PDF American Covenant A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present edition by Philip Gorski Politics Social Sciences eBooks
Download As PDF : American Covenant A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present edition by Philip Gorski Politics Social Sciences eBooks
The long battle between exclusionary and inclusive versions of the American story
Was America founded as a Christian nation or a secular democracy? Neither, argues Philip Gorski in American Covenant. What the founders envisioned was a prophetic republic that would weave together the ethical vision of the Hebrew prophets and the Western political heritage of civic republicanism. In this eye-opening book, Gorski shows why this civil religious tradition is now in peril—and with it the American experiment.
American Covenant traces the history of prophetic republicanism from the Puritan era to today, providing insightful portraits of figures ranging from John Winthrop and W.E.B. Du Bois to Jerry Falwell, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama. Featuring a new preface by the author, this incisive book demonstrates how half a century of culture war has drowned out the quieter voices of the vital center, and demonstrates that if we are to rebuild that center, we must recover the civil religious tradition on which the republic was founded.
PDF American Covenant A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present edition by Philip Gorski Politics Social Sciences eBooks
"Reading this book is both enjoyable and highly educational. It puts in perspective the reasons for the fractious, unproductive "debates" we have in our culture and politics these days. And it sheds light on the new/old understanding of American values and history that will be necessary if we're going to pull the country out of the rut in which we currently find ourselves."
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American Covenant A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present edition by Philip Gorski Politics Social Sciences eBooks Reviews :
American Covenant A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present edition by Philip Gorski Politics Social Sciences eBooks Reviews
- This work advances a discussion about America's "baked in" religiousness, drawing on extensive sources. The bibliography itself is a valuable resource. It is written both for an academic audience and a more popular readership. Especially timely given the current conflicts in American ideology and political "faiths". I'm impressed!
- American Covenant is a book about American traditions and the thinkers and ideas that make up what the author calls civil religion. Civil religion is a complementary blend of religious narratives and political values drawn from the Bible and republican ideals that has consistently found expression in American thinkers as far back as the Massachusetts Bay Colony and as recently in the speeches of President Obama. The religious aspects of civil religion emanate from the “Latter Prophets†who emphasize individual righteousness and social justice. The political ideals of civil religion emanate from republican traditions which emphasize human sociability, civic virtue, and active citizenship.
The author argues that civil religion is a more consistent, historically accurate, and sociologically plausible tradition than its rivals religious nationalism and radical secularism. Religious nationalism is idolatrous, historically inaccurate—America was never founded as a “Christian†nation—and ignores secular citizens. Radical secularism restricts religious freedom, is historically false—America was never founded as a purely secular nation—and ignores religious citizens. Readers who sympathize with religious nationalism or radical secularism will not like this book.
If this book is an examination of American traditions, from what intellectual traditions does the author himself draw? Philip Gorski is a historical and cultural sociologist at Yale and American Covenant should be understood as a continuation of a dialogue begun by Robert Bellah whom first coined the term civil religion. The author also draws extensively from the historical methodology of Max Weber and his notion of ideal types yielding a history book that is conceptually rich and analytically illuminating in ways most history books are not.
American Covenant is a unique blend of history and sociology and is destined to become a classic in both disciplines. There’s plenty here both for citizen and scholar to think about and his book couldn’t come at a better time. As American institutions both political and economic seem to be unravelling before our eyes, it’s good to know there are cultural traditions that Americans can draw from to help make sense of who we are and where we want to go. - Gorski's book is important for scholars of American studies, American religion, and political science. It concisely covers civil religion, religious nationalism, and radical secularism, from the settling of America by the Puritans to the Obama administrations. Highly recommended!
- This book intrigued me for two reasons.
1. I have lived on nearly every point on Gorski’s spectrum. At 18, I was rabidly antichrist and anti-American. At about 30, I wavered somewhere between a somewhat enthusiastic and a somewhat reluctant religious nationalist. I now consider myself a Christian Constitutionalist who is so dismayed by the state of the Church much less the state of American culture that I am no longer seriously trying to “take back†or “make America great againâ€.
2. As a Christian educator I have spent the last twenty years grappling with the “Is or was America a Christian nation?†question. I figured Gorski would give me additional insight.
The verdict?
Even though he provided plenty of insight, I often found myself disagreeing with his presuppositions and rejecting his analysis. The coup de grace? His prescription for regaining the “righteous republic†or for “rebuilding the vital center†made me cringe in horror.
Gorski is a social democrat who does not recognize traditional constitutional limits. Like so many Americans, he has swallowed the “living, breathing document†Kool-Aid. Yes, the US Constitution, like any good constitution, is not an exhaustive legal code; it is relatively broad, philosophical, and principled. Thus, there is some interpretational wiggle room. However, what many, including Gorski, mean by “living, breathing†is that we can, in pursuit of our social agendas, exercise broad powers that are not specifically enumerated. I reject this interpretation for five reasons
1. Constitution means “with†and “to cause to stand or to setâ€; to arrange or settle. This very definition negates loose interpretations.
