Skip to main content

Dr. Barry Waugh Reviews 'Benjamin Franklin, Cultural Protestant' by D.G. Hart:


"Biographies of American historical personalities often prove disappointing for Christians anticipating serious consideration of the subject’s theological commitments within the religious environment of the era. For the Founding Fathers this can be particularly frustrating because the eighteenth century was decidedly religious whether Christian based, or a belief system that is a product of Enlightenment rationalism such as deism. The American colonial era extending to the end of the century proved crucial for the continued battle between God’s authoritative revelation of His will in the Bible and autonomous reason developing religious systems from natural revelation. Reason is good and necessary for understanding, but Christians must have reason captive to the Word of God. D. G. Hart shows in Benjamin Franklin, Cultural Protestant, Oxford, 2021, that in Franklin’s case the revelation based Puritan theology of his youth informed his religious commitment to personal and public good while denying the source and power thereof with Franklin adopting a philosophy Hart calls cultural Protestantism.

"The author is well qualified to write a biography of Franklin as both a general and church historian. Currently, he is Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College, but he has also taught church history in two theological seminaries. A few of his several works include: Calvinism: A History, Yale, 2013; A Secular Faith: Why Christianity Favors the Separation of Church and State, Ivan R. Dee, 2006; and John Williamson Nevin: High Church Calvinist, P&R, 2005. When general historians write biographies about the religious commitments of their subjects they do not always grasp the nuances of their belief systems; church historians might minimalize the person’s non-religious accomplishments or in some cases not look critically at the individual and overstate piety—but these are not the case for Hart’s Franklin.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Welcome! Please feel free to comment, but anti-Christian comments or profanity will not be tolerated. Thank you, ed.

Popular posts from this blog

Patriotic Ladies: Mercy Otis Warren

I'm presently reading Minds & Hearts: The Story of James Otis Jr. and Mercy Otis Warren by Jeffrey H. Hacker  published in June of 2021 by Bright Leaf.  I appreciate the author giving us a closer look into the Otis family and especially these two siblings to whom we owe so much of our independence from Great Britain.  Something I've gleaned from the book are the traditional values Mercy Otis Warren held. I've read biographies of her that emphasize her writing and politcal insight, but not so much of her dedication to her husband, sons and home. It's truly wonderful to read of this housewife whom the Lord has used so greatly in our American history.  I encourage you to get this book and read her amazing story. Here is a review posted at The Journal of the American Revolution website:  Review: Mind and Hearts: The Story of James Otis Jr. and Mercy Otis Warren - Journal of the American Revolution (allthingsliberty.com) For Mercy's professional accomplishments...
Post a Comment
Read more

Patriotic Ladies: 'Women's Tea Parties'

"On October 25, 1774, women in Edenton resolved to stop buying English tea and cloth to protest taxation without representation. The event became known as the Edenton Tea Party ." Source:  Women of Edenton Resolve to Forego English Tea, 1774 | NC DNCR (ncdcr.gov) Mr. Bert Dunkerly writes this of the Tea Tax concerns and the ladies involvement in protesting it during the period before the War for Independence at the Emerging Revolutionary War Era blog : "Examples of women’s political participation in the Revolutionary movement are hard to find. Women were not permitted to be politically active in the eighteenth century, yet many got involved anyway and pushed back against prevailing social norms. There are two examples of women organizing protests within six months of each other in 1774, both in North Carolina. Unfortunately, few details exist of these happenings. Primary sources on many colonial-era events are limited, and they are even more so with these two examples. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Christian Citizenship Bible Study

Sadly, the acknowledgment of our Lord and Savior as Sovereign over our (and all) nations was omitted from our founding document, the Constitution. I plan to take a closer look at this omission and the movement for a Christian Amendment in a future post; but for now I want to share a Christian Citizenship Bible Study with you. This material was taught to me by my Reformed Presbyterian pastor approximately 20 years ago. Please be blessed as you study it with Bible in hand. Understanding Biblical Doctrine, Lesson XVI, “Christian Citizenship” Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” I. The Biblical View of Government A. Man’s need for civil government stems from the fact that God created him with the ability to live in an orderly society. (Genesis 1:28 — And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the ...
Post a Comment
Read more