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The Religion of Democracy: Seven Liberals and the American Moral Tradition
A history of religion’s role in the American liberal tradition through the eyes of seven transformative thinkers
Today we associate liberal thought and politics with secularism. When we argue over whether the nation’s founders meant to keep religion out of politics, the godless side is said to be liberal. But the role of religion in American politics has always been far more nuanced and complex than today’s debates would suggest and closer to the heart of American intellectual life than is commonly understood. American democracy was intended by its creators to be more than just a political system, and in The Religion of Democracy , historian Amy Kittelstrom shows how religion and democracy have worked together as universal ideals in American culture—and as guides to moral action and the social practice of treating one another as equals who deserve to be free.
The first people in the world to call themselves “liberals” were New England Christians in the early republic, for whom being liberal meant being receptive to a range of beliefs and values. The story begins in the mid-eighteenth century, when the first Boston liberals brought the Enlightenment into Reformation Christianity, tying equality and liberty to the human soul at the same moment these root concepts were being tied to democracy. The nineteenth century saw the development of a robust liberal intellectual culture in America, built on open-minded pursuit of truth and acceptance of human diversity. By the twentieth century, what had begun in Boston as a narrow, patrician democracy transformed into a religion of democracy in which the new liberals of modern America believed that where different viewpoints overlap, common truth is revealed. The core American principles of liberty and equality were never free from religion but full of religion.
The Religion of Democracy re-creates the liberal conversation from the eighteenth century to the twentieth by tracing the lived connections among seven thinkers through whom they knew, what they read and wrote, where they went, and how they expressed their opinions—from John Adams to William James to Jane Addams; from Boston to Chicago to Berkeley. Sweeping and ambitious, The Religion of Democracy is a lively narrative of quintessentially American ideas as they were forged, debated, and remade across our history.
Today we associate liberal thought and politics with secularism. When we argue over whether the nation’s founders meant to keep religion out of politics, the godless side is said to be liberal. But the role of religion in American politics has always been far more nuanced and complex than today’s debates would suggest and closer to the heart of American intellectual life than is commonly understood. American democracy was intended by its creators to be more than just a political system, and in The Religion of Democracy , historian Amy Kittelstrom shows how religion and democracy have worked together as universal ideals in American culture—and as guides to moral action and the social practice of treating one another as equals who deserve to be free.
The first people in the world to call themselves “liberals” were New England Christians in the early republic, for whom being liberal meant being receptive to a range of beliefs and values. The story begins in the mid-eighteenth century, when the first Boston liberals brought the Enlightenment into Reformation Christianity, tying equality and liberty to the human soul at the same moment these root concepts were being tied to democracy. The nineteenth century saw the development of a robust liberal intellectual culture in America, built on open-minded pursuit of truth and acceptance of human diversity. By the twentieth century, what had begun in Boston as a narrow, patrician democracy transformed into a religion of democracy in which the new liberals of modern America believed that where different viewpoints overlap, common truth is revealed. The core American principles of liberty and equality were never free from religion but full of religion.
The Religion of Democracy re-creates the liberal conversation from the eighteenth century to the twentieth by tracing the lived connections among seven thinkers through whom they knew, what they read and wrote, where they went, and how they expressed their opinions—from John Adams to William James to Jane Addams; from Boston to Chicago to Berkeley. Sweeping and ambitious, The Religion of Democracy is a lively narrative of quintessentially American ideas as they were forged, debated, and remade across our history.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 16, 2015
I found this book about the history, evolution, and religious background of American liberal thought quite interesting--interesting enough that I kept bringing up things I read in conversation--but The Religion of Democracy is also very challenging. The reading was difficult enough that there was no sitting down and breezing through a chapter, and I regularly had to go over sentences two or three times to get their meaning. While I don’t think the material necessitated hard to parse writing, the insights the book offers made the extra effort well worth it. My copy of the book practically flutters, it has so many post-flags marking passages I wanted to be able to find again easily.
Each of the seven chapters focuses on one person, stretching in time from John Adams to Jane Addams and including William Channing, William James, and an aunt of Ralph Waldo Emerson among the seven, but unlike traditional biographies their lives are used to illuminate the philosophical, political, and religious controversies of their day, in which they all played some kind of active roll. I found this construction very helpful, and having “characters” to trace the arc of liberal thought made the demanding material much more engaging. A “slow and steady” read for me, but being interested in American history, political philosophy, and trends in religious belief I enjoyed the book immensely.
