American Religious Freedom

All Americans, liberal or conservative, religious or not, can agree that religious freedom, anchored in conscience rights, is foundational to the US democratic experiment. But what freedom of conscience means, what its scope and limits are, according to the Constitution - these are matters for heated debate.

Though Joseph Smith's run for president is now best remembered for its gruesome end, the renegade campaign was revolutionary. Smith called for the total abolition of slavery, the closure of the country's penitentiaries, and the reestablishment of a national bank to stabilize the economy. But Smith's most important proposal was for an expansion of protections for religious minorities. At a time when the Bill of Rights did not apply to individual states, Smith sought to empower the federal government to protect minorities when states failed to do so.

The American political scene today is poisonously divided, and the vast majority of white evangelicals plays a strikingly unified, powerful role in the disunion. These evangelicals raise a starkly consequential question for electoral politics: Why do they claim morality while supporting politicians who act immorally by most Christian measures? In this clear-eyed, hard-hitting chronicle of American religion and politics, Anthea Butler answers that racism is at the core of conservative evangelical activism and power.

A Sweeping HIstory of the Great State of Rhode Island America's smallest state has an outsized story to tell. From Roger Williams's radical experiment in religious freedom to Samuel Slater's mill that launched the Industrial Revolution, from the dark profits of the slave trade to the fierce struggles of immigrant mill workers, Rhode Island has been a laboratory for democracy's greatest promises and deepest contradictions. The Ocean State traces four centuries of Rhode Island history, revealing how a tiny colony of religious exiles became the birthplace of American industry, a haven for ...

Black American Faith: Exploring the AME Zion Church and Moorish Science Temple Unlock the rich tapestry of Black American spiritual history with this compelling 2-in-1 volume. Black American Faith brings together two profound journeys of faith and empowerment, offering an accessible and inspiring look at the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Moorish Science Temple of America. Discover a Legacy of Freedom and Faith Dive into the remarkable story of the AME Zion Church, the "Freedom Church," which stood at the heart of abolitionist movements and civil rights struggles. Explore ...

Known to historians as "the First American," Benjamin Franklin is without a doubt the most accessible of America's founding fathers. His writings have inspired millions of Americans, and even now, more than 200 years after his death, his wit and humor still brighten lives all across the world. But what was this great man's view on faith? Was he really a Deist as so many historians have proposed? Was he a humanist like so many of his French friends? Is there any possibility that he could have been a Christian? In this unique volume, Bill Fortenberry has collected everything that Franklin ...

The Theme is Freedom presents a new reading of the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the constitutional founding, and the religious clauses of the First Amendment. Evans draws the conclusion that our liberties have always been dependent of the religious traditions of the West - directly contrary to accepted theory.

Sacred Liberty offers a dramatic, sweeping survey of how America built a unique model of religious freedom, perhaps the nation’s “greatest invention.” Steven Waldman, the bestselling author of Founding Faith, shows how early ideas about religious liberty were tested and refined amidst the...

One of the most infamous American freethinkers in his day, Elihu Palmer has been largely forgotten. No cache of his personal papers exists, and his book has been long out of print. Yet his story merits telling, Kirsten Fischer argues, and not only for the dramatic account of a man who lost his eyesight before the age of 30 and still became a book author, newspaper editor, and itinerant public speaker.

Eleven-year-old Janie finds herself in a quandary. The War Between the States is now over, and Miss Laura, widowed mistress of Rubyhill Plantation, has told Rubyhill's former slaves they're welcome to stay or free to leave. But for Janie, where should she go? There are still dangers in the South, and so many unknowns in the North—and moving may eliminate any chance of ever finding her mother.

From colonial times into the 20th century, our laws and court cases ignored atheism, assuming that all good Americans were religious. Only in the 20th century, with the passage of laws allowing for conscientious objection to war, did nonbelief enter debates about religious liberty. Still, today every one of the 20 states has God written into its constitution. God is everywhere in American public life. R. Laurence Moore and Isaac Kramnick explore both God's omnipresence and the dramatic rise in nonbelievers that has led to an "atheist awakening" intent on holding the country to its secular principles.

The religious right taught America to misread the Bible. Christians have misused Scripture to consolidate power, stoke fears, and defend against enemies. But people who have been hurt by the attacks of Christian nationalism can help us rediscover God's vision for faith in public life. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove explores how religious culture wars have misrepresented Christianity at the expense of the poor, and how listening to marginalized communities can help us hear God's call to love and justice in the world.

In an unsettling time in American history, the outbreak of right-wing violence is among the most disturbing developments. In recent years, attacks originating from the far right of American politics have targeted religious and ethnic minorities, with a series of antigovernment militants, religious extremists, and lone-wolf mass shooters inspired by right-wing ideologies. The need to understand the nature of far-right violence is greater than ever. In American Zealots, Arie Perliger provides a wide-ranging and rigorously researched overview of right-wing domestic terrorism.

Deep Conviction features four ordinary Americans who put their reputations and livelihoods at risk as they fought to protect their first amendment right to live their personal beliefs. Though these individuals couldn’t be more different, they share a similar conviction and determination, and the principles of religious freedom apply equally to all of them.

An analytical, sometimes revisionist, succinct biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Vanquished by tyranny, their fight for freedom rages. Amidst the struggle, proof of their stolen faith is discovered. And a nation rises. The “Songs of the Deliverer” novels tell the story of a man sent to fill the void left by the death of the baby in the manger. Two centuries after the baby Jesus was deprived of his destiny as the fulfillment of the biblical prophecy, Emmanuel comes to bring hope to the hopeless and to reveal the path to new life. He reveals himself to be the Christ, the one sent from above, and religious congregations form to worship him and follow his path. But a ...

Where Baptists Stood: Early Baptists, Slavery, and the Price of Freedom What did early Baptists believe about slavery? Before the American Revolution, Baptists were a persecuted minority. They were jailed, fined, and whipped for refusing to submit to state churches. They were poor, scattered, and far removed from political power. Yet in a world increasingly shaped by slavery, they maintained a clear focus: preaching the gospel and defending liberty of conscience. In this groundbreaking historical study, veteran pastor and author Marvin McKenzie takes you on a journey through over two ...

Do you want to learn about the development of religion in Colonial America but don’t have the time or patience for a thick book? Then this is the short, concise book for you!! The book “Religion in Colonial America: A Short History” looks at the formation and spread of the different religions in colonial America. To illustrate the story there are pictures of the people, places, and events that are part of this historic movement. In addition, the book contains a list of reference books for further reading, a timeline of the development of religions in that period, and short ...

The United States of America was founded by ordinary citizens who willingly sacrificed their lives and fortunes in order to hand down the precious legacy of freedom we enjoy today. In American Patriots, Rick Santorum shares the true-life accounts of 25 unsung heroic men and women from the Revolutionary War era. These citizen patriots fought valiantly and made significant sacrifices to secure our God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - not only for themselves, but also for countless future generations.

Small town science teacher Keith Bradley climbs into a red Tesla with English teacher Talia Ramin for the field trip of a lifetime. At stake is a missing copy of the Scriptures on gold tablets. At risk is the trust of an ancient order sworn to keep the tablets safe. Talia's archaeologist aunt and uncle may have lost their last clue to artifact thieves. A government ultimatum might undo every lesson they have taught their students about keeping the Word safe. from Chapter Eighteen – “Are You So Selfish?” “What?” Keith jumped up. “What are you saying? We’re supposed to take the ...