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The American Bible: How Our Words Unite, Divide, and Define a Nation
The New York Time s bestselling author of Religious Literacy and God Is Not One presents a provocative crash course in the great “American scriptures”—those texts that have both divided and defined our understanding of what it is to be American. Stephen Prothero gives readers an exciting and user-friendly introduction to American cultural history in The American Bible . Highlighting the touchstones of our collective cultural legacy, from Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial; from the speeches of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan to the novels of Mark Twain and Ayn Rand, and beyond, Prothero’s stirring and provocative handbook peels back the curtain on the inner workings of what makes America tick.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2012
51 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Prothero
22 books93 followersStephen Prothero is a professor in the Department of Religion at Boston University and the author of numerous books, most recently Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know—And Doesn't and American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Idol. He has commented on religion on dozens of National Public Radio programs and on television on CNN, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, MSNBC and Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. A regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, he has also written for The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, Slate, Salon.com, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe.
Prothero has argued for mandatory public school Bible literacy courses (along the lines of the Bible Literacy Project's The Bible and Its Influence), along with mandatory courses on world religions. Prothero defines himself as a "confused Christian".
Prothero has argued for mandatory public school Bible literacy courses (along the lines of the Bible Literacy Project's The Bible and Its Influence), along with mandatory courses on world religions. Prothero defines himself as a "confused Christian".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 6, 2016
I wish this book had a different title, though if I'm honest, I most likely wouldn't have clicked on it at the e-library if it had. I expected a book about the Americanization of Christianity, but instead found a political treatise on the writings that influenced the birth and growth of our country, set up to mirror the Hebrew and later Christian scriptures; Genesis, psalms, proverbs, lamentations, etc.
I confess, when I first started listening to the audiobook, and after realizing that the author was a Professor of Religion, I was afraid that it would be biased or skewed in one particular direction, but I didn't particularly notice any bias.
With each writing that was discussed, the author would give an introduction to it, then the writing or a portion of it was provided, followed by reactions both for and against the document, in question. Listening to the audiobook, it was very much like listening to a conversation about the documents that influenced America and it's people.
And it strangely gave me hope in the midst of the current political anxiety.
I confess, when I first started listening to the audiobook, and after realizing that the author was a Professor of Religion, I was afraid that it would be biased or skewed in one particular direction, but I didn't particularly notice any bias.
With each writing that was discussed, the author would give an introduction to it, then the writing or a portion of it was provided, followed by reactions both for and against the document, in question. Listening to the audiobook, it was very much like listening to a conversation about the documents that influenced America and it's people.
And it strangely gave me hope in the midst of the current political anxiety.
December 8, 2012
Stephen Prothero has created a collection of texts, organized them as if they were a sacred text -- based on the biblical layout, and offers it for our use.
Influential texts and sayings are organized according to this outline: Genesis, Law, Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Prophets, Lamentations, Gospels, Acts, and Epistles. We hear from Washington to Martin Luther King. Each chosen document is introduced, with notation, and commentary (responses to the documents) added. You may not agree with all choices and may vehemently disagree with the sentiments found in some, but these represent those statements that have influenced our direction as a country.
Key themes are race, liberty, nationalism, and social justice.
I think this can be a great tool for reflection and conversation, especially at a time when our history as a nation is in dispute.
Influential texts and sayings are organized according to this outline: Genesis, Law, Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Prophets, Lamentations, Gospels, Acts, and Epistles. We hear from Washington to Martin Luther King. Each chosen document is introduced, with notation, and commentary (responses to the documents) added. You may not agree with all choices and may vehemently disagree with the sentiments found in some, but these represent those statements that have influenced our direction as a country.
Key themes are race, liberty, nationalism, and social justice.
I think this can be a great tool for reflection and conversation, especially at a time when our history as a nation is in dispute.
February 4, 2016
This book should have been titled The American Bible - According to the Academic Left. The author lets you know this is true by trying to squeeze in every Martin Luther King Jr reference he can in the first few pages. Also by constantly referencing Ronald Reagan, who by the time this book was released was almost a historical figure to many young readers, but who was an obsession/enemy to the author's generation of soft leftists. Within the critical comments included you're find the usual suspects of liberal/progressive orthodoxy - black, female, etc., just to show that the author is on the 'right side.'
And no, I'm not a wild-eyed Republican - I grew up in the 1960s, anti-war, pro-gay, etc. I just prefer my history to be high on thoughtful analysis and low on propaganda. I do not recommend this book.
And no, I'm not a wild-eyed Republican - I grew up in the 1960s, anti-war, pro-gay, etc. I just prefer my history to be high on thoughtful analysis and low on propaganda. I do not recommend this book.
August 21, 2012
I love politics. I don't think there is anyone around me who doesn't know that fact. I follow it as much as I can, as much as being a single father with a full time job will allow me to. I know enough to follow elections and debates with a degree of understanding. Hell, I follow it enough that I'm pretty sure I could identify every sitting Senator, if not by name, by face. I volunteer for campaigns. I wear campaign shirts. I voice my opinion, sometimes too much. I have never missed an election, primary or general, since I turned 18. I take politics seriously, but not personally. What I do not do, is make a religion out of my political, national, or world views. What's more, though they don't realize it, I think the vast majority of Americans do make a "religion" out of their beliefs. I'm still debating in my head, if this book simply reflects that, or if it glories in it. I am leaning towards the reflection side.
By the way, I have a feeling this is going to be a rather long review, so for that I apologize. You guys won't hurt my feelings if you don't feel like reading the entire thing.
From the title to the layout (more on that later), it seems as if the author is glorifying the idea that nationalism and our identity as Americans has turned into a quasi-religion. All you have to do is turn on cable news for anything longer than 30 minutes to understand that for a lot of us, being an American has taken on some rather overt religious tones. A lot of us consider this nation and, by default, ourselves as God's chosen. It's a concept I have serious issues wish, least of which is that when you think you are doing what God wants you to do, or that you represent God's chosen, it's a little hard to have a serious debate that may actually change hearts and minds. It's a concept that has set into stone, certain ideas and beliefs that doesn't allow any room for growth or compromise.
The book itself is broken down into chapters that mirror the Bible. It's starts with Genesis and ends with Epistles. I must admit that part of me was awfully glad that it didn't end with Revelations. And it's in the way the author structures these chapters that redeemed this book for me. Each chapter follows the same basic flow. He introduces us to the topic, giving us a brief background and history on it. Then, except in one case, gives us the material in it's entirety or if it's from a longer work, an excerpt of it. That is then followed by commentary, both past and present. Other than in the introductions, where some of author's biases come through (I dare anyone to write a book like this and not have that happen), the material is presented in a pretty straightforward manner. The commentary we are presented with comes at the subject from all angles and all political persuasions. I think he did a rather admirable job at giving the reader a cross section of opinion, allowing the reader to take everything in.
As you may suspect, Genesis, starts us off at the beginning of our nation. It delves into the idea of how The Exodus Story has influenced our history and our present political climate. It moves on through "A Model of Christian Charity" by John Winthrope, Common Sense by Thomas Paine, The Declaration of Independence, and The Blue-Black Speller by Noah Webster. In each of these cases, the author makes a compelling argument for how each speech or book influenced the way Americans viewed themselves and the country at the beginning of our history. He makes the cases that these are the foundations of what an American identity was built upon.
Law, introduces us to The Constitution, a document that many of us revere but have never read all the way through. It's, in my view, one of the pillars of our country, but it's not widely read or understood. You don't need to watch cable news to discover a lot of Americans not only don't know the history of The Constitution or the fights our founding fathers had in crafting it, but they really don't know what's in it. Outside of the Preamble and the first 10 amendments, our schools really don't cover it enough to allow our children to really have a grasp on not only what The Constitution says, but what it doesn't say. This chapter also delves into two Supreme Court decisions that altered society in ways that we are still fighting about, Brown V. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade.
Chronicles, delves into the novels that have formed and changed the way Americans relate with each other, racial minorities, and their government. Of all the chapters in this book, this is the one that seems to be the most subjective in terms of what was included and left out. It only lists three novels, Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Now that first two books I get. I can understand how both books fundamentally changed the way society understood and changed in regards to race in this country. I don't think either book worked alone in that aspect, nor did either one work miracles, but they both got a conversation started. It's the third book I find to be an odd choice. Don't get me wrong, I love Atlas Shrugged, and despite how it conflicts with my politics, it's one of my favorites. And maybe when it first came out, it helped to define the current conservative movement in this country, but I think that's where it ends. I think the politics and beliefs behind the book have a rather powerful cult following, but I think it's small. I actually wonder how many people underneath the age of 40 have even read the book, outside of a college campus that is. I'm not saying it shouldn't be included because it has made an impact, I'm just thinking there were other novels that should have been included before it.
The musical heritage of our country is diverse and strong, so I think it's fitting that there should be a Psalms chapter. And while I think the three songs included deserve to be there, I'm not so sure they are the only three songs that have shaped our nation's identity. Nor do I think they are the only three songs that have shaped our view of our place in the world. "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key, "God Bless America", Irving Berlin's response to the national anthem, and Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" are important songs. I'm just not convinced, even after reading this book, that there shouldn't be an entire book on this subject alone.
Proverbs was by far the quickest chapter to read and one of the most entertaining. Here is where we are introduced to one line sayings from Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Abigail Adams, Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln, Chief Joseph, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Regan, but the author lets us in on some of the background and history behind the words. They are all sayings we are familiar with and I must say I'm amazed by the staying power of some of them. There can be a pretty strong argument made in regards to how some of these proverbs have shaped the American identity in ways unrivaled by any other aspect of this book.
Of all the books I've read before this one, I don't think I've ever had Henry David Thoreau, Dwight Eisenhower, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X put into the same section before. In Prophets, the author makes a compelling argument for lumping these men together. Whether it's in Thoreau's treatise on "Civil Disobedience", Eisenhower's farewell address, King's "I Have a Dream" speech, or The Autobiography of Malcolm X, these four men were giving us a glimpse into the future of this country. In some cases they were meant to serve as a warning, in others, a celebration of where we were going. But in all cases, they were men who were trying to give us their vision of our country's future and for the most part, they are visions that have stuck in our collective minds and hearts.
Lamentations is the one chapter that surprised me the most. There are only two subjects discussed in the book, Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed by Maya Lin. I guess what surprised me the most was the controversy that both of those things stirred up and how both of them were used in such ways, by people who should have know better, to score political points. When it comes to mourning our dead and how we choose to remember them, I think it should be off limits. Sadly it never is, and this chapter made that all too clear.
Thomas Jefferson's and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inaugural address and Ronald Reagan's speech that introduced him politically to the nation are what the author set as the Gospels. They are three speeches that changed the way Americans viewed themselves, their government, and their role in the world. They were speeches that tried, and in large degrees managed, to shape the country's attitude and direction. They were speeches that told a story, whether true or not, in order to alter the political landscape.
