On Two Wings: Humble Faith and Common Sense at the American Founding [Hardcover]

Michael Novak (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1893554341 | ISBN-13: 978-1893554344 | Publication Date: December 1, 2001 | Edition: 1

"The leaders of the American Revolution were not, like the leaders of the French revolution, secularists. They did not set out to erase religion. Quite the opposite." Michael Novak points out in this brilliant book about the birth of the American idea that the very first act of the Continental Congress in September, 1774, was to pray to Divine Providence for insight on how to respond to news of the British bombardment of Boston. In setting a course for republican self-government, the founders not only believed that they were acting reasonably but that they were carrying out God's commandment. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God." Of course there had been religious peoples before in history-including Jews and Christians-who did not see in faith the beacon of civil liberty. Novak points out that the American eagle could not have risen without the empirical turn of mind embodied in John Locke's teaching on the ends of government and the consent of the governed. Yet as he also shows, the founders believed that liberty depended on certain habits of the heart-and that these in turn depended on faith as well as reason. Novak probes the innermost convictions of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and the others who helped the American eagle to take wing. He shows how they were able to find common ground by appealing to the God of the Hebrews. He traces what happened to this "Hebrew metaphysics" as the world of the founders became the world of modernity. In the course of his career, Michael Novak has written several prize-winning books on theology and philosophy. Now, in "On Two Wings," he has written a profound work on American history and on human nature and destiny as well.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"In one key respect, the way the story of the United States has been told for the past one hundred years is wrong," writes Michael Novak. "To read most philosophers and historians of the American polity today is to learn that America is an historical embodiment of secular philosophy, the Enlightenment." Nothing could be further from the truth, says Novak, who sets out to demonstrate just how important religious faith was to the founders. He makes a spirited case, noting, for example, that the very first act of the First Continental Congress, in 1774, was to make a public prayer. Of the 3,154 "citations in the writings of the founders," 34 percent are to the Bible. He provides dozens of similar examples. On Two Wings does not proceed as a traditional narrative; Novak favors extensive block quotations from his sources and conveys a whole chapter in question-and-answer format. In addition, a major part of the book is an appendix that provides brief sketches of the lesser-known founders. What the book lacks in narrative elegance it makes up for in forceful argument-- it pulls off the trick of being both brief and thorough. Readers who admire Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis will appreciate this book, especially if they are religiously inclined. --John Miller

From Library Journal

Novak (religion and public policy, American Enterprise Inst.; Belief and Disbelief) argues that religion played a central role in the lives of, and the documents by, the founders of the American republic. He further attempts to show how Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and others had in common a "humble faith." He is most convincing when presenting evidence that biblical language and allusions permeated the writings of these leaders but is less successful in showing that the religion they thought useful for others also held personal importance for them. The book is weakened by a definition of religious faith so broad that "humble faith" becomes merely religious sensibility. Novak is clearly passionate about his topic, but he relies heavily on secondary works, so that at times this is more of a summary than an addition to the topic. Useful for collections seeking differing viewpoints on American history. Jan Blodgett, Davidson Coll., NC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 218 pages
• Publisher: Encounter Books; 1 edition (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893554341
• ISBN-13: 978-1893554344
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,089,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Rest of the Story regarding our Founders, February 2, 2002

By 

scott sirk (Fishers, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Two Wings: Humble Faith and Common Sense at the American Founding (Hardcover)

The founders emphasis on God and the practice of religion receives its just due in Michael Novak's On Two Wings: Humble Faith and Common Sense at the American Founding. Novak argues the founders agreed on the importance of religion. Ben Franklin represented the founders thought with the statement "...that God governs in the affairs of men." (p.42) The faith of George Washington and his reliance on prayer during the trials of the Revolutionary War is representative of the founders in the truest and noblest sense. (see pp.18-20) Novak surprised me with documentation of Hamilton's faith. The author correctly gives John Adams credit for his leadership while stressing his faith in God and belief in justice as well as the importance of liberty. The author correctly points out how the founders believed liberty was desired by God for men, but may be easily lost by men in less than a generation.
The greatest gift of many in this book is the recognition of the forgotten founders. Novak reports on one of the greatest educators of American History John Witherspoon as well as George Mason, James Wilson and Charles Carroll. The most dramatic of the forgotten founders was the story of Joseph Warren and his heroics at Bunker Hill. Warren said prior to Battle of Bunker
Hill, "You are to decide the important questions upon which rest the happiness and liberty of millions not yet born." (p.124)
This book was very well documented. The footnotes are excellent. The book would have benefited from an Index worthy of this excellent book.

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Faith of Our Founding Fathers, June 6, 2002

By 

E. E Pofahl (HUNTINGTON, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Two Wings: Humble Faith and Common Sense at the American Founding (Hardcover)

Michael Novak has written a profusely documented and succinct analysis of the influence of religion on the form and the founding of the United States government. The author writes, "On two wings the American eagle rose into the sky. On plain reason and humble faith." Discerning that American historical scholarship has greatly neglected the study of religion's influence on the form and character of our nation, Novak proceeds to answer the question "But how did the founders think of faith?" At the time of the Revolution, religion was important in American culture; the text states "During the years 1770-1776, the fires of revolution were lit by Protestant divines. . ." and continues "The very form of the Declaration was that of a traditional American prayer. . ." The author notes that the founders mentioned that faith provided at least seven contributions to the nation's founding which reason did not supply, and then he discusses each contribution.

George Washington was deeply religious. The text observes that "Washington does not call religion `optional'. The word he uses is `indispensable." As Commander of the Continental Army he "gave orders that each day begin with formal prayer, to be led by the officers of each unit." I'd hate to guess the outcome if the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff tried that one today. The text states that "The founders did not think the constitutional government they were erecting could survive without Hebrew-Christian faith." and continues on page 129 "Virtually all the signers of the Declaration and Constitution were churchgoing men."

Chapter Five is titled "TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FOUNDING". The author answers and discusses ten critical questions. Question four asks, "When did things go wrong?" On page 112 Novak notes ". the traditional alliance of religion and liberty in the United States came under assault after World War II from the rejection of Judaism and Christianity by many secular liberals in the academy, the law and journalism . . . A determined effort was made to banish religion from American public life. Beginning about 1948, one Supreme Court case after another turned the judiciary (and the law schools) into aggressive enemies of religion in public life"

Novak continues "One reason the drive to secularize public life through the courts succeeded so quickly after 1945 may have been that for some decades the historians and political philosophers had already been dismissive of the powerful religious forces that had propelled the founding. They preferred a strictly agnostic view of the philosophy of natural rights." However, on page 114, Novak asserts that "The purpose of the founders was far removed from wishing to ban religion from public life altogether; it was almost the opposite."

There were founding fathers other than Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison. An excellent and very useful Appendix discusses several almost forgotten founders such as George Mason, Rufus King, Benjamin Rush, James Wilson. Alexander Hamilton, etc. and to a degree John Adams has been forgotten. On page 147, the text declares that "Jefferson supplied the words of the Declaration, but Adams begat the deed." The book, rightly, gives much credit to John Adams for his faith-based leadership and contributions in stressing justice and freedom for all.

Today with the media's influence plus countless court decisions and lawsuits concerning religion and the nation, it is difficult to realize that religion had any influence on the founding of the United States. However, some readers may be surprised to read that "In his days as president, the largest church service in the United States took place every Sunday in the Capitol Building and Thomas Jefferson thought it his duty to attend." The text states that while Jefferson didn't "believe a word in it", " he strenuously affirmed that "the Christian religion is necessary for a republic." Novak further recalls that ". . . on a day of great crisis at the Constitutional Convention, when the two sides almost walked out on each other, it was Franklin - the supposed Deist - who moved that the Convention stop for a day of prayer to Divine Providence, for guidance through the impasse."

The author notes ". experience shows that republics need virtue, and that virtue needs religion. . ." and closes the book stating "That it has historically been the habit of republics to sink into moral decay - that, too - was a constant theme of the founders." While the influence of religion on public life today may be limited or nonexistent, Michael Novak's book clearly documents and illustrates that religion had a great influence on the founding of the United States.

For those interested in the Declaration, the Constitution and the forming of the nation, this book is a must read.

43 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars our religion and our revolution, January 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: On Two Wings: Humble Faith and Common Sense at the American Founding (Hardcover)

This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what was in the hearts and minds of America's founders. Read John Adams, yes. Read Founding Brothers, yes. But don't think that you have the whole story until you read Michael Novak. He shows that our Founders were not a bunch of deists and pantheists; that they had no notion of establishing walls between their government and their God. They were profoundly and traditionally religious men whose passion for justice flowed out of the depths of their faith. This is a classic book that shows the role of faith at our founding and restores our Founders'identity as men of God first and men of the Enlightenment secondly.