Presidents And Their Faith eBook

The old adage "e;never discuss religion and politics"e; is roundly rejected in this incisive exploration of Presidential history and religious faith.The Presidents & Their Faith is a fascinating and informative look at how every U.S. president exercised their personal faith, exerted presidential power, and led a religiously diverse nation.Has there ever been a stranger prayer than Truman's, offered upon America's successful development of the atom bomb: "e;We pray that He may guide us to use it in His ways and for His purposes"e;?At the nation's founding, Northeast Presbyterians demanded explicit mention of Jesus in the Constitution. George Washington refuted them, saying that religious piety "e;was a matter best left between an individual and his God; religious instruction was the responsibility of religious societies, not the civil state."e; What drove Washington to make that argument, and what if he had lost?Who wouldn't feel like the exasperated FDR when he said, "e;I can do almost everything in the 'Gold-fish Bowl' of the President's life, but I'll be hanged if I can say my prayers in it. It bothers me to feel like something in the zoo being looked at by all the tourists in Washington when I go to church...No privacy in that kind of going to church, and by the time I have gotten into that pew and settled down with everybody looking at me, I don't feel like saying my prayers at all."e; But even more importantly, what's real, what's a show, and why does it matter when it comes to faith and politics?These questions and more are unpacked and examined, leading to a whole new understanding of how religion and politics interfaced through America's history, and how they will play out in our future.In this climate of religious and political tensions, The Presidents & Their Faith casts a civil, yet entertaining, and insightful spotlight on the unique mix (and frequent mix-ups) of politics and religion in America.