The Faiths of the Founding Fathers

The Faiths of the Founding Fathers
Author David L. Holmes
Publisher Oxford University Press
Publication date
 March 2006
Pages 225
ISBN 978-0-19-530092-5
OCLC 2005033077
LC Class BL2747.4.H63 2006

The Faiths of the Founding Fathers is a book by historian of American religion David L. Holmes of the College of William & Mary.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Holmes approaches the topic of the religion of the founders of the United States by analyzing their public statements and correspondence, the comments left by their contemporaries, and the views, where available, of clergy who knew them.

The main thesis of the book, found on page 134, is that the U.S. Founding Fathers fell into three religious categories:

  1. the smallest group, founders who had left their Judeo-Christian heritages and become advocates of the Enlightenment religion of nature and reason called "Deism". These figures included Thomas Paine and Ethan Allen.
  2. the founders who remained practicing Christians. They retained a supernaturalist world view, a belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, and an adherence to the teachings of their denomination. These founders included Patrick Henry, John Jay, and Samuel Adams. Holmes also finds that most of the wives and daughters of the founders fell into this category.
  3. the largest group consisted of founders who retained Christian loyalties and practice but were influenced by Deism. They believed in little or none of the miracles and supernaturalism inherent in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Holmes finds a spectrum of such Deistic Christians among the founders, ranging from John Adams and George Washington on the conservative right to Benjamin Franklin and James Monroe on the skeptical left.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Holmes, David L. (March 2006). The Faiths of the Founding Fathers. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530092-5. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  2. ↑ Douglas, Davison M. (2007). "Review of Faiths of the Founding Fathers by David L. Holmes". Journal of Church and State. 49 (1): 151–152.
  3. ↑ Fairbanks, James D. (May 14, 2006). "The Faiths of the Founding Fathers by David L. Holmes". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  4. ↑ Liss, David (June 11, 2006). "The Founding Fathers". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  5. ↑ Maclean, Iain S. (2008). "Review of Faiths of the Founding Fathers by David L. Holmes". Religious Studies Review. 34 (3): 221. doi:10.1111/j.1748-0922.2008.00308_5.x.
  6. ↑ Shoemaker, Stephen P. (2007). "Review of Faiths of the Founding Fathers by David L. Holmes". Fides et Historia. 39 (2): 141–2.
  7. ↑ Winters, Michael Sean (July 11, 2014). "Religion & the Founding: Holmes' 'The Faiths of the Founding Fathers'". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  8. ↑ Wolfe, Alan (May 7, 2006). "Keeping the Faith at Arm's Length". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  9. ↑ Wood, Gordon S. (June 8, 2006). "American Religion: The Great Retreat". The New York Review of Books. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  10. ↑ "The Faiths of the Founding Fathers". Publishers Weekly. February 27, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  • Holmes, David L. (March 2006). The Faiths of the Founding Fathers. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530092-5. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  • Holmes, David L. "The Founding Fathers, Deism, and Christianity". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2012-09-14.


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