Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul
Church, State, and the Birth of Liberty
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3.8 • 26 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
A revelatory look at the separation of church and state in America—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Great Influenza
For four hundred years, Americans have fought over the proper relationships between church and state and between a free individual and the state. This is the story of the first battle in that war of ideas, a battle that led to the writing of the First Amendment and that continues to define the issue of the separation of church and state today. It began with religious persecution and ended in revolution, and along the way it defined the nature of America and of individual liberty.
Acclaimed historian John M. Barry explores the development of these fundamental ideas through the story of Roger Williams, who was the first to link religious freedom to individual liberty, and who created in America the first government and society on earth informed by those beliefs. This book is essential to understanding the continuing debate over the role of religion and political power in modern life.
Customer Reviews
Who knew?
Roger Williams, the originator of “separation of church and state”. The first true religious freedom pioneer. A European who respected the indigenous cultures. A man who stood up for his principals.
This book was a revelation (for me) to the true origins of our secular society. I never knew that the migration to the New World for “religious freedom” was from one Protestant sect against another (all over which prayer book to use!). My parents were from Rhode Island, so I read this as an bit of history trivia. Boy, did I get an education (Jefferson, you should have cited your references!).