The shortest chapter, and the one chapter I could have done without, was Acts. Apparently the only thing that warranted inclusion was The Pledge of Allegiance. Now I don't want to rehash the fights we have had in this country over the Pledge, but it's not something I'm ever been comfortable with, especially after I learned the history of it while I was still in high school. I'm not going to give my opinion of how I view it, I would just hope that everyone takes it upon themselves to find out where the Pledge came from and why it was altered to fit a certain narrative during the 50s. Now with that being said, I'm not sure what else the author could have included, but I would be curious to find out if anything else was considered.
And that leaves us with the last chapter, Epistles. Of all the chapters, this was the one I paid the most attention to, reading it twice. The author includes George Washington's farewell address, Thomas Jefferson's "Letter to the Danbury Baptists", and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." This chapter, more than the others, though only by a small degree, allowed me to get behind the eyes of the three men as they wrote down their words. I was familiar with all three works, some more than others, but this book allowed me to look at them in a way I haven't done before.
I'm still not sure how much this book will allow people to be more open to political dialogue in this country, but I think the author has made a good opening move in that direction. We seem to be living in a time that doesn't allow people to view those with opposite viewpoints as anything else but evil. I live in a state where I'm in the political minority. I have been called a communist, socialist, and been told I was going to Hell. Granted, it's normally by people who don't really know the definition of the words they are using, but that's beside the point. I guess my point is this, no matter how bad the discourse seems to be now, it's been worse. As a country we have always been able to figure out a way to come back together and do the right thing for ourselves and the future of our country. I have no doubt that though we deal with forces (cable news, blogs, talk radio) that seem to divide us even further apart than we have ever been, that books like this will have their own impact. That eventually, especially after we remember where we have been, that we will figure out how to keep moving forward. We just need enough people who are open enough, that aren't dogmatic in their beliefs, to reach across the political divide and get back to work.
By the way, I have a feeling this is going to be a rather long review, so for that I apologize. You guys won't hurt my feelings if you don't feel like reading the entire thing.
From the title to the layout (more on that later), it seems as if the author is glorifying the idea that nationalism and our identity as Americans has turned into a quasi-religion. All you have to do is turn on cable news for anything longer than 30 minutes to understand that for a lot of us, being an American has taken on some rather overt religious tones. A lot of us consider this nation and, by default, ourselves as God's chosen. It's a concept I have serious issues wish, least of which is that when you think you are doing what God wants you to do, or that you represent God's chosen, it's a little hard to have a serious debate that may actually change hearts and minds. It's a concept that has set into stone, certain ideas and beliefs that doesn't allow any room for growth or compromise.
The book itself is broken down into chapters that mirror the Bible. It's starts with Genesis and ends with Epistles. I must admit that part of me was awfully glad that it didn't end with Revelations. And it's in the way the author structures these chapters that redeemed this book for me. Each chapter follows the same basic flow. He introduces us to the topic, giving us a brief background and history on it. Then, except in one case, gives us the material in it's entirety or if it's from a longer work, an excerpt of it. That is then followed by commentary, both past and present. Other than in the introductions, where some of author's biases come through (I dare anyone to write a book like this and not have that happen), the material is presented in a pretty straightforward manner. The commentary we are presented with comes at the subject from all angles and all political persuasions. I think he did a rather admirable job at giving the reader a cross section of opinion, allowing the reader to take everything in.
As you may suspect, Genesis, starts us off at the beginning of our nation. It delves into the idea of how The Exodus Story has influenced our history and our present political climate. It moves on through "A Model of Christian Charity" by John Winthrope, Common Sense by Thomas Paine, The Declaration of Independence, and The Blue-Black Speller by Noah Webster. In each of these cases, the author makes a compelling argument for how each speech or book influenced the way Americans viewed themselves and the country at the beginning of our history. He makes the cases that these are the foundations of what an American identity was built upon.
Law, introduces us to The Constitution, a document that many of us revere but have never read all the way through. It's, in my view, one of the pillars of our country, but it's not widely read or understood. You don't need to watch cable news to discover a lot of Americans not only don't know the history of The Constitution or the fights our founding fathers had in crafting it, but they really don't know what's in it. Outside of the Preamble and the first 10 amendments, our schools really don't cover it enough to allow our children to really have a grasp on not only what The Constitution says, but what it doesn't say. This chapter also delves into two Supreme Court decisions that altered society in ways that we are still fighting about, Brown V. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade.
Chronicles, delves into the novels that have formed and changed the way Americans relate with each other, racial minorities, and their government. Of all the chapters in this book, this is the one that seems to be the most subjective in terms of what was included and left out. It only lists three novels, Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Now that first two books I get. I can understand how both books fundamentally changed the way society understood and changed in regards to race in this country. I don't think either book worked alone in that aspect, nor did either one work miracles, but they both got a conversation started. It's the third book I find to be an odd choice. Don't get me wrong, I love Atlas Shrugged, and despite how it conflicts with my politics, it's one of my favorites. And maybe when it first came out, it helped to define the current conservative movement in this country, but I think that's where it ends. I think the politics and beliefs behind the book have a rather powerful cult following, but I think it's small. I actually wonder how many people underneath the age of 40 have even read the book, outside of a college campus that is. I'm not saying it shouldn't be included because it has made an impact, I'm just thinking there were other novels that should have been included before it.
The musical heritage of our country is diverse and strong, so I think it's fitting that there should be a Psalms chapter. And while I think the three songs included deserve to be there, I'm not so sure they are the only three songs that have shaped our nation's identity. Nor do I think they are the only three songs that have shaped our view of our place in the world. "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key, "God Bless America", Irving Berlin's response to the national anthem, and Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" are important songs. I'm just not convinced, even after reading this book, that there shouldn't be an entire book on this subject alone.
