The New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and God Is Not One presents a provocative crash course in the great “American scriptures”—those texts that have both divided and defined our understanding of what it is to be American. Stephen Prothero gives readers an exciting and user-friendly introduction to American cultural history in The American Bible. Highlighting the touchstones of our collective cultural legacy, from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial; from the speeches of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan to the novels of Mark Twain and Ayn Rand, and beyond, Prothero’s stirring and provocative handbook peels back the curtain on the inner workings of what makes America tick.
The American Bible-Whose America Is This?
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“In these pages Stephen Prothero has brilliantly captured the American spirit-a spirit that has always seen us through hours of division and disagreement. With Prothero’s expert analysis, these texts should spark civil conversation, informed debate, and intelligent discussion.” (-Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion. )
“There are certain speeches, songs, books, letters, laws, and axioms that Americans honor enough to argue about, says religion scholar Stephen Prothero. Like the Declaration of Independence, this almost consecrated canon inspires endless commentary about what it means to be American-and what ‘America’ means.” (Religion News Service )
“Required for putting in one place so many historic pieces that are more opined over than actually read. Awesome scholarship to an admirable purpose.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )
“The American Bible is a provocative, brilliantly realized illumination of American values by means of excerpted historical documents.” (Colloquy, Harvard University )
“In The American Bible, Prothero has turned his considerable talents to assembling a version of the American canon. The author’s prose is, as usual, spritely, informed and incisive.” (Washington Post )
“There are certain speeches, songs, books, letters, laws, and axioms that Americans honor enough to argue about, says religion scholar Stephen Prothero. Like the Declaration of Independence, this almost consecrated canon inspires endless commentary about what it means to be American-and what ‘America’ means.” (Religion News Service )
“Required for putting in one place so many historic pieces that are more opined over than actually read. Awesome scholarship to an admirable purpose.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )
“The American Bible is a provocative, brilliantly realized illumination of American values by means of excerpted historical documents.” (Colloquy, Harvard University )
“In The American Bible, Prothero has turned his considerable talents to assembling a version of the American canon. The author’s prose is, as usual, spritely, informed and incisive.” (Washington Post )
From the Back Cover
Since Thomas Jefferson first recorded those self-evident truths in the Declaration of Independence, America has been a nation that has unfolded as much on the page and the podium as on battlefields or in statehouses. Here Stephen Prothero reveals which texts continue to generate controversy and drive debate. He then puts these voices into conversation, tracing how prominent leaders and thinkers of one generation have commented upon the core texts of another, and invites readers to join in.
Few can question that the Constitution is part of our shared cultural lexicon, that the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision still impacts lives, or that "The Star-Spangled Banner" informs our national identity. But Prothero also considers lesser known texts that have sparked our war of words, including Thomas Paine's Common Sense and Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In The American Bible Christopher Hitchens weighs in on Huck Finn, and Sarah Palin on Martin Luther King Jr. From the speeches of Presidents Lincoln, Kennedy, and Reagan to the novels of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Ayn Rand—Prothero takes the reader into the heart of America's culture wars. These "scriptures" provide the words that continue to unite, divide, and define Americans today.
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More About the Author
Stephen Prothero is the New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and chair of the religion department at Boston University. His work has been featured on the cover of Time magazine, Oprah, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, National Public Radio, and other top national media outlets. He writes and reviews for The New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Salon, and other publications. He holds degrees in American Religion from Harvard and Yale.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"Why allow John Boehner or Nancy Pelosi to dominate your book club when Jefferson, Lincoln, and King are in the room?" To arrange such a conversation, Stephen Prothero compiles our nation's "core texts" from our "de facto public canon" into an "American Talmud," offering speeches, songs, stories, and sayings to spark discussion and debate as primary "books." Following each inclusion, he chronologically arranges dissenting and affirming comments from activists, lawyers, politicians, writers, and scholars. Ten "scriptural" sections comprise this biblical inspiration, mixing at first predominantly religiously infused arguments with, as the nation evolves, more secular and diverse texts. Furthering this Boston University professor's survey of contributions to our public discussion of issues that matter, it's a logical follow-up to his 2007 study (see my review Aug. 2011), "Religious Literacy."
Professor Prothero aims "not to create a canon but to report upon one." He seeks to overcome our bipartisan antagonism and our weariness with policies, parties, and principles which seem to shift. Returning key texts that matter to our public conversation, he hopes to renew hope among Americans. In this affordable, thoughtful, and balanced collection, Prothero invites us to listen to what our fellow Americans have discussed over almost four centuries as our necessary exercise in self-government, an experiment as open-ended as any ever attempted by citizens anywhere, anytime.
