Revolutionary Deists by Kerry Walters
This illuminating discussion of deism in the early American colonies presents an overview of its main tenets, showing how its influence rose swiftly and for a time became a highly controversial subject of debate among the first citizens of our nation. The deists were students of the Enlightenment and took a keen interest in the scientific study of nature. They were thus critical of orthodox Christianity for its superstitious belief in miracles, persecution of dissent, and suppression of independent thought and expression. At the heart of his book are profiles of six "rational infidels," most of whom are quite familiar to Americans as founding fathers or colonial patriots: Benjamin Franklin (the ambivalent deist), Thomas Jefferson (a critic of Christian supernaturalism but an admirer of its ethics), Ethan Allen (the rough-edged "frontier deist"), Thomas Paine (the arch iconoclast and author of The Age of Reason), Elihu Palmer (the tireless crusader for deism and perhaps its most influential proponent), and Philip Freneau (a poet whose popular verses combined deism with early romanticism). This is a fascinating study of America's first culture war, one that in many ways has continued to this day.
Kerry Walters is a professor of philosophy and peace and justice studies at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. He is a prolific author whose recent books include Giving Up God to find God: Breaking Free of Idolatry; The Art of Dying and Living; and Vegetarianism: A Guide for the Perplexed. More information can be found at http: //www.kerrywalters.net/index.html.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781616141905 |
| ISBN 10 | 1616141905 |
| Title | Revolutionary Deists |
| Author | Kerry Walters |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Prometheus Books |
| Year published | 2010-11-01 |
| Number of pages | 279 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |