Political Sermons of the American Founding Era, 1730-1805 (2 Volume Set)

Rating:
Summary: Good Primary Source
Review: I am a student of history working on my thesis and have found this book to be very benifical to my work. This is due to the fact that all the important and or useful sermons are in the book and makes my job so much easier.

Rating:
Summary: Political Sermons of the Founding Era
Review: This is an excellence source of political sermons from the American colonial and founding era. Themes cover everything from the Biblically-ordained role of civil authorities to patriotism to the dangers of prosperity to the Sovereignty of God. Sermons feature everyone from Congregationalist Puritans to Episcopalians like James Madison. Samuel Langdon's Sermon on the Republic of the Israelites An Example is particularly intriguing and no doubt inspirational to all who heard his message. Issac Backus was a New England Baptist who also made an impassioned plea for religious liberties in 1773, echoing a theme of the founders that religion is the duty we owe are creator. John Adams once avowed are Constitution was for a religious and moral people. That virtue is a prerequisite for a Republic is often forgotten and that virtue is found in the tenets of Christianity. James Madison said it best, "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

Rating:
Summary: Political Sermons of the Founding Era
Review: ~Political Sermons of the American Founding Era: 1730-1805~ is an excellent source of political sermons from the American colonial and founding era. Themes cover everything from the Biblically-ordained role of civil authorities to patriotism to the dangers of prosperity to the sovereignty of God. Sermons in this anthology feature a cross-section of early American Christian denominations: including Congregationalist Puritans, Baptists, and High Anglicans like James Madison. Samuel Langdon's Sermon on the "Republic of the Israelites, An Example" is particularly intriguing and no doubt inspirational to all who heard his message. Issac Backus was a New England Baptist who also made an impassioned plea for religious liberties in 1773, echoing a theme of the founders that religion is the duty we owe are creator. John Adams once avowed our Constitution was for a religious and moral people. The reality that virtue is a prerequisite for a Republic is often forgotten. Most of the founding fathers believed that virtue was to be found in the tenets of Christianity. James Madison said it best, "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."