The book begins, logically, with "Genesis": colonial calls that often reenacted the Exodus story. "Law" follows as constitutional traditions and Supreme Court decisions from Brown in 1954 and Roe v. Wade in 1973. "Chronicles" relate "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Huck Finn" excerpts on slavery neatly, while a telling absence of an intended excerpt, denied by the estate of Ayn Rand, allows "Atlas Shrugged" to enter only in its commentaries, not the original text! Surely a moral lurks in this refusal.
Songs as "Psalms" follow, and for "God Bless America," even an Indiana billboard attests to its power, alongside "This Land Is Your Land" for a sharper counterpart to jingoism and patriotic cant. "Proverbs" places aphorisms around a Talmudic pattern of surrounding voices, before "Prophets" announces "Civil Disobedience," Eisenhower's farewell address about the military-industrial complex, King's "I Have a Dream," and Malcolm X's autobiographical defense of his "demagogue" role with a predictably if astutely chosen chorus of dissenting as well as assenting voices joining in as commentary in the decades since, with our current president among poets, pacifists, and preachers.
Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" opens "Lamentations" fittingly; Prothero prefaces this with an exegesis of how this "new gospel" elevated the Address above not only the "letter of the Constitution" but the "spirit of the Declaration of Independence." It redefined America as more revolutionary than conservative, in the professor's perspective. He then juxtaposes this with another dramatic response to war, Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and ends that section with Bill Clinton invoking in turn Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address to heal the damage of the Vietnam War.
Appropriately after this division, the book breaks into its "Gospels" with inaugural addresses by Jefferson and FDR, before a surprising entry by Ronald Reagan. Not from his presidency, but from nearly two decades earlier, when on television he endorsed Goldwater and argued against LBJ's Great Society, to set the course for the resurgence of his own career and that of the GOP. Prothero tips his hand perhaps away from the expected tilt of many in academia towards the left. Although his sympathy may hover, he does take pains to present the views of conservatives fairly in such chapters. Examining the comments appended to "The Speech," from Reagan's demythologizing biographer Lou Cannon to his memorialist Sarah Palin, the sharp voices for these polarizing texts prove lively.
After the figures of such bold presidents, "Acts" may seem anticlimactic. Yet, the Cold War insertion of the "under God" clause into "The Pledge of Allegiance" merits extended analysis in one of the most informative segments. "Epistles" from Washington's "Farewell Address" prove relevant in terms of both the rise of the Religious Right and the controversy over "entangling alliances" as foreign policy. Lesser known one may hazard to nearly any reader than other entries: Jefferson's "Letter to the Danbury Baptists" in 1802, over the separation of church and state. At the time of this letter, a national church was prohibited by the First Amendment, but not by states. The "establishment clause," articulated here by Jefferson, became long a tenet of Democrats--at least until the past decade's return by even many liberal candidates towards espousing in public their own faith.
Faith supports the second document from King, "Letter from Birmingham Jail." No book of revelation or apocalypse concludes this compendium, although the Civil Rights Movement has its own eloquent speakers in the commentaries that follow, if oddly nearly all after the initial unrest during which King's letter was delivered. The epilogue wraps up the presentation with more on the race question, which Prothero emphasizes as the key question in all the "American Bible," as a melting pot has not endured as a model, but a fiercely partisan, multicultural, and multiethnic polity.
Prothero reminds us of competing readings we bring to this anthology's issues. Dissent erupts, even as it's channeled into conversation, as heroes rise and fall and politicians come and go. This dynamic, as this edition represents handsomely (even if the parchment-type of background for primary texts may jostle aesthetically against the brown-on-beige commentary footnoted therein), may not resolve these worthwhile wrangles Americans love to engage in, but they stand for our "shared practice" to argue the public good (I think of the ideal of the founders, a "res publica") as regularly as some go to Mass, attend sermons, or visit temples.
Professor Prothero aims "not to create a canon but to report upon one." He seeks to overcome our bipartisan antagonism and our weariness with policies, parties, and principles which seem to shift. Returning key texts that matter to our public conversation, he hopes to renew hope among Americans. In this affordable, thoughtful, and balanced collection, Prothero invites us to listen to what our fellow Americans have discussed over almost four centuries as our necessary exercise in self-government, an experiment as open-ended as any ever attempted by citizens anywhere, anytime.
The book begins, logically, with "Genesis": colonial calls that often reenacted the Exodus story. "Law" follows as constitutional traditions and Supreme Court decisions from Brown in 1954 and Roe v. Wade in 1973. "Chronicles" relate "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Huck Finn" excerpts on slavery neatly, while a telling absence of an intended excerpt, denied by the estate of Ayn Rand, allows "Atlas Shrugged" to enter only in its commentaries, not the original text! Surely a moral lurks in this refusal.