Each of the seven chapters focuses on one person, stretching in time from John Adams to Jane Addams and including William Channing, William James, and an aunt of Ralph Waldo Emerson among the seven, but unlike traditional biographies their lives are used to illuminate the philosophical, political, and religious controversies of their day, in which they all played some kind of active roll. I found this construction very helpful, and having “characters” to trace the arc of liberal thought made the demanding material much more engaging. A “slow and steady” read for me, but being interested in American history, political philosophy, and trends in religious belief I enjoyed the book immensely.
April 12, 2015
“The Religion of Democracy” recounts the role of religion as spiritual and intellectual underpinnings of Liberalism through the lives of seven American liberals. Author Amy Kittelstrom makes the point that liberalism, which in our day is often identified as irreligious or even anti-religious, actually has its foundations in American Reformation Christianity. In order judge this premise, we must define the characteristics of a “liberal”. Although they have drifted into and out of political parties and to even no party at all, Kittlestrom provides her view of their distinguishing characteristics. “(T)heir most fundamental commitment was their approach to truth. Against those who believed that they already knew what was right and pursued policies to reflect their fixed truth, liberals advocated for truths they recognized as provisional and incomplete, and they were committed to listening to contrary opinions for any possible truths the opposition might hold and working dialogically toward consensus.”
The relationship between religion and liberalism is told through chapters dedicated to sequence of lives, some of whom knew and influenced each other, all of whom impacted the intellectual or social life of their times. There is John Adams (1736-1826), known as a founding father but here presented as the Reformation Christian who considered the ministry before choosing the law and who listened to and studied the preachings of his day. His life overlapped that of Mary Moody Emerson (1774-1863), the Natural Christian and earliest and best teacher of her nephew, Ralph Waldo Emerson. William Ellery Channing (1780-1842) was a Practical Christian watched by Emerson who, as a Unitarian Minister, opposed Calvinist orthodoxy in favor of a more loving relationship with God while drawing inspiration from Wordsworth and Coleridge. Next is William James (1842-1910) the Practical Idealist and psychologist who never embraced Christianity but drew his intellectual spirit from German philosophers and a wide variety of religions. James studied the works of Thomas Davidson (1840-1900) the Liberal Philosopher whose collaborators morphed into a branch of socialism known as the Fabian Society. William MacIntire Salter (1853-1931) was a New Liberal philosopher who shifted the intellectual center to the University of Chicago where he nurtured the Ethical Society movement. The final subject is Jane Addams (1860-1935), the Social Democrat who founded Hull House to aid the poor, worked with pacifists and supported the Progressive Party.
Readers of this book will see an evolution of thought from the religion of creed to the religion of deed. Early chapters focus on people’s relationship with God whereas later ones examine the subjects’ assistance to others. “The Religion Of Democracy” is researched in depth and very well written. I have read extensively on American history, but mostly political and military. My readings in theology and church history have concentrated on Catholic themes. I mention this to acknowledge my limitations. A familiarity with the American Reformation Protestant tradition is necessary to properly appreciate this work. My problem with this book is that my unfamiliarity with the primary and secondary characters referenced on its pages made it difficult for me to follow several of the chapters. While I recognize that I lack a background in the milieu of this book I suspect that most readers would have similar handicaps. Perhaps if I learn more about the American Enlightenment I will reread this book. When I want to study John Adams or examine Jane Addams’ role in the Progressive Movement I may take another look at their respective chapters. I recommend “The Religion Of Democracy” for student of the American Protestant Reformation Movement and its profound impact on American history.
I did receive a free copy of this book for review.
The relationship between religion and liberalism is told through chapters dedicated to sequence of lives, some of whom knew and influenced each other, all of whom impacted the intellectual or social life of their times. There is John Adams (1736-1826), known as a founding father but here presented as the Reformation Christian who considered the ministry before choosing the law and who listened to and studied the preachings of his day. His life overlapped that of Mary Moody Emerson (1774-1863), the Natural Christian and earliest and best teacher of her nephew, Ralph Waldo Emerson. William Ellery Channing (1780-1842) was a Practical Christian watched by Emerson who, as a Unitarian Minister, opposed Calvinist orthodoxy in favor of a more loving relationship with God while drawing inspiration from Wordsworth and Coleridge. Next is William James (1842-1910) the Practical Idealist and psychologist who never embraced Christianity but drew his intellectual spirit from German philosophers and a wide variety of religions. James studied the works of Thomas Davidson (1840-1900) the Liberal Philosopher whose collaborators morphed into a branch of socialism known as the Fabian Society. William MacIntire Salter (1853-1931) was a New Liberal philosopher who shifted the intellectual center to the University of Chicago where he nurtured the Ethical Society movement. The final subject is Jane Addams (1860-1935), the Social Democrat who founded Hull House to aid the poor, worked with pacifists and supported the Progressive Party.
Readers of this book will see an evolution of thought from the religion of creed to the religion of deed. Early chapters focus on people’s relationship with God whereas later ones examine the subjects’ assistance to others. “The Religion Of Democracy” is researched in depth and very well written. I have read extensively on American history, but mostly political and military. My readings in theology and church history have concentrated on Catholic themes. I mention this to acknowledge my limitations. A familiarity with the American Reformation Protestant tradition is necessary to properly appreciate this work. My problem with this book is that my unfamiliarity with the primary and secondary characters referenced on its pages made it difficult for me to follow several of the chapters. While I recognize that I lack a background in the milieu of this book I suspect that most readers would have similar handicaps. Perhaps if I learn more about the American Enlightenment I will reread this book. When I want to study John Adams or examine Jane Addams’ role in the Progressive Movement I may take another look at their respective chapters. I recommend “The Religion Of Democracy” for student of the American Protestant Reformation Movement and its profound impact on American history.
I did receive a free copy of this book for review.
March 23, 2015
Usually I like to briefly summarize a book before giving my opinion, but I find that very difficult with this one. As near as I can tell, the point is that "the role of religion in American politics has always been far more nuanced and complex than today’s debates would suggest and closer to the heart of American intellectual life than is commonly understood." And from my studies I certainly agree it's an oversimplification to think "liberal" equates with "godlessness" and "conservative" means "religious," especially when we try to apply that to history. And Kittlestrom seeks to show this by selecting seven individuals, starting with John Adams, who embody a liberal viewpoint (at least for their individual times) towards religion. Basically, what this means is that they were fairly open-minded individuals, encouraging freedom of thought and opinion, even while holding strong religious beliefs themselves. At least that's what I *think* she's trying to say.
Honestly, I had eagerly looked forward to this book, but once begun, I find it quite boring, and the writing style makes it difficult to understand without a second or third pass. The chapter on John Adams spends more time talking about a few influential Boston-area preachers than it does about Adams. It is similar with Mary Moody Emerson, although the chapter on Channing seems to focus more on its subject. It also tends to belabor a point, such as that Adams had a surprisingly open mind for someone so opinionated. And I keep telling myself I *ought* to find all of this very interesting, but... it's not. It pains me to be so critical of the author's effort, but I'm 1/3rd of the way through it and am giving up - at least for the time being - for greener pastures. (I rec'd an advance copy from Amazon Vine.)
Honestly, I had eagerly looked forward to this book, but once begun, I find it quite boring, and the writing style makes it difficult to understand without a second or third pass. The chapter on John Adams spends more time talking about a few influential Boston-area preachers than it does about Adams. It is similar with Mary Moody Emerson, although the chapter on Channing seems to focus more on its subject. It also tends to belabor a point, such as that Adams had a surprisingly open mind for someone so opinionated. And I keep telling myself I *ought* to find all of this very interesting, but... it's not. It pains me to be so critical of the author's effort, but I'm 1/3rd of the way through it and am giving up - at least for the time being - for greener pastures. (I rec'd an advance copy from Amazon Vine.)
June 29, 2021
This book is aptly named, and not only gave what I believe to be a reliable, historically accurate review of what might be called the American moral tradition - that is, the values upon which this country was built and the ever progressing journey to hold truer and truer to those original values, and build in more and more inclusivity - but has provided me with countless references to primary historical resources that I can delve into on my own time to gain a more in depth understanding of our history and the values which have driven it. This gave me a far better insight into the other side of history - the one that has been regrettably overlooked - the side that has fought for justice even when it wasn't popular. This is an excellent read for anyone who wants a better, more in depth understanding of the values that built our nation, how they developed, and the role each of them played throughout history.
January 29, 2023
A scholarly read (translate: a bit dry, requires concentration), but a worthwhile one for anyone interested in public administration, comparative religion, politics, and the evolution of morality. I think some previous knowledge of the featured people is helpful, as I got the most out of the chapters on those people with whom I was already somewhat familiar (e.g. Jane Addams). The narrative weaves the lives of the featured people together in a way that is helpful and shows the evolution of the concept of liberalism. Lots of entry points explored to dig back into primary source material for these thinkers with a renewed understanding of their place in cultural history.
