Despite all the hype surrounding the "New Atheism;" the United States remains one of the most religious nations on Earth. In fact; 95% of Americans believe in God--a level of agreement rarely seen in American life. The greatest divisions in America are not between atheists and believers; or even between people of different faiths. What divides us; this groundbreaking book shows; is how we conceive of God and the role He plays in our daily lives. America's Four Gods draws on the most wide-ranging; comprehensive; and illuminating survey of American's religious beliefs ever conducted to offer a systematic exploration of how Americans view God. Paul Froese and Christopher Bader argue that many of America's most intractable social and political divisions emerge from religious convictions that are deeply held but rarely openly discussed. Drawing upon original survey data from thousands of Americans and a wealth of in-depth interviews from all parts of the country; Froese and Bader trace America's cultural and political diversity to its ultimate source--differing opinions about God. They show that regardless of our religious tradition (or lack thereof); Americans worship four distinct types of God: The Authoritative God--who is both engaged in the world and judgmental; The Benevolent God--who loves and helps us in spite of our failings; The Critical God--who catalogs our sins but does not punish them (at least not in this life); and The Distant God--who stands apart from the world He created. The authors show that these four conceptions of God form the basis of our worldviews and are among the most powerful predictors of how we feel about the most contentious issues in American life. This updated edition includes a new preface and afterword in which the authors reflect on their goals in writing this book; and explore trends that have developed since the initial publication. America's Four Gods provides an invaluable portrait of how we view God and therefore how we view virtually everything else.
#609484 in Books 2015-04-02Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.80 x 1.10 x 8.20l; 1.07 #File Name: 0190218398264 pages
Review
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. ReunionBy Christian SchlectA sharp and useful study of what Abraham Lincoln thought and did about the thorny political problem posed by the rebel states as the Civil War wound down. How were they to be brought back within the fold? Were they conquered territories or as states rescued from misguided local leaders? Could the federal government mandate their election laws to force black suffrage? Were the wayward leaders of the Confederacy to be treated harshly or with leniency?President Lincoln emerges here as a kindly but pragmatic politician focused on reestablishing a strong national union; with slavery banished. Facts on the ground and his judgments of what was socially achievable at that moment were more important than considerations of abstract racial justice.The "last speech" is not to be remembered for literary style; but as a vehicle to better understand President Lincoln's struggle with the complexities of reconstruction.(What a great tragedy for the nation's future it was that Andrew Johnson came to power after Booth's last act.)0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy James PalmerA very good book . My son loved it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Original and ConciseBy LeeAnna KeithThis book offers fresh angles on familiar Civil War events; focusing particularly on wartime Reconstruction. It condenses a remarkably rich and complete story into a small number of pages.