Songs as "Psalms" follow, and for "God Bless America," even an Indiana billboard attests to its power, alongside "This Land Is Your Land" for a sharper counterpart to jingoism and patriotic cant. "Proverbs" places aphorisms around a Talmudic pattern of surrounding voices, before "Prophets" announces "Civil Disobedience," Eisenhower's farewell address about the military-industrial complex, King's "I Have a Dream," and Malcolm X's autobiographical defense of his "demagogue" role with a predictably if astutely chosen chorus of dissenting as well as assenting voices joining in as commentary in the decades since, with our current president among poets, pacifists, and preachers.
Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" opens "Lamentations" fittingly; Prothero prefaces this with an exegesis of how this "new gospel" elevated the Address above not only the "letter of the Constitution" but the "spirit of the Declaration of Independence." It redefined America as more revolutionary than conservative, in the professor's perspective. He then juxtaposes this with another dramatic response to war, Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and ends that section with Bill Clinton invoking in turn Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address to heal the damage of the Vietnam War.
Appropriately after this division, the book breaks into its "Gospels" with inaugural addresses by Jefferson and FDR, before a surprising entry by Ronald Reagan. Not from his presidency, but from nearly two decades earlier, when on television he endorsed Goldwater and argued against LBJ's Great Society, to set the course for the resurgence of his own career and that of the GOP. Prothero tips his hand perhaps away from the expected tilt of many in academia towards the left. Although his sympathy may hover, he does take pains to present the views of conservatives fairly in such chapters. Examining the comments appended to "The Speech," from Reagan's demythologizing biographer Lou Cannon to his memorialist Sarah Palin, the sharp voices for these polarizing texts prove lively.
After the figures of such bold presidents, "Acts" may seem anticlimactic. Yet, the Cold War insertion of the "under God" clause into "The Pledge of Allegiance" merits extended analysis in one of the most informative segments. "Epistles" from Washington's "Farewell Address" prove relevant in terms of both the rise of the Religious Right and the controversy over "entangling alliances" as foreign policy. Lesser known one may hazard to nearly any reader than other entries: Jefferson's "Letter to the Danbury Baptists" in 1802, over the separation of church and state. At the time of this letter, a national church was prohibited by the First Amendment, but not by states. The "establishment clause," articulated here by Jefferson, became long a tenet of Democrats--at least until the past decade's return by even many liberal candidates towards espousing in public their own faith.
Faith supports the second document from King, "Letter from Birmingham Jail." No book of revelation or apocalypse concludes this compendium, although the Civil Rights Movement has its own eloquent speakers in the commentaries that follow, if oddly nearly all after the initial unrest during which King's letter was delivered. The epilogue wraps up the presentation with more on the race question, which Prothero emphasizes as the key question in all the "American Bible," as a melting pot has not endured as a model, but a fiercely partisan, multicultural, and multiethnic polity.
Prothero reminds us of competing readings we bring to this anthology's issues. Dissent erupts, even as it's channeled into conversation, as heroes rise and fall and politicians come and go. This dynamic, as this edition represents handsomely (even if the parchment-type of background for primary texts may jostle aesthetically against the brown-on-beige commentary footnoted therein), may not resolve these worthwhile wrangles Americans love to engage in, but they stand for our "shared practice" to argue the public good (I think of the ideal of the founders, a "res publica") as regularly as some go to Mass, attend sermons, or visit temples.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I read a number of these chapters before they were published, and I think this is an incredible way for everyday readers and college students to learn United States history. It has liberals like FDR and conservatives like Reagan; it has Washington and Jefferson, along with Harriet Beecher Stowe and Martin Luther King Jr. We get everything here: primary documents (such as memorable speeches from Abraham Lincoln) and expert analysis from Prothero, one of the finest scholars distilling complex concepts into understandable points. I plan on using this in my courses on American religious history and having students select a document to fit into one of the categories (Genesis, Law, Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Prophets, Lamentations, Gospels, Acts, Epistles") and then write their own commentaries. I'm a longtime fan of Prothero's work and this seals the deal.
Edward J. Blum, co-author of "The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America"
[...]
Edward J. Blum, co-author of "The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America"
[...]
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Since Toqueville penned Democracy in America everyone in the world, including Americans themselves, have been trying to understand what constitutes America. Admittedly, Prothero compiles this literature not in an effort to provide the "canon" of America, but rather to provide a lens by which to read, see, and engage the American experience. To leave it at that, however, leaves too much to be desired and does no justice to Prothero's work.
