The Faiths of the Founding Fathers

In this compact book, the author offers a clear, concise and illuminating look at the spiritual beliefs of the founding fathers. Although the founding fathers were religious men, Holmes shows that it was a faith quite unlike the Christianity of today's evangelicals.

David L. Holmes is Walter G. Mason Professor of Religious Studies at the College of William and Mary. He is the author of A Brief History of the Episcopal Church, A Nation Mourns, other books, and numerous articles.

In this succinct, clear and myth-dispelling book, David Holmes traces the emergence and advance of Deism in the colonies from the early eighteenth century Jack Pole, Journal of Ecclesiastical History This readable treatment of presidential religion covers familiar ground for those who know the period, but it will be informative to those who do not. It is a useful antidote to the distorted accounts generated by televangelists and popular writers who populate the evangelical community. Richard V Pierard Theological Book Review Professor David Holmes offers a balanced and dispassionate introduction to this debate. Andrew Atherstone, Themelios [Holmes] offers exceptionally insightful guidelines for judging the faith of the founding fathers...Read this elegant book... New York Times Book Review THE FAITHS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS comes to the rescue of those trying to square the past with the present. David L. Holmes has written a timely book that summarizes the views of the Founders and places them in proper historical context... While the author believes that the founders' theological beliefs contain valuable lessons for contemporary society, he cautions against going too far when trying to place 18th-century views and practices into a modern context. That is why THE FAITHS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS should be seen as a first-rate guide to the past and not as fodder for those fighting modern-day political battles. CLAUDE MARX, The Washington Times Dynamic... an illuminating study. Library Journal