God and Hillary Clinton: A Spiritual Life [Hardcover]

Paul Kengor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2007

For over fifteen years, Hillary Clinton has been one of the most polarizing names in politics, but while many writers have taken a close look at her stances on the issues, few have addressed her long-held religious beliefs. Talking with people who witnessed her faith firsthand the author seeks to answer the elusive question: What does Hillary Clinton believe? "God and Hillary Clinton" intertwines Clinton's spiritual evolution with her personal history, discussing how her Methodist upbringing laid a strong Christian foundation that resulted in her leading Bible studies and prayer throughout her years in the Arkansas Governor's mansion while Clinton's spiritual past is important, it alone does not tell the full story. Here Kengor also delves into the complicated and fraught relationship that has long existed between Clinton's spiritual beliefs and her politics. Exploring how her faith has influenced her secular policies, Kengor looks at which of her religious beliefs appear genuine and which seem rooted in more political ends. In addition, Kengor scrutinizes her clear and undeniable pro-choice stance, examining how she reconciles this controversial issue with her Christian beliefs.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Kengor is a professor of political science and director of the Center for Vision and Values at Grove City College

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1 edition (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061136921
• ISBN-13: 978-0061136924
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,341,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Honest Review, March 7, 2008

By 

J. Ronthi "TheGreatSwindle" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: God and Hillary Clinton: A Spiritual Life (Hardcover)

I am not especially taken by Clinton politics and their skewed code of ethics, though I am not at odds with some of their policies. Therefore, I have no deep axe to grind, no axe which would hinder an honest and objective review.

However, I must say, I simply do not believe these other reviewers to be impartial. They're probably either Clinton hacks, or from the publisher. These reviews are just glowing with adoration.

First, I gave this book three stars on the merit of history. Her formative years, particularlly, which is insightful. Do not expect any objectivity from Paul Kengor, however - this is what he does for a living! He writes fluff-pieces for high political figures. This is just a book to let people know that Hillary has "real" faith.

But where has Hillary's faith guided her ethically? Apparently this faith is not enough to quell her "crush-all" ambition, nor her Evida-like, self-structured persona. I am still left pondering the lives that were put into foreclosure and turmoil during the travel staff firings. I am left contemplating her lie under oath, which was ruled so, in the final investigation in 2000. How can you lie about not knowing about these firings? It is a very sad thing to constantly insult the intellect of voters. But she has, continuously. Some faith.

We know about her "faith" soley from the image she has spent a life time creating. And, you know, I am not terribly mad about that. All politicians do it. Just wish it weren't so obvious.

This book offers us some insight on her childhood faith, just don't take it at face value. Hillary isn't the same person she was 40 years ago.

21 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For What Does It Profit a Woman to Gain the Whole World..., January 10, 2008

By 

Keen Incite - See all my reviews

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This review is from: God and Hillary Clinton: A Spiritual Life (Hardcover)

Paul Kengor's "God and Hillary Clinton: A Spiritual Life" is a fascinating look at the life of the former First Lady from the perspective of her religious beliefs and how these have changed from her childhood, through college and law school, her marriage to Bill Clinton, her time in Arkansas, Bill's presidency, Bill's indiscretions, her senate career, and to the present.

Dr. Kengor is charitable in his assessment that Hillary has kept her Christian faith through all of these chapters in her life. One could easily surmise, however, that Hillary has long since traded her Christianity for a secular, Marxist, utopian "golden calf" to which she attaches a flimsy "Christian" label whenever it is politically expedient.

In many ways, Hillary has been a victim of her circumstances. She was victimized by her youth minister, Don Jones, who began her indoctrination into Marxist Christianity. She was victimized by her parents' inattentiveness by failing to monitor what Jones was teaching her, and who later allowed her to attend left-wing havens like Wellesley and Yale, which completed her indoctrination. She was victimized by the rise of the counter-culture during her period of intellectual development which kept her from realizing the value of Western civilization and the intellectual vapidity of its detractors. But despite this, she is still ultimately responsible for becoming the secular, power-hungry, political opportunist that she is today.

A spiritual biography is an interesting approach on the life of arguably the most prominent politician in the last two decades. Kengor's book paints a tragic life (though I'm sure Hillary herself is completely unaware what a tragedy it is.) It's not the tragedy of the hurts suffered on account of her husband and her critics. The real tragedy is the loss of her soul by the seduction of power.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Hillary Believes and Why, December 11, 2007

By 

Robert W. Kellemen "Doc. K." (Crown Point, IN United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: God and Hillary Clinton: A Spiritual Life (Hardcover)

Let's state this clearly from the beginning. Whether you embrace Hillary Clinton's politics or not, whether you embrace Hillary Clinton's beliefs or not, her beliefs are a critically important issue, for they deeply impact her political convictions.

Here's another fact to clarify. The author, Paul Kengor, is not an apologist for Hillary Clinton. He has written similar books on Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. His aim in all three books is to write an accurate spiritual history of these three important political figures.

In "God and Hillary Clinton," Kengor excels at revealing to readers the spiritual shaping factors that brought Hillary Clinton to embrace the beliefs and practices she does. If you want insight into who she is, what she believes, who influenced her personally, who she read, and why, then this is the book to read. What's more, Kengor's writing style, his first-hand interviews, and his access to letters and other documents, make this a well-written, creative, captivating history book--no easy task.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Friends, and Soul Physicians.