Proverbs was by far the quickest chapter to read and one of the most entertaining. Here is where we are introduced to one line sayings from Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Abigail Adams, Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln, Chief Joseph, Calvin Coolidge, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Regan, but the author lets us in on some of the background and history behind the words. They are all sayings we are familiar with and I must say I'm amazed by the staying power of some of them. There can be a pretty strong argument made in regards to how some of these proverbs have shaped the American identity in ways unrivaled by any other aspect of this book.
Of all the books I've read before this one, I don't think I've ever had Henry David Thoreau, Dwight Eisenhower, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X put into the same section before. In Prophets, the author makes a compelling argument for lumping these men together. Whether it's in Thoreau's treatise on "Civil Disobedience", Eisenhower's farewell address, King's "I Have a Dream" speech, or The Autobiography of Malcolm X, these four men were giving us a glimpse into the future of this country. In some cases they were meant to serve as a warning, in others, a celebration of where we were going. But in all cases, they were men who were trying to give us their vision of our country's future and for the most part, they are visions that have stuck in our collective minds and hearts.
Lamentations is the one chapter that surprised me the most. There are only two subjects discussed in the book, Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed by Maya Lin. I guess what surprised me the most was the controversy that both of those things stirred up and how both of them were used in such ways, by people who should have know better, to score political points. When it comes to mourning our dead and how we choose to remember them, I think it should be off limits. Sadly it never is, and this chapter made that all too clear.
Thomas Jefferson's and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inaugural address and Ronald Reagan's speech that introduced him politically to the nation are what the author set as the Gospels. They are three speeches that changed the way Americans viewed themselves, their government, and their role in the world. They were speeches that tried, and in large degrees managed, to shape the country's attitude and direction. They were speeches that told a story, whether true or not, in order to alter the political landscape.
The shortest chapter, and the one chapter I could have done without, was Acts. Apparently the only thing that warranted inclusion was The Pledge of Allegiance. Now I don't want to rehash the fights we have had in this country over the Pledge, but it's not something I'm ever been comfortable with, especially after I learned the history of it while I was still in high school. I'm not going to give my opinion of how I view it, I would just hope that everyone takes it upon themselves to find out where the Pledge came from and why it was altered to fit a certain narrative during the 50s. Now with that being said, I'm not sure what else the author could have included, but I would be curious to find out if anything else was considered.
And that leaves us with the last chapter, Epistles. Of all the chapters, this was the one I paid the most attention to, reading it twice. The author includes George Washington's farewell address, Thomas Jefferson's "Letter to the Danbury Baptists", and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." This chapter, more than the others, though only by a small degree, allowed me to get behind the eyes of the three men as they wrote down their words. I was familiar with all three works, some more than others, but this book allowed me to look at them in a way I haven't done before.
I'm still not sure how much this book will allow people to be more open to political dialogue in this country, but I think the author has made a good opening move in that direction. We seem to be living in a time that doesn't allow people to view those with opposite viewpoints as anything else but evil. I live in a state where I'm in the political minority. I have been called a communist, socialist, and been told I was going to Hell. Granted, it's normally by people who don't really know the definition of the words they are using, but that's beside the point. I guess my point is this, no matter how bad the discourse seems to be now, it's been worse. As a country we have always been able to figure out a way to come back together and do the right thing for ourselves and the future of our country. I have no doubt that though we deal with forces (cable news, blogs, talk radio) that seem to divide us even further apart than we have ever been, that books like this will have their own impact. That eventually, especially after we remember where we have been, that we will figure out how to keep moving forward. We just need enough people who are open enough, that aren't dogmatic in their beliefs, to reach across the political divide and get back to work.
January 20, 2020
What America values, the Political heros and how they are used and interpreted.
The Exodus story is THE American story
————————///—————————————-
Characterize our political opponents as enemies
Uncivilized
Partisan tradition
Polarizing hate
Obama=African American Joshua
Our Egypt-England
Our Zion-new world
Who is American’s Moses?
George Washington?
Abe Lincoln?
MLK jr? Harriet Tubman? Brigham Young?
Clash of interpretations
Lincoln as Christ
Manifest destiny - seize the Western Hemisphere in gods name
American exceptionalism
There’s another part to the shining city
Reagan’s social Darwinism
Thomas Paine
American provocateur
Common sense pamphlet 1776
The goal of common sense was to tear the world apart.
Rejecting prevailing theory that King’s rule by divine right, tracing their origins of the British crown back to William the conquerer. Nothing better than principle roughies in a restless gang.
Advances a doctrine of rule by ballet
“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
Americans founding neoconservative
War cost to preserve liberty
Liberal admirers-
Europe is too flush with kingdoms to be at peace for long.
Heritable succession rights-No man has a right to set up himself and his descendants in perpetual preference to all others.
Nature disapproves it
How liberals have become conservatives and vice versa
Government policies that benefit one American at the expense of another.
Lobbyists
Draft Declaration of Independence
Committee of 5
Endless cycles of interpretations
Constitution is godless
Declaration more use to Christian nation
Injustice
Inequality - natural and inescapable
Wide diversification among men perpetuates endless variety
What to the American slave is your Fourth of July?
Criticizing the idolizing of declaration worship in a nation of free citizens
-Pauline Myer
Liberate human spirit or Fostered a self centered culture of right at odds with the common good.
Mummified paper curiosities lying in state at archives. In worship of false gods at odds with our 18th centuries origins
Noah Webster
Federalist
Unity of language
National language separate from the king’s English
Speller-lorded over American school children
Father of copyright law & census
Secularism
Blueback speller
Maguffy readers
1787 The constitution - American Torah
The supreme law of the land
Presidents
Citizens
Enshrined titanium case filled with argon gas.
