American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation

By Jon Meacham. Random House. 2006. 398 pages. $23.95

Review by Wayne Hager

Without question, this is the best book on religion in America that I have read in years.

Meacham is a first class writer and historian and is without a doubt my favorite commentator on American politics and religion. As managing editor of Newsweek, he has repeatedly directed his magazine to consider the place of religion in American life in major articles and editorials.

Meacham shows without question that religion, and in particular Christianity, has always been at the center of American life. He does, however, make a clear statement that America is not, nor has never been, a Christian nation, but rather a nation of Christians. His book is a testament to the importance of the difference between the two descriptions and the importance of maintaining the difference.

As you read his account of the early discussion of religion in politics and public life, you will think he is picking up the discussion off the front page of today's newspapers. Meacham shows that the genius of the American system is that we have always found a way to allow religion to play a part in our decisions. The American gospel is the story of how the American citizenry has rejected moving religion to the extremes of complete exclusion or total obedience. History teaches us that the center holds and in that we have hope for the future. If we are to be true to the founding fathers' intentions, we will always be in the process of working out the place of religion in public life for a new generation.

Following the narrative text of the book are appendices of primary documents and presidential choices of inaugural scriptures and more than 100 pages of source notes. I like the way Meacham's work serves both as a popular and scholarly treatment of the subject matter. You can go as in depth into the subject as you wish.

Do not miss reading this book.