2. If the Constitution was thought to be that ephemeral, why bother writing one at all?
3. Why limit each branch to specific enumerated powers if changing circumstances permit the federal government to arbitrarily accrue for itself any powers deemed necessary? That would be like telling your son he can ride his bike on A and B avenues between X and Y streets only to then permit him to ride on any street he wants. That is nonsensical.
4. Why bother having an amendment process? Ron Paul gave an excellent example. Prohibition was a stupid approach to solving a particular moral-social problem but at least Americans understood that Congress could not act unless it was given express powers to do so. Today, we assume Congress can regulate virtually anything including insurance which by its nature is intrastate commerce.
5. During the ratification debates the most common argument against the need for a bill of rights was that it was unnecessary. Why? Because the federal government could only exercise powers expressly given to it.
Gorski assumes that there is great latitude for compromise. I imagine he bemoans the extreme partisanship often displayed in Congress. But let us think about it. The statist finds it easy to compromise—regulate industry X a little versus regulate industry X a lot versus nationalize industry X. The constitutionalist cannot embrace any of those options because he respects liberty and property and jurisdiction he lacks the power to regulate at all. Although he may favor solving the problem, the fact that he is unwilling to solve the problem through force of law is enough to have him vilified as an enemy of progress. He is an anachronistic, cold-hearted, obstructionist who wants to keep your children illiterate and hungry and wants to throw your granny off the cliff. Frankly, I think we ought to thank God for people unwilling to exercise powers they do not have.
What Gorski fails to realize is that a regulated matter is a politicized matter. People now have a vested interest in manipulating regulation so it favors them. This only exacerbates tensions as people jostle for position at the public trough. Moreover, and perhaps more important, using state power to provide people with so-called positive rights like health care or education destroys negative rights like the God-given right to own property. For example, suppose John Q Public, concluding that his local school is promulgating unconscionable worldviews, withholds his property tax. The state will foreclose on his home. His state imposed duty trumps his God-given right. Note, he may have a God-given duty but that does not mean the state has the authority to enforce it. That was my problem with Obama’s “to whom much is given, much is required†prayer breakfast speech. He was essentially claiming to be the instrument by which God requires.
Finally, Gorski has a five-point plan for fighting political corruption. First, “banish big moneyâ€. Would people please stop equating money with influence. Only politicians up for sale can be bought. Besides, just as no amount of money can literally force you to purchase a product, nobody can force you to vote for a politician. If the proof of the pudding is in the eating then consider the last election Clinton’s war chest dwarfed Trump’s and yet the latter won. Second, “make civic holidays into holidays againâ€. By that he means forcing commerce to cease on such days since “In truth, little harm would be done to American commerce if holiday closings were reinstated, and much good might be done for its civic spirit.†Spoken (written) like a true elitist statist. I think Thursday and Black Friday sales are stupid. I would encourage people to resist the temptation and instead cherish the real meaning behind Thanksgiving. However, I would never use LAW to remove the right. Third, “make character education a part of civic educationâ€. And who is to define “characterâ€? The community? Well, that is literally social-ism since society is determining right or wrong, what is normal or deviant. And does not teaching kids character apart from the gospel suggest that man can be good apart from God? That original sin is either a myth or is something which can be overcome through sheer will power? If so, is that not human-ism? Fourth, “establish a universal system of national serviceâ€. Personally, I find the draft reprehensible but admit Gorski makes a good point. If everybody’s kids had been subject to the Vietnam draft then we mostly likely would have reevaluated that war. However, the fact that we must draft individuals to fight a war proves that the war is not as popular as some or even many believe.
So, three stars on the historical analysis but two stars on the democratic socialist assumptions and prescriptions. - Reading this book is both enjoyable and highly educational. It puts in perspective the reasons for the fractious, unproductive "debates" we have in our culture and politics these days. And it sheds light on the new/old understanding of American values and history that will be necessary if we're going to pull the country out of the rut in which we currently find ourselves.
- Reviewer is making a huge argument against regulation which approaches being his regulation of how to be American.
The author has deceminated history for readers based on what has transpired in words and actions, the reveiwer's way of thinking is an argumentive pinhole focused on his bias for non regulation and the book has so much more than that to offer its readers and I for one was grateful to add it to my way of independent thinking. - this is an engaging book full of relevant analysis and reflection. gorski's writing is clear and compelling. a must read!
- Incredible read! Philip offers new, exciting, and thoughtful ideas that are more important now than ever.
