A Page on the World... American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the
Making of a Nation
Jon Meacham writes an insightful book about America's historic relationship with God (2006, ISBN 1-4000-6555-0).
Reviewed by Larry W. Greider
Jon Meacham, the managing editor of Newsweek and author of the New York Times best seller Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship, writes an insightful book that should be of great value to all those interested in America's relationship to God.
While biblical and historical research shows that God was involved in the
blessings experienced by the United States (see The
United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy),
the many religious groups that found their way to America did not always
represent the mind of God.
Mr. Meacham suggests that a grasp of history is essential for Americans to decide how much weight to assign a religious consideration in a public matter. He feels that the crisis of our time clouds the truth of the genius of the founding fathers and leaves Americans with a simplistic view of their heritage.
Toward the end of his treatise Mr. Meacham writes: "There is no doubt, as we have seen, that the Founders lived in and consciously bequeathed a culture shaped and sustained by public religion, one that was not Christian or Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist but was simply transcendent, with reverence for the 'Creator' and 'Nature's God'" (p. 233).
(This was a major factor in allowing religious freedom in the United States, but of course this doesn't mean that their various views of God are exactly the same as that taught in the Bible.)
You can't read of these amazing men without discovering that they were gifted with an uncommon vision and wisdom. While partisan politics often stemmed from religious dogma, the higher ground of liberty and freedom insured that freedom of religion would allow the gospel of the Kingdom to be preached without constraint. Just imagine the situation if the Puritans or Lutherans or any sect had secured exclusivity in the new nation.