July 21, 2015
The Religion of Democracy, Amy Kittelstrom. New York: Penguin Press, 2015
Summary: This book traces the “American Reformation” of Christianity through the lives of seven key figures spanning the late eighteenth to early twentieth century, in which adherence to creed shifted to the dictates of personal judgment and the focus shifted from eternal salvation to ethical conduct reflecting a quest for moral perfection and social benefit.
It seems that part of the American story is that religion and politics have been inextricably interwoven. As I was preparing to write this review, I listened to John Kasich invoke the biblical imagery of “the city on the hill” and many more personal references to faith in his announcement of his candidacy for the President of the United States. Kasich, from what I can tell, represents the reformed/evangelical stream of Christianity in America. This book represented what might be considered the other major stream in American political life, a stream that is less interested in creed, which tolerates a plurality of belief ranging from a Unitarian view of God to a god within to some form of spiritual consciousness that drives a deep personal quest for moral excellence and ethical behavior that benefits the wider society. In some sense, this stream may incorporate any other religious or secular views as long as they are not insistent upon a particular creed. It is a stream informed by the classical liberal humanism of the Enlightenment which in the twentieth century has been transformed into a social and political liberalism.
Amy Kittelstrom describes for us the development of this stream from the time of the American Revolution down through the early twentieth century by profiling seven key individuals and their contribution to what she calls “the American Reformation” and “the religion of democracy”. This latter seems appropriate because it is the kind of public and civil religious perspective that arose out of the New England context that has shaped so many of our political and cultural institutions. The seven figures and their contributions (taken from chapter titles) are:
John Adams: The Protestant Moral Ethic and the Spirit of Independence (personal judgment over creed)
Mary Moody Emerson: The Culture of Lived Virtue and the Fight against Bigotry
William Ellery Channing: Universal Inner Divinity and Self-Culture (Channing was a leader of the early Unitarians)
William James: Practical Idealist, Man of the World and the Method of Nature
Thomas Davidson, Liberal Freedom, Fellowship and the Socialization of Self-Culture
William Mackintire Salter, New Liberal, Ethical Culture, and Social Progress
Jane Addams, Social Democracy, Universal Needs, and the Cooperative Road to International Peace
Each chapter explores the life and thought of the particular individual, and their intellectual circle. This latter is especially important because of the intellectual community each of these individuals sought out. But these communities were not simply about ideas, but also the personal more development of each person. Over time, this is transformed to the social and moral uplift of the poorer, working classes, most evident of course in the work of Jane Addams. A common thread throughout is a religious perspective that prioritizes “personal judgment” over external creeds. Some never embraced these. Some, like Adams, formally identified with churches that did while quietly adhering to personal judgment. And some, like Channing and Addams, moved from Reformed and evangelical roots to embrace this broader liberal perspective.
She concludes by exploring the contribution of the liberal religion of democracy over the last century, in its extension of rights to women, racial minorities, and LGBT persons and believes this will continue to be a potent force in shaping democracy’s efforts to advance human rights.
I believe this is am important study even though I would disagree at a number of points with what I think is the implicit creed of “the religion of democracy”. It exchanges a Triune God of Holy Love for the “god within” and salvation and the obedience of faith for moralism, among other things. Yet, whatever your take on “the religion of democracy” it is important to understand the intellectual hegemony it has achieved, the intellectual community it has fostered, and the public rhetoric of equality, tolerance, pluralism, and inclusion that has captured the American imagination. Kittelstrom’s book is an important contribution to that understanding.
_____________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as an ebook via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : ��Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Summary: This book traces the “American Reformation” of Christianity through the lives of seven key figures spanning the late eighteenth to early twentieth century, in which adherence to creed shifted to the dictates of personal judgment and the focus shifted from eternal salvation to ethical conduct reflecting a quest for moral perfection and social benefit.
It seems that part of the American story is that religion and politics have been inextricably interwoven. As I was preparing to write this review, I listened to John Kasich invoke the biblical imagery of “the city on the hill” and many more personal references to faith in his announcement of his candidacy for the President of the United States. Kasich, from what I can tell, represents the reformed/evangelical stream of Christianity in America. This book represented what might be considered the other major stream in American political life, a stream that is less interested in creed, which tolerates a plurality of belief ranging from a Unitarian view of God to a god within to some form of spiritual consciousness that drives a deep personal quest for moral excellence and ethical behavior that benefits the wider society. In some sense, this stream may incorporate any other religious or secular views as long as they are not insistent upon a particular creed. It is a stream informed by the classical liberal humanism of the Enlightenment which in the twentieth century has been transformed into a social and political liberalism.