Articles tilted towards states
Bill of rights 1791
10 amendments
26 amendments
Organic living document
Condemnation the constitution as a betrayal of the declarations egalitarianism.
Perpetuate a Christian order
Brown vs boe
Gradualism
Period of transition
Desegregation speed
Degrade education for white
Inferiority complex for blacks
Civil rights act 1964
Black Monday
Rowe v wade 1973
Abortion litmus test for party loyalty
Abortion is a moral issue
Human beings
Right to live must not be contingent on the pleasure of anyone else not a parent or a sovereign.
Naomi Wolfe
Pro choice movement has ceded the language of right and wrong to abortion foes. Ethical core. Political rhetoric were fetus means nothing.
Self delusion
Callous selfish who share a cheapened view of life.
Pro choice response is to evade. To move to discussion of privacy and choice.
Between myself and god.
Soul.
Conscious.
Pro choice language limits the way we let ourselves think about abortion.
Choice of carpet is a personal choice.
Life or death
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Uncle Tom’s cabin (one dimensional, preachy,
Romantic racialism, sentimental, sensational)
Retells crucifixion
Convinced millions of Americans slavery belonged in the past.
Merely god’s dictation
5ft tall
Painting a picture
Brotherhood of god in man
Psychology
Vivacious in religious worship
Traits of race- accounts of fancy and visions
88 years after declaring independence
Quickening the National conscious
Fiction
Displace from northern libraries
True panorama of slavery
Critique of American society
Whites cold and heartless
Blacks religious and warm
Life death
Good evil
North south
Huck Finn
Racist or anti racist?
Freshwater Moby Dick
Imoral
Racist
Elitist
Banned as vivarious trash
Racist trash
Against melting pot
Critics argued satire
N word
*Parasitical nature of white freedom
Coexistence of white equality
Fighting racism with satire
Atlas Shrugged
Rand
Juvenile, preachy
Ideological fabulism
Lasse faire capitalism is more moral than the welfare state. Rejecting god and tradition.
Feminists
Highly romantic and highly sci-Fi
Encourage women to see themselves as sacrificial animals, whose talents are forfeited for the good of children & society
Terry teachow
Preposterous book
Objectivism
Reason everything
Religious is a fraud
Selfishness is a virtue
Altruism is a crime against human excellence
Sacrifice is a weakness
Know also as adolescence
Invincible self involvement, testing moral boundaries & prone to egotism & Hero worship
Eventually we grow out of it.
Realizing the quality of our lives tied to benefit of others.
Phase
Tea party’s prophet
The star spangled banner
Melody-British drinking song
Ballad of Venom and hatred
Hatred, boastful pride and murder
Set the note to free so high no one could reach it. He did that on purpose.
Interventionist
Isolationist
Nativists
Pluralism
Calling down god’s mercy on all countries
Jeremiah Wright “god damn America.”
God shows no partiality to one nation. God blesses all nation.
The self righteousness.
This Land is your Land
Woody Guthrie
No bombs bursting in air
No sanctimonious blessings
Praise or lament to American dream
This land is not you land unless you are Trump or Tish. Who really owns America?
Proverbs
Ben Franklin’s aphorisms
Time is money
Time inelastic. Perishable
God helps those who help themselves.
Hard work not prayer
Plea for self reliance
Not biblical but part of American bible
Give me liberty or give me death.
Patrick Henry 1775
Virginia militia
“Remember the ladies.”
“Ain’t I a woman?”
“Malice for none. Charity for all.”
“I will fight no more forever.”
The new deal. FDR
“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
“Evil empire.”
Thoreau
Civil disobedience
Governs least
Military industrial complex
MLK
Martin Luther King Jr.
Protestant civil rights leader
Affirmative action
Discrimination
Malcom x
Malcom Little
X- symbol of lost African surname
Nation of Islam
Rival Black Muslims murdered him
Making him a martyr
Media -got his just desserts
Unashamed demigod
True gifts to evil purposes
Attitudes changed with autobiography
NOI
Once born. Twice born
He becomes Satan with his beliefs that Christianity is the opiate of the black masses
Black man-trillions of years old
White only 6,000 year old
MLK + MX= ying & yang
Hate vs hope
Violence vs nonviolence
Dream vs the nightmare
Rapist master’s heel
Blue eyed devil
Mecca- the brotherhood
Islam erases the race problem
White is an attitude
They see the Oneness of god, but can Christians see the oneness of man?
Black kkk
Anti Semitic
Compared Holocaust to slavery
Lamentations
Gettysburg address political sermon on the mount
A new birth of freedom
Beauty not sense
Vietnam memorial
Black
Below
Abstract
Asian American artist
Gash in the earth
Polished black granite . reflects you. dead and living meet. Where were you and what role you played in that war.
“We are all federalists. We are all republicans.”
1892
Pledge of allegiance
Dumping ground of Europe
1954-Ike “under god”
Hamilton vs Jefferson
Washington’s partisanship in 2nd term
1793 guillotining king Louis & Marie Antionette
Gods and government
Good without god?
Republic without morality
Jefferson’s wall separation
Israeli invasion of Lebanon and USA role
American exceptionalism vs globalization
Isolationism
Jefferson
Metaphorical wall between church and state
Separationists
Safeguarding the church not state from church
Garden of church and wilderness of world
“Good fences make good neighbors.” JFK
promise to keep Catholicism out of his governing
The groups tend to be more immoral than the individual
Letter from Birmingham jail:
The white moderate
Worse than kkk
Regretable conclusion- More devoted to order than justice
Prefers negative peace which is the absence of tension. Than positive peace which is the presence of justice.
Agree with your goals but not your method.
We bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive
Social stagnation
Now is the time. Always the time to do right.
Do nothing or hate and despair of black nationalism?
Non violent love and direct action
Church as a glorified social club
Thomas Payne-insisting we are all the better for differences of opinion
“Our nation must rise above a house divided.”
Bush
Like the constitution the American Bible is a Living document possessed by a spirit of adaptation.
Americans come together to argue.
Shared practice that makes us a community.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2022
One of the great achievements of The American Bible is evident from reading reviews. Readers can't figure out Prothero's ideological leanings-- in a minute, we find a religious conservative bemoaning Prothero's bias, and a liberal labeling Prothero a conservative.
Readers who think that Prothero's ideology worthy of identifying, as if his having a different ideology than they do makes him less worthy of consideration, kind of misses the main point of the book. And the main point is really interesting -- that which makes us American is our agreement that we have a certain set of documents we disagree over, not the position we take on the documents. If we embrace this idea, it can change our everyday lives, because we can see the fractiousness of everyday life as an intrinsic part of Americanness.
Another of the great achievements is how the conceit of The American Bible allows us to think of what belongs in the Bible and what does not, so we encounter other long-familiar tropes and expressions with new eyes and recognize them as also being part of our shared American canon.
Readers who think that Prothero's ideology worthy of identifying, as if his having a different ideology than they do makes him less worthy of consideration, kind of misses the main point of the book. And the main point is really interesting -- that which makes us American is our agreement that we have a certain set of documents we disagree over, not the position we take on the documents. If we embrace this idea, it can change our everyday lives, because we can see the fractiousness of everyday life as an intrinsic part of Americanness.
Another of the great achievements is how the conceit of The American Bible allows us to think of what belongs in the Bible and what does not, so we encounter other long-familiar tropes and expressions with new eyes and recognize them as also being part of our shared American canon.
July 10, 2012
The American Bible uses the essential American texts to tell a part of the story of our country and then commentaries from contemporaneous writers and later ones to help understand its impact in different eras of our country. I don't recommend sitting down and reading right through the entire volume. Rather, readers should dip into it from time-to-time and sample the documents before reading the commentaries in detail. The introductions to each reading place the text in the context of history. To read my entire review, look at me blog: http://tinyurl.com/yfv2qqj
March 24, 2017
I slowly devoured this compilation because it is a book designed for thought. In the beginning I appreciated the contrasting views presented in each section. By the time I reached revelation I understood contrasting views are The American Bible and I felt more American.
August 30, 2021
The American Bible is a surprisingly good read. Coming from Mr. Prothero, I expected it to be much more religious than the book actually was. In reality, this book does a fantastic job of tying together the most impactful messages on the shaping of the USA. By the end of the book I felt like I had learned a lot of important historical insights and details about the United States that had not been presented to me in a meaningful light through my school years. For each of the chosen passages, Stephen includes commentary and remarks from both sides of the public's responses. Reading these remarks was very beneficial in forming my own opinions on each topic and I am very pleased in the way Mr. Prothero composed and presented this information.
October 29, 2020
I would love to rate this 5 stars for its excellent selection of primary source documents and historically relevant interactions by influential historical figures. Unfortunately, Mr. Prothero has obvious bias in his introductions that he does not even attempt, not care, to hide. While his introductions have valuable contextual background, one needs look no further than his adjectives and adverbs to quickly and plainly see his political leanings. If there exists a revised edition with balanced introductions that do not seek to sway the readers opinion before one even gets to read the selection, I would happily up my rating.
June 4, 2022
While dated due to its frequent mentions of the Obama adminisration (this was published in 2012), I found this book very enlightening. I will return to this book as a refrence often and even highlighted a few parts I was wooed by, something I don't usually do. The wierd connections to religion made parts of this akward because of their odd design. I am inteterested in seeing an updated version mentioning the Trump Administration and the controversial ways it represented American values.
July 30, 2014
Stephen Prothero defines "The American Bible" as the nearly-sacred documents, speeches, books, and sayings from American history that continually are drawn upon by politicians and citizens as they attempt to conceptualize and direct American politics and social life. While the Christian Bible does figure among these texts, he primarily uses the Bible to structure the collection of documents from American history. Pre-Revolutionary texts such as Thomas Paine's COMMON SENSE and the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE constitute the "Genesis" section; THE CONSTITUTION and two Supreme Court rulings constitute the "Law"; 3 examples of American literature constitute "Chronicles"; "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" are "Psalms"; and other like categories are grouped as "Proverbs," "Prophets," "Lamentations," "Gospels", "Acts," and "Epistles." This proves to be a fun and effective way to read about these "American scriptures." One of Prothero's main points is that both political parties use the same texts to prove opposite points and yet most Americans don't read these well-quoted texts in their entirety or context. He puts the document in context, reproduces the text, and then gives several responses, reinterpretations, or re-appropriations by modern politicians/citizens.
This is a very interesting book; particularly if you've only taken high school history (where reading primary documents rarely occurred) and would like to see the basis for virtually every present day political controversy. I particularly like what Prothero says in closing:
"Increasingly, both political parties tell us what we want to hear, and almost no one dares to call for genuine sacrifice. Democrats push for more government services and higher taxes; Republicans push for fewer government services and lower taxes. What we get is the easy stuff: more services and lower taxes. The hard choices are put off to the next election, the next generation" (488).
...
"It is not un-American to criticize any book in the American Bible. . . . No one here is divine. No idea is dogma. But as you criticize Lincoln or King or Bush or Obama, know what you are doing. You are not opting out of America; you are opting in. Americans speak different languages and worship different gods. They join competing political parties. But they come together to argue. This is our shared practice, and it makes us a community as surely as the Mass brings together Catholics or the sermon brings together Protestants. Agreement cannot hold us together, because we do not agree. Not even the Constitution itself can constitute America. What constitutes us is this ongoing conversation about our law and our prophets and the many questions they left unresolved" (489).
This is a very interesting book; particularly if you've only taken high school history (where reading primary documents rarely occurred) and would like to see the basis for virtually every present day political controversy. I particularly like what Prothero says in closing:
"Increasingly, both political parties tell us what we want to hear, and almost no one dares to call for genuine sacrifice. Democrats push for more government services and higher taxes; Republicans push for fewer government services and lower taxes. What we get is the easy stuff: more services and lower taxes. The hard choices are put off to the next election, the next generation" (488).
...
"It is not un-American to criticize any book in the American Bible. . . . No one here is divine. No idea is dogma. But as you criticize Lincoln or King or Bush or Obama, know what you are doing. You are not opting out of America; you are opting in. Americans speak different languages and worship different gods. They join competing political parties. But they come together to argue. This is our shared practice, and it makes us a community as surely as the Mass brings together Catholics or the sermon brings together Protestants. Agreement cannot hold us together, because we do not agree. Not even the Constitution itself can constitute America. What constitutes us is this ongoing conversation about our law and our prophets and the many questions they left unresolved" (489).
December 20, 2014
Stephen Prothero sets out with an ambitious goal: to have Americans talk to one another more civilly. In order to do this, we need to know what we're talking about. The Constitution; Huckleberry Finn; the Gettsyburg Address; Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a woman?" - these and other American pieces have shaped our national debate since before its founding. The book includes excerpts, or, in the case of shorter entries like songs and The Pledge of Allegiance, the entire piece. Each piece is placed into a book of the Bible, and thus receives a new context. The Psalms include the National Anthem next to "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie; The Gettysburg Address and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall are the American Bible's two Lamentations.
Before each piece is an introduction by Prothero, which provides necessary background to the piece. It includes both the origins as well as the responses by contemporaries. After each piece, Prothero includes excerpts of these responses from the time of the piece to the modern day. Since all of these writings have shaped our development as a county, seeing the evolving reactions that they generate helps provide a sense of history.
After all, none of these writings should be considered sacrosanct. They have been used by people of all backgrounds and biases to support their aims. What we must remember is that it's in that diversity of viewpoints that we find our strength as a country - but only if we're able to listen to and respect the people behind those viewpoints. The venom that exists in modern discourse is repugnant, but forms of it have always existed. So, too, have the writings that have inspired great actions and goals. These are what make up the American Bible.
Before each piece is an introduction by Prothero, which provides necessary background to the piece. It includes both the origins as well as the responses by contemporaries. After each piece, Prothero includes excerpts of these responses from the time of the piece to the modern day. Since all of these writings have shaped our development as a county, seeing the evolving reactions that they generate helps provide a sense of history.
After all, none of these writings should be considered sacrosanct. They have been used by people of all backgrounds and biases to support their aims. What we must remember is that it's in that diversity of viewpoints that we find our strength as a country - but only if we're able to listen to and respect the people behind those viewpoints. The venom that exists in modern discourse is repugnant, but forms of it have always existed. So, too, have the writings that have inspired great actions and goals. These are what make up the American Bible.
November 8, 2020
Really enjoyed this collection of American "prophets." I liked the comparison of our American inspirational sources to the books of the Bible. And, Prothero does an excellent job of providing context & background for each document/speech/work plus balanced commentary & critique from a variety of sources. I would think that most people would be familiar with these works, yet like me unaware of the background of each. Plus, I'd never read King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail," which I kind of feel should be taught in school along with the Declaration & Constitution.
Prothero's epilogue is quite inspiring too.
"In fact, many of our past additions are themselves reinterpretations: the Gettysburg Address emends the Declaration of Independence & "I Have a Dream" emends the Gettysburg Address. All this is to say America's conversation about itself is, in a sense, rabbinic . . . offering competing intrepations."
Update: dropped rating to 3.5 because I felt like the failure to include Lazarus "New Colossus" inscription from the Statue of Liberty, or rather the Statue at all, was a glaring error & smacked of cowardice as the author follows a conservative viewpoint. Right or wrong the "melting pot" is part of our national identity & heritage & should have been included/confronted.
Prothero's epilogue is quite inspiring too.
"In fact, many of our past additions are themselves reinterpretations: the Gettysburg Address emends the Declaration of Independence & "I Have a Dream" emends the Gettysburg Address. All this is to say America's conversation about itself is, in a sense, rabbinic . . . offering competing intrepations."
Update: dropped rating to 3.5 because I felt like the failure to include Lazarus "New Colossus" inscription from the Statue of Liberty, or rather the Statue at all, was a glaring error & smacked of cowardice as the author follows a conservative viewpoint. Right or wrong the "melting pot" is part of our national identity & heritage & should have been included/confronted.
September 11, 2013
This is an excellent resource--and it is more of a resource or a reference work than the type of book most would sit down and read from cover to cover.
Dr. Prothero's book is supposed to be like a Bible (a collection of sacred or authoritative texts) of American politics. But since it contains not just the texts themselves (e.g., The Declaration of Independence) but commentaries on the texts it's more like a Study Bible than Bible simpliciter (a Bible, simpliciter, simply contains the sacred text. A study Bible contains the text and then a commentary on it).
It's not completely like a Bible though in that it doesn't contain the entire texts of the "books" included in it. For instance, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Uncle Tom's Cabin, etc. only receive a few excerpts. Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged makes the list and yet isn't published at all (because the copyright holders wouldn't give permission to reprint any portion of it). But most of the essays, poems, or songs are published in full.
I think Dr. Prothero had a great idea in putting this together and it's a very interesting and informative read.
Dr. Prothero's book is supposed to be like a Bible (a collection of sacred or authoritative texts) of American politics. But since it contains not just the texts themselves (e.g., The Declaration of Independence) but commentaries on the texts it's more like a Study Bible than Bible simpliciter (a Bible, simpliciter, simply contains the sacred text. A study Bible contains the text and then a commentary on it).
It's not completely like a Bible though in that it doesn't contain the entire texts of the "books" included in it. For instance, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Uncle Tom's Cabin, etc. only receive a few excerpts. Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged makes the list and yet isn't published at all (because the copyright holders wouldn't give permission to reprint any portion of it). But most of the essays, poems, or songs are published in full.
I think Dr. Prothero had a great idea in putting this together and it's a very interesting and informative read.
September 3, 2013
I like what this book is trying to accomplish. Pundits and politicians of all stripes have long appropriated a few key texts, speeches, and phrases throughout American history for their own purposes - the Constitution, Jefferson's separation of church and state, John Winthrop's "shining city on a hill", MLK's dream, Reagan's evil empire. What do they really mean and how and why have they been used as ammo for both sides of the spectrum?
This book offers some well needed non-partisan context. At first, I found the format a bit tiresome and wordy: a short background section, the original text reprinted, and a bunch of commentary from various sources about the text. At times it seemed like the author was trying too hard to appear nonpartisan by treating everyone's commentary with equal weight. But then I realized it's not so much about whose interpretation is right and wrong. It's about how many different interpretations people have.
This book offers some well needed non-partisan context. At first, I found the format a bit tiresome and wordy: a short background section, the original text reprinted, and a bunch of commentary from various sources about the text. At times it seemed like the author was trying too hard to appear nonpartisan by treating everyone's commentary with equal weight. But then I realized it's not so much about whose interpretation is right and wrong. It's about how many different interpretations people have.
November 4, 2012
I really enjoyed reviewing some of the more influential documents and other works that have gone a long way to forming our shared political and cultural framework, as presented in this book. Works like the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Gettysburg Address, several presidential inaugural and farewell addresses, as well as works by those outside of government, such as Civil Disobedience, Letter from Birmingham Jail, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Autobiography of Malcolm X. Each chapter offers an introduction, the text in question, and commentary on the text from those on all sides of the political spectrum, admirers and detractors of the work alike.
March 20, 2013
This ambitious volume brings together texts, or excerpts from texts, that have shaped the United States of America as we know it. Tom Paine, Abraham Lincoln, Woody Guthrie, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., speeches and letters and court decisions and song lyrics, dreams and aspirations of a dozen generations, the words still bind us. There are excellent passages to give a historical and political context to each writer as well as commentaries -- agreements, disagreements -- by their contemporaries and ours.
I can only give it 4 stars because I haven't read it through. But every spot in the stream where I have stopped to drink, I have arisen refreshed.
I can only give it 4 stars because I haven't read it through. But every spot in the stream where I have stopped to drink, I have arisen refreshed.
August 11, 2013
A fine and intentionally controversial selection of primary texts and commentary on the narratives and images that American constantly use to define ourselves and our nation, Prothero seeks to teach us to question and be more knowledgeable about the history of those narratives and images, and speak with one another more generously and carefully. Feels like a classroom reader, and would be an easy fit into the classroom, as well as an interfaith community read and study over the course of a year, taking one major section at a time.
October 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book a lot. The author did a nice job of compiling selections for this book, and then highlighted differing viewpoints at the end of the chapter. It's fascinating to read, for example, that some people thought Lincoln's Gettysburg Address to be rubbish soon after the speech was given. Or to read about the way people view the Vietnam Memorial and what the memorial means (or doesn't mean). Most helpful, I think, are the reminders that many of the struggles we face today have been part of our nation's fabric all along.
October 21, 2012
If you want to fully understand what makes America America, read this book. It should be required reading in high schools. I love Stephen Prothero's books, but this one is tops on my list now. I learned so much.
July 11, 2013
An excellent critical analysis and commentary of the "books" of what Prothero calls the "American Bible", the seminal texts that have gotten us where we are and will likely guide us to where ever it is we are going.
June 10, 2014
Great collection of the most important speeches, letters, songs, etc in our nations history. The various commentaries on all of these were interesting and well balanced. Good book for liberals or conservatives.
Want to read
August 8, 2012Interviewed by Bob Edwards on 8/7/2012
Read
April 6, 2013This is a book to keep on the night stand to read in bits and pieces. Very entertaining as well as enlightening. http://barbarafalconernewhall.com/201...
August 26, 2016
A brilliant examination of the various famous quotes, sayings, songs, and pamphlets of the nation through the eyes of other commentators and public figures, both historical and current.
March 14, 2013
I did not read this book, but Roberto did, and he thinks this book should be read by everyone! Should be required reading in high school. After that endorsement I of course am going to read it.
June 16, 2013
I've relaxed a bit now that I realize the present political rancor is not unique. This book would be very interesting to work through in a high school or college course or even a book club.
October 22, 2013
I reviewed this book for the Episcopal Digital Network in August 2012:
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/st...
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/st...
April 22, 2016
Fascinating read
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