John Witherspoon and the Founding of the American Republic: Catholicism in American Culture

by Jeffry H. Morrison

Jeffry H. Morrison offers readers the first comprehensive look at the political thought and career of John Witherspoon―a Scottish Presbyterian minister and one of America’s most influential and overlooked founding fathers. Witherspoon was an active member of the Continental Congress and was the only clergyman both to sign the Declaration of Independence and to ratify the federal Constitution. During his tenure as president of the College of New Jersey at Princeton, Witherspoon became a mentor to James Madison and influenced many leaders and thinkers of the founding period. He was uniquely positioned at the crossroads of politics, religion, and education during the crucial first decades of the new republic. Morrison locates Witherspoon in the context of early American political thought and charts the various influences on his thinking. This impressive work of scholarship offers a broad treatment of Witherspoon’s constitutionalism, including his contributions to the mediating institutions of religion and education, and to political institutions from the colonial through the early federal periods. This book will be appreciated by anyone with an interest in American political history and thought and in the relation of religion to American politics.

Genres: History, Biography, Christianity, American History, Philosophy

220 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2005

Reviews

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I do not wish to oppose anybody's religion, but everybody's wickedness." -John Witherspoon. I desperately want every American to get to know John Witherspoon and all that he did to contribute to the founding of this nation and to our founding documents. He is a fascinating man who had intense influence on the creation of the America we know today. As the only member of the clergy to sign the Declaration he is one of the founders who made it clear that God be involved in all that is created by man. This book doesn't necessarily deliver John Witherspoon and his contributions in a clear and concise way, but it is filled with good information. The author of this book is also quite perturbed that Witherspoon is not more well known and spends too much time trying to convince us to be a disciple of Witherspoon. This book is obviously the work of an academic and I believe that his target audience must also be those in academia and that should be understood if one choose to read this volume.

Here are some quotes that give a glimpse into this intriguing man:

"Witherspoon coined the word 'Americanism' - a term that, as Martin Diamond pointed out, has not counterpart in any other nation's vocabulary. Witherspoon has also been attributed with introduction the Latin word 'campus' into the American lexicon, when he used it to describe the grounds at Princeton in 1774."

"Witherspoon was probably the most influential teacher in the entire history of American education."-Garry Wills

"The practice of true and undefiled religion...is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness." -John Witherspoon

"By true religion, Witherspoon meant something like genuine or sincere religion - a kind of Christianity that was marked by genuine conversation and that changed a person inside and out."

"Witherspoon's formulation of the relationship between religion and republicanism was typical of the thinking of nearly all the founders, even the heterodox such as Washington."

"Witherspoon understood that religious liberty or freedom of conscience was the end, and civil liberty the means to the end. Since the two liberties were interdependent, the struggle for civil liberty became a struggle for religious liberty."

"Perhaps more than any other single founder, Witherspoon embodied all of the major intellectual and social elements behind the American founding."

[Bob O'Bannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone has heard of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, but few have heard of John Witherspoon, the only pastor to have signed the Declaration of Independence. It just so happens that Witherspoon was a committed Presbyterian whose belief in the Westminster Confession of Faith profoundly influenced his ideas about the new nation. (Apparently the revolutionary war was known in Europe as the "Presbyterian rebellion" -- p. 6). While it is true that the founders wanted a separation between church and state, this book shows how important the founders believed religion to be in maintaining a virtuous populous for the formation of a healthy country. It brings up an interesting question in my mind: how well can a democracy function when its population has moved so far from righteousness?

[LaRae☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for content -- this book is a clear overview of the Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon, about whom I knew precious little before reading this book.

3 stars, however, for style. It was dry and overly pedantic, and therefore not as readable as it might have been.

[Alan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography on Witherspoon Hidden Within

So I read this book because I found John Witherspoon's name referenced in book on Clergymen influence on the American Revolution. The author did a great job on explaining Witherspoon's contributions to our Independence and Federal government. However, the author incorporates a lot of information on the prevailing philosophy at the time and discussion on Witherspoons writings, which I thought was not necessary. The author could have just included Witherspoon's writings and then make comments. I was looking for a biography on Witherspoon, which is contained the book, but difficult to pull out.

[Rebecca Bastian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish it.

[Stephen Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

In memory of our founding fathers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Andy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at a long-forgotten founding father, and his contributions to American Political theology and government.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the only bio on John Witherspoon with a focus on the American Revolution that I've been able to find, and I appreciate the author taking the time and dedication to write it. While excellent in providing information, I found the style of writing difficult; it feels to me like it was written for religious scholars with an interest in the American Revolution. I kept thinking how much I wished the material had been in the hands of Ellis, Unger or Wood.