prof. den Hartog makes the case that this phase of Jay’s life is really a more private expression of his previous federalist period, once again emphasizing the role of God’s Providence on the imprint of human history and America’s role in that plan.

We finish with Jonathan’s thoughts on what John Jay would think about our political scene today as well as Jay’s last words — “The Lord is better than we deserve.” Recorded: June 18, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

Prof. Jonathan den Hartog’s biography at Northwestern College.

Historical Conversations, Jonathan den Hartog’s blog.

James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions (Princeton University).

The Forgotten Founders on Religion and Public Life, edited by Daniel Driesbach, Mark David Hall, and Jeffry Morrison (with chapter by Jonathan den Hartog).

RELATED PODCASTS

Should Christians Have Fought in the US War of Independence? (A debate with three responses.)

Mark David Hall on Roger Sherman, Puritan Patriot.

John Fea on Religion & the American Founding.

Mark David Hall on Religion & the Founding Fathers.

Chris Beneke on Religion, Markets, and the Founding Era.

Tracy McKenzie on The First Thanksgiving.

Corey Olsen on J.R.R. Tolkien, Religion, and The Hobbit

tonygill — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:00:05 +0000

Just in time for the release of the highly-anticipated movie The Hobbit, we explore the life, times, and writings of J.R.R. Tolkien with Prof. Corey Olsen, an assistant professor of English at Washington College and founder of The Mythgard Institute, a privately-run center for learning about Tolkien and mythology more generally. Without doubt, Corey is passionate about the subject of Middle Earth, as is evidence by his alternate moniker The Tolkien Professor. Tony probes where this passion came from and whether or not Christians should be wary of these stories that contain elves, goblins, and other seemingly pagan creatures. Not surprisingly, there are a number of deeply devout individuals who are hesistant to let their children read books by Tolkien or see the movies. However, Prof. Olsen does a remarkable job in discussing what myths are and what mythology is meant to do, and why religious believers should embrace these works of fantasy fiction. Our discussion explores the important influences of Tolkien’s life, including his deeply-held Roman Catholicism, his love of languages, and his passion for mythology. We learn that Tolkien not only created the mythical world that we see in movies such as The Lord of the Ring trilogy, but that he fully developed six different languages and a storyline about their historical roots, an amazing feat if one considers how complex our everyday languages are. Tolkien’s relationship with C.S. Lewis is also discussed. Admittedly, Tony is not a big fan of this genre of fiction, so he was surprised to find out the degree of influence Tolkien had on Lewis. Corey shares a number of interesting tidbits about their longstanding and fruitful relationship. We finally, then, get to the spiritual themes in The Hobbit. Prof. Olsen notes that Christianity was not something that was explicitly woven into Tolkien’s writings, though his deeply-held faith did condition how he crafted his mythic worlds. Providence, fate, and free will emerge as very important spiritual themes in Tolkien’s writings and Corey points to various examples within the story where this becomes apparent. (Not to worry, folks. There are no spoilers to the film in this interview.) Prof. Olsen also speculates about how Tolkien probably was influenced by the ancient Christian writer Boethius. We then finish off with whether or not, as a Tolkien afficianado, Corey is anticipating the release of Peter Jackson’s film. He even manages to get Tony excited about seeing this film and maybe, just maybe, even reading the book. Recorded: November 9, 2012.

The Mythard Institute.

Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, by Corey Olsen.

Gary Scott Smith on Presidential Faith

tonygill — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:00:46 +0000

A week before Presidents’ Day, we visit with the chair of the Department of History at Grove City College, Prof. Gary Scott Smith to survey the faith of various presidents in US history. Our discussion opens with some thoughts as to why it is important to understand the religious underpinnings of the occupants of the White House. Prof. Smith then reveals who he considers both our most and least religious presidents. Our coverage of individual presidents proceeds slightly out of chronological order as we first dip into the interesting spiritual background of Dwight Eisenhower and how his beliefs reflected the nature of the 1950s. We then step back in time to discuss Thomas Jefferson and the controversies surrounding his theological leanings. Prof. Smith offers up his perspective on Jefferson’s famous “wall of separation” quote. We then cover George Washington and Abraham Lincoln before moving into the 20th century. Whilst in the 20th century, our survey of presidents encompasses the beliefs and practices of Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. We briefly make reference to Richard Nixon before moving to our two most recent presidents, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Finally, Gary offers up some thoughts on whether or not Mormonism will become an issue for Mitt Romney should he secure the nomination of the Republican Party in the 2012 elections. At the very end of the interview, Tony professes ignorance about much of what was discussed and wonders why he is so lacking in knowledge. Prof. Smith provides us a few thoughts about the state of historical education as pertains to the faith of our presidents. Recorded: January 13, 2012.

Faith and the Presidency: Religion, Politics, and Public Policy from George Washington to George W. Bush, by Gary Scott Smith.

Heaven and the American Immagination, by Gary Scott Smith.

RELATED PODCASTS

Mark David Hall on Religion & the Founding Fathers.

John Fea on Religion & the American Founding.

Mark David Hall on Richard Sherman, Puritan Patriot.