Founders on God and Government

'In God We Trust?' The separation of church and state is a widely contested topic in the American political arena. Whether for or against, debaters frequently base their arguments in the Constitution and the principles of the American founding. However, Americans' perception of the founding has narrowed greatly over the years, focusing on a handful of eminent statesmen. By exploring the work of nine founding fathers, including often overlooked figures like John Carroll and George Mason, The Founders on God and Government provides a more complete picture of America's origins. The contributors, all noted scholars, examine the lives of individual founders and investigate the relationship between their religious beliefs and political thought. Bringing together original documents and analytical essays, this book is an excellent addition to the library of literature on the founding, and sheds new light on religion's contributions to American civic culture.

In The Founders on God and Government, Daniel L. Dreisbach, Mark David Hall, and Jeffry H. Morrison bring together noted scholars to explore the role religion played in the political thoughts and deeds of nine founding fathers. The result is a seminal work that deepens our understanding of the relationship between faith and politics at America's founding.

Chapter 1 Foreword: Religious Liberty Chapter 2 Preface Chapter 3 Religion and The Common Good: George Washington on Church and State Chapter 4 One Public Religion, Many Private Religions: John Adams and the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution Chapter 5 The Religious Rhetoric of Thomas Jefferson Chapter 6 Religion and Politics in the Thought of James Madison Chapter 7 John Witherspoon's Revolutionary Religion Chapter 8 Benjamin Franklin and the Role of Religion in Governing Democracy Chapter 9 James Wilson: Presbyterian, Anglican, Thomist, or Deist? Does it Matter? Chapter 10 George Mason's Pursuit of Religious Liberty in Revolutionary Virginia Chapter 11 Catholic Politics and Religious Liberty in America: The Carrolls of Maryland Chapter 12 Afterword: Revolutionary-Era Americans: Were They Enlightened or Protestant? Does it Matter? Chapter 13 Bibliography