Amy Kittelstrom describes for us the development of this stream from the time of the American Revolution down through the early twentieth century by profiling seven key individuals and their contribution to what she calls “the American Reformation” and “the religion of democracy”. This latter seems appropriate because it is the kind of public and civil religious perspective that arose out of the New England context that has shaped so many of our political and cultural institutions. The seven figures and their contributions (taken from chapter titles) are:
John Adams: The Protestant Moral Ethic and the Spirit of Independence (personal judgment over creed)
Mary Moody Emerson: The Culture of Lived Virtue and the Fight against Bigotry
William Ellery Channing: Universal Inner Divinity and Self-Culture (Channing was a leader of the early Unitarians)
William James: Practical Idealist, Man of the World and the Method of Nature
Thomas Davidson, Liberal Freedom, Fellowship and the Socialization of Self-Culture
William Mackintire Salter, New Liberal, Ethical Culture, and Social Progress
Jane Addams, Social Democracy, Universal Needs, and the Cooperative Road to International Peace
Each chapter explores the life and thought of the particular individual, and their intellectual circle. This latter is especially important because of the intellectual community each of these individuals sought out. But these communities were not simply about ideas, but also the personal more development of each person. Over time, this is transformed to the social and moral uplift of the poorer, working classes, most evident of course in the work of Jane Addams. A common thread throughout is a religious perspective that prioritizes “personal judgment” over external creeds. Some never embraced these. Some, like Adams, formally identified with churches that did while quietly adhering to personal judgment. And some, like Channing and Addams, moved from Reformed and evangelical roots to embrace this broader liberal perspective.
She concludes by exploring the contribution of the liberal religion of democracy over the last century, in its extension of rights to women, racial minorities, and LGBT persons and believes this will continue to be a potent force in shaping democracy’s efforts to advance human rights.
I believe this is am important study even though I would disagree at a number of points with what I think is the implicit creed of “the religion of democracy”. It exchanges a Triune God of Holy Love for the “god within” and salvation and the obedience of faith for moralism, among other things. Yet, whatever your take on “the religion of democracy” it is important to understand the intellectual hegemony it has achieved, the intellectual community it has fostered, and the public rhetoric of equality, tolerance, pluralism, and inclusion that has captured the American imagination. Kittelstrom’s book is an important contribution to that understanding.
_____________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as an ebook via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : ��Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
December 27, 2016
A history of how the development of liberal religion was intertwined with the advancement of democracy in America from the 18th-20th centuries. Kittelstrom tells this story by focusing on seven key figures, though many others appear in the book. Basically this is how New England Congregationalism gave birth to democratic ideals that in the 20th century went global. I've rarely read a book that quoted so many sermons that wasn't a book about preaching. Her narrative ends with the New Deal when she argues that liberalism became most a secular ideology. Her epilogue quickly surveys the developments in the years since.
I think this is one of those essential books for our times, pointing to the importance of moral virtue and religious insight in advancing the ideals of liberty and equality. These are stories that the Trump opposition must tell if we are to rescue our Republic.
I think this is one of those essential books for our times, pointing to the importance of moral virtue and religious insight in advancing the ideals of liberty and equality. These are stories that the Trump opposition must tell if we are to rescue our Republic.
April 30, 2017
This is a good read for American history buffs, such as myself. We know that in this country religion plays a part in our lives positively or in some cases negatively but this book gives some insight to what the religious and political thinkers of the 18th - 20th century believed. That took working together to form a new system of beliefs that were discussed, dissected and ultimate given us choices to worship/vote in our own right. Interesting how humanity and service to others seem to embedded in us all. Very good book.
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February 11, 2016Oxymoron to call some one liberal but religious? How the words have changed the meaning through the years. The line of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Channing, William James, Ralph Emerson, Thoreau, and the "New Deal"; all the way to use Americal force to realize the ideals of "Liberals of Religion"
June 7, 2015
An insightful and interesting examination of the impact of religion on the rise of American liberalism in the 19th century through profiles of seven influential activists, intellectuals, and one U.S. president. Great approach to the subject but the writing could be more accessible and engaging.
May 27, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
Well researched but a bit too much here. I think the point that Liberal does not equal Secular could be made without this being equivalent to a boring textbook.
Well researched but a bit too much here. I think the point that Liberal does not equal Secular could be made without this being equivalent to a boring textbook.
April 9, 2015
There are better Moral books out there.
February 28, 2016
History buffs and those with interest in politics will find thought provoking.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews