Founders On God And Government

Foreword: Religious Liberty
Michael Novak
Preface

Religion And The Common Good: George Washington On Church And State
Vincent Philip Muoz
One Public Religion, Many Private Religions: John Adams And The 1780 Massachusetts Constitution
John Witte, Jr.
The Religious Rhetoric Of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas E. Buckley, S.J.
Religion And Politics In The Thought Of James Madison
Garrett Ward Sheldon
John Witherspoon’s Revolutionary Religion
Jeffry H. Morrison
Benjamin Franklin And The Role Of Religion In Governing Democracy
Howard L. Lubert
James Wilson: Presbyterian, Anglican, Thomist, Or Deist? Does It Matter?
Mark D. Hall
George Mason’s Pursuit Of Religious Liberty In Revolutionary Virginia
Daniel L. Dreisbach
Catholic Politics And Religious Liberty In America: The Carrolls Of Maryland
James R. Stoner
Afterword: Revolutionary-Era Americans: Were They Enlightened Or Protestant? Does It Matter?
Barry Alan Shain
Bibliography

Additional Info
In God We Trust?” The separation of church and state is a widely contested topic in the American political arena. Whether for or against, debaters frequently base their arguments in the Constitution and the principles of the American founding. However, Americans’ perception of the founding has narrowed greatly over the years, focusing on a handful of eminent statesmen.

By exploring the work of nine founding fathers, including often overlooked figures like John Carroll and George Mason, The Founders on God and Government provides a more complete picture of America’s origins. The contributors, all noted scholars, examine the lives of individual founders and investigate the relationship between their religious beliefs and political thought. Bringing together original documents and analytical essays, this book is an excellent addition to the library of literature on the founding, and sheds new light on religion’s contributions to American civic culture.