Stephen Prothero (click for website)
From the statehouse to the church house Americans have fought, sometimes literally, for the definition of America. Prothero asserts that the fabric of our American identity, the ability to disagree and wrestle with difficult questions, has waned considerably. Those that dare engage Prothero's words will find a calm, steady voice challenging Americans to reflect upon our current societal situation and our place within it.
From the Constitution to Martin Luther King Jr. I found myself reflecting upon how and why we are who we are. Prothero's work is far from nostalgic, but it signals that something fundamental has changed. An atmospheric shift has occurred in all sectors of American life. Prothero's work, in my mind, implies a loss of American pragmatism--the ability to engage differing ideas and move forward for the common good.
All too often the word pragmatism remains seen as a foul, odorous word singeing our idealistic nose hair. Yet this spirit, the spirit of engage different ideas and hearing various opinions, constitutes American experience. As Prothero asserts how we participate in life constitutes who we are as Americans. We have lost the art of conversation and value in differing opinions.
Whether or not this identity crisis can be corrected remains to be seen. If it is to be corrected The American Bible will remain a vital and integral conversation piece. Scholars and students of religion, sociology, politics, or history will find this an invaluable resource. Yet so too will every American representing every creed and race. For future generations, for past travails and triumphs, and for our present maladies Prothero's words are worth the read.
And his words, I'll make the closing words: "American politics is broken. As the culture wars drag on and on, Americans have forgotten how to talk with one another."
Stephen Prothero (click for website)
From the statehouse to the church house Americans have fought, sometimes literally, for the definition of America. Prothero asserts that the fabric of our American identity, the ability to disagree and wrestle with difficult questions, has waned considerably. Those that dare engage Prothero's words will find a calm, steady voice challenging Americans to reflect upon our current societal situation and our place within it.
From the Constitution to Martin Luther King Jr. I found myself reflecting upon how and why we are who we are. Prothero's work is far from nostalgic, but it signals that something fundamental has changed. An atmospheric shift has occurred in all sectors of American life. Prothero's work, in my mind, implies a loss of American pragmatism--the ability to engage differing ideas and move forward for the common good.
All too often the word pragmatism remains seen as a foul, odorous word singeing our idealistic nose hair. Yet this spirit, the spirit of engage different ideas and hearing various opinions, constitutes American experience. As Prothero asserts how we participate in life constitutes who we are as Americans. We have lost the art of conversation and value in differing opinions.
Whether or not this identity crisis can be corrected remains to be seen. If it is to be corrected The American Bible will remain a vital and integral conversation piece. Scholars and students of religion, sociology, politics, or history will find this an invaluable resource. Yet so too will every American representing every creed and race. For future generations, for past travails and triumphs, and for our present maladies Prothero's words are worth the read.
And his words, I'll make the closing words: "American politics is broken. As the culture wars drag on and on, Americans have forgotten how to talk with one another."
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Heritage of National Ideas in America
If you were to compile the most influential documents, letters, ideas, decisions, songs or speeches that have helped shape the United States political tradition, what would you... Read more
Published 20 days ago by jtk
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Book That Stimulates Discussion
I use this book in leading an adult group studying documents in American history. It is a superb tool for such collaborative learning since everything in the book is designed to... Read more
Published 23 days ago by MARK LIEBERMAN
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating
I belong to a Sunday School class which studies unusual subjects and we have enjoyed this book. All of it is not religious in nature of course, but the story, "psalms",... Read more
Published 1 month ago by careful consumer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference book
I consider this a valuable addition to my American history library. Prothero provides a wonderful perspective on the people and the words that shaped the America we know today. Read more
Published 5 months ago by John Maher
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bible for America
Excellent read. For anyone who wants to know or is in doubt that thi country was created by God for a special purpose this is the book to buy. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Salvatore R. Larosa
4.0 out of 5 stars
A creative approach and a worthwhile overview
For me, it was educational to read cornerstone documents from American history. It was a good overview.
As an agnostic, I was not put off by the biblical structure. Read more
As an agnostic, I was not put off by the biblical structure. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Roy F. Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars
a book capable of starting countless conversations
America is a nation united by words. While there will never be a consensus regarding the specific words shaping the nation's identity, Prothero crafts a collection that is fitting... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Dr. Greg Smith (aka sowhatfaith)
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good read, but an unsurpassed artifact.
The American Bible features the very best of the American canon, from the overlooked to the overused. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Nick Rynerson
1.0 out of 5 stars
Never an American "Bible," thanks to our founding fathers
The whole idea of this book is offensive. We do not live in a theocracy -- yet -- and I object to the premise that our national values must be considered religious. Read more
Published 11 months ago by music lover
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