Light and the Glory

Rating:
Summary: Parents, look before you leap. . .
Review: "The Light and the Glory" is a beautifully written, well-researched book -- which I cannot recommend, especially as a primary homeschooling text, without serious caveats.

The positives: The authors, Peter Marshall and David Manuel have done enormous research. They have demonstrated that what is taught in the typical history book doesn't necessarily tell the entire story (witness the section on Anne Hutchinson). They have acknowledged the role of faith, and religion have played in our nation's early history. They have the gift of making characters "come alive" in a way that would interest a student -- even one who didn't care much for history.

HOWEVER: The authors have a fixed thesis firmly in mind and head toward that thesis without swerving -- and that thesis is one with which even most persons of faith would struggle. The thesis? A staunch Calvinist view of the role of America in the mind of God. As a believer -- who is adamantly NOT a Calvinist -- I cannot accept the particular (and peculiar) methods of exegesis which somehow create America as the new "Promised Land". Neither can most other Christians.

I fear that in their struggle to demonstrate their thesis, certain elements are glossed over; certain facts are whitewashed, etc. While it could certainly be argued that Calvinism played a major role in the establishment of the Colonies and in early America, it can also be argued that such did not have the salutory benefits which the authors suggest are there.

My advice to homeschooling parents, especially those who are not Calvinists, is to use this book with care, as a secondary source -- or not at all. The presentation given is far too biased to be reliable.

A very cautious three stars.

Rating:
Summary: Part Sermon, Part History
Review: Authors Peter Marshall and David Manuel admit from the beginning that they are not really writing a history book exactly. They are giving what they perceive as historical examples of America being a Christian Nation guided by God to fulfill its destiny in God's plan as a Puritan City on A Hill or a New Israel. Millions of Americans both past and present have believed in such a destiny and these authors present this view well. Are they biased? Yes. But not anymore than Marxist, revisionist, feminist, or multi-cultural historians. My advice is read history from several viewpoints as you search for the truth. Try to avoid that inevitable destination to which we all finally find rest, comfort, and joy--self-righteous smugness and arrogant certainty.

I think their book is targeted for a mostly teenage audience to impress impressionable minds, but adults can read it and not insulted intellectually. It just seems a bit simplistic at times when compared to other histories I've read.

The authors begin with Christopher Columbus's voyage to America. They mention Columbus's belief that he was destined to find a land in which he would bring the light of Christianity to the heathen. (A more cynical interpretation would be that Columbus was merely a conquerer imposing his religious beliefs on the native subjects, but the authors are not taking that route.) Strange incidences are mentioned in which Columbus chose the lot among about 30 men to go on a pilgramage more than once during storms which threaten to sink the ship. This lot-choosing for taking a pilgramage to a shrine was seen as a way of appeasing the Lord. In fact, the authors use incidences in history as examples of God's providence or testing, or the devil's meddling or tempting the people of God to choose right or wrong. Storms such as natural events often don't happen by mere chance according to the authors, especially during some important historical event that is affected by that natural event.

I thought the authors covered the Puritan leaders really well. John Winthop was a particularly important figure in American history because he was largely responsible for successfully starting and leading the Puritan colony and making it a success. He made everyone, gentlemen or not, roll up their sleeves and get to work on building the colony. This colony is contrasted with the struggling colony in Virginia which was harmed by bad leadership. Kudos to God and blame to sinners is given along the way.

I got the impression that the Puritan Roger Williams was a character. He wanted to be really, really, really pure in eyes of God. So much so that he even became an annoyance even to the Puritans. When they tried to correct the error of his fanatical ways, he would always resort to the argument that they were violating his freedom of conscience. He could always brilliantly