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God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution Paperback – July 31, 2012

by Thomas S. Kidd (Author)

23 customer reviews

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At the dawn of the Revolutionary War, America was already a nation of diverse faiths—the First Great Awakening and Enlightenment concepts such as deism and atheism had endowed the colonists with varying and often opposed religious beliefs. Despite their differences, however, Americans found common ground against British tyranny and formed an alliance that would power the American Revolution. In God of Liberty, historian Thomas S. Kidd offers the first comprehensive account of religion’s role during this transformative period. A compelling testament to evangelical Christians’ crucial contribution to American independence, God of Liberty is also a timely appeal for the same spiritual vitality that gave form to our nation and sustained it through its tumultuous birth.

God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution

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Product Details

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Basic Books; First Trade Paper Edition edition (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 046502890X
ISBN-13: 978-0465028900
Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.8 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #125 in Books > History > World > Religious > General
- #126 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Church & State
- #186 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > History

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4.6 out of 5 stars

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Even-handed scholarly treatment

By D. Licona on November 7, 2010

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

God of Liberty, an even-handed, scholarly treatment of the Revolutionary era, ranks in my top ten favorite books. I have found myself on numerous occasions irritated by the obvious bias of historians on both sides who have an obvious agenda in the "history" they present. Thomas Kidd does a masterful job deciphering the religious and secular culture of this period. With a particular reliance on primary sources, Kidd brings to light questions pertinent to our own situation today. What did Jefferson mean by a "wall of separation?" "Was America founded as a Christian nation?" Yes and no. Kidd tells it like it is without glossing over issues some may want to ignore. Our founding fathers were a group of people with very different religious persuasions who came together for the cause of liberty. All agreed liberty and equality were bequeathed by our Creator. The "wall of separation" and the freedom of religion were won by a uniting of the evangelicals and the rationalists to bring about the disestablishment of a state supported denomination. Jefferson "saw religion as an indispensable bulwark of the Republic, and he would never have entertained the idea that government should be hostile to religious exercise...He simply believed that the government should never preference any denomination..." Kidd also warns against claims that Providence is on one particular side. All we have to do is remember that both sides of the Civil War claimed God was on their side to know this is dangerous territory. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the Founding era and/or knowing the thoughts of the Founders on issues we face today.

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History Rising Above Editorializing

By Matt Metevelis on February 1, 2011

Format: Hardcover

Thomas Kidd's book "God of Liberty" rises miles above the editorializing that so often characterizes writing about religion in the American founding. He saves his own commentary until the very end of the work and allows the people of the revolutionary generation to speak for themselves. In the work we meet preachers, pamphleteers, revivalists, and famous founders in all their religious conviction and ambiguity. Kidd leans heavily on primary sources, and his bibliography is an absolute treasure trove for further reading.

Kidd's work is full of details that educate, inspire, and often amuse. The narrative sweep of the work covers the stirrings of the Great Awakening, the millennial (end of the world) expectations Christian leaders attached to every event from the end of the Seven Years War to the election of Jefferson, the anti-bishop and anti-Catholic bigotry and paranoia that fed anti-British frenzy, the struggle to disestablish state churches in the colonies, the role of army chaplains in the revolutionary war, the views of the founders on the connection between virtue and freedom, the revivals that constantly swept across the country, the idea of equality emerging from the Bible and exhorted in Christian preaching (derived from Acts 17 - "God has made from one blood all nations of men"), the salutary omission of religion in the constitution and the ensuing controversy in ratification, and the religious controversy surrounding the election of "radical atheist" Thomas Jefferson. The whole story culminates in what Kidd terms the growth of a "nexus of religion and freedom" in which liberty of conscience and religiously inspired civic mindedness worked together to secure freedom, nourish religion, contributing to the country's vitality and strength.Read more ›

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Just the facts, Mam!

By Michael Eugene Mosier on January 14, 2011

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

God of Liberty by John Kidd is a well-written history of the impact the Christian faith had upon the thinking of our Founding Fathers and the inhabitants of our nation during the years of our country's formation. Unbiased and non-revisionist, Kidd simply presents the facts--and they are fascinating. Though there was a broad range of religious beliefs among our Founding Fathers, one cohesive point of unity was that the Founding Fathers believed that for our nation to succeed and endure, the citizens of our country would need a strong moral foundation. And that moral foundation would come through the biblical principles of the Christian faith. The government would not allow for the establishment of any one Christian denomination--there would be no state church as was the case in France and England--but the government of the United States of America would support and encourage every denomination of the Christian church. This was a well-written, well-researched, and informative book.

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Since none were angels...

By Jean E. Pouliot on June 10, 2011

Format: Hardcover

Other than for popular (and imaginary) images of George Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge, there is relatively little mention of religion in connection with the American Revolutionary War. I am always wary of "histories" that rewrite history to paint our Founders as god-fearing proto-evangelicals. But as Thomas Kidd persuasively explains in "God of Liberty," the pre-war colonies were rife with religious ideas and drama. These were managed skillfully, and perhaps with luck and happenstance, and helped tip popular opinion toward victory for the colonials.

The American colonies, as described in Thomas Kidd's "God of Liberty" were a fractious and varied lot. Deists, like Jefferson and Madison, rubbed shoulders with dyed-in-the-wool Anglicans like Sam Adams, and with radical evangelists among the Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians. In today's world, these groups might be bitter enemies. But the pre-revolutionary period gave each a stake in the same game: putting an end to state sponsorship of the Anglican Church. The Deists wanted the freedom to follow reason rather than superstition. Non-Anglicans wanted to establish their own churches and end sanctioned harassment by Anglicans. Not to mention that they were sick of having their taxes spent on supporting the state-run church.

The book starts with the Great Awakening of the 1740s, a time of religious fervor in America where many desired personal redemption and a more emotionally-charged religious experience. This awakening of the spirit coincided with the belief that the millennium foretold by the Bible was imminent, and that God would intervene on the side of the virtuous. These feelings, combined with nascent rebellious stirrings, merged into a hatred for the tyranny symbolized by British rule.Read more ›

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Excellent Read

Great Book! Was exactly what I was looking for when I bought it

Published 5 months ago by Isishannaisi

Something Positive about Christians! Imagine that!!

This was a good book. It's worth spending valuable time to read. the longer reviews here are better than mine would probably be, check them out, the book is good.

Published 10 months ago by bombshelterbob

It is helpful to get a popular scholarly book on ...

It is helpful to get a popular scholarly book on religion's role in the U.S. revolutionary period (and some beyond). Read more

Published 13 months ago by Ferrell Foster

Five Stars

Terrific!

Published 15 months ago by Timothy R Boeglin

Five Stars

Great condition

Published 16 months ago by Rachel

Very Informative Account Of Religon And The American Revolution

I am a Christian, American Patriot, self-published author, and amateur student of the American Revolution. Read more

Published 22 months ago by the1911patriot

Religious Heritage for America

Five star rating for information about our wonderful nation's history. Should be required reading for all high school students. Read more

Published on December 15, 2013 by Pat T.

OK but I wanted more incisive interpretation

Perhaps I expected a more thorough review and some incisive thought and reflection about what is today bandied about in the press and on blogs that America is a Christian nation. Read more

Published on December 10, 2013 by William Weitzel

essential book

every serious student of the American revolution must study the religious history.
this indeed is one of the main reasons for the initiation and sustainment of this conflict

Published on October 27, 2013 by Jim

A Very Important Read

Why did the former Puritans think their revolution did not fall under the Biblical warning to beware that "Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft" and instead think it that... Read more

Published on September 10, 2013 by Nancy Boyens

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