Is this God's country?: Religion and democracy in America
"Our founding documents are one source of this idea-they certainly reinforce the idea that God has a special mission for America. "America the Beautiful," as the song calls it, is often conceived as a great representative of democracy, a citadel on a divinely blessed hill. The Declara...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Print Book |
| Language: | English |
| Subito Delivery Service: | Order now. |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
New York, NY
Oxford University Press
[2024]
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| In: | Year: 2024 |
| Further subjects: | B
Democracy
Religious aspects
B Religion and state (United States) B Church and state (United States) B Democracy (United States) |
| Online Access: |
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Aggregator) |
| Parallel Edition: | Electronic
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| Summary: | "Our founding documents are one source of this idea-they certainly reinforce the idea that God has a special mission for America. "America the Beautiful," as the song calls it, is often conceived as a great representative of democracy, a citadel on a divinely blessed hill. The Declaration of Independence says we are "endowed by our Creator" with "unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1864 announces, "It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year... and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over the enemy, who is of our own household." In line with the divine endowment view, our currency displays "In God We Trust," and the Pledge of Allegiance calls us "one nation, under God." Many Americans also have a sense of America as having a mission, a kind of evangelism for democracy that is reminiscent of the Biblical commandment to make disciples of all nations. Our "founders"-authors of the Declaration and the Constitution-were mainly theists, and they considered the Bible the paradigm of divinely inspired writing and America the exemplar of an enduring union of Biblical ideals and democratic practices"-- Why think America is God's country? -- What is a religion? -- Religion as an engine of law-making -- Ethics and democracy : why should a religious nation tolerate irreligion? -- Public education : why shouldn't public education endorse the religious values of the nation? -- Religion, democracy, and economic liberty : why can't owners of a business run it as they like? -- Healthcare in America : why should government be allowed to override religious preferences? -- The civic responsibilities of citizens : do unto others : a moral and religious standard -- Can we integrate morality, politics, and religion? -- Civil discourse as a challenge for citizens and government -- Can America be Christian? |
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| Item Description: | Includes bibliographical references and index |
| ISBN: | 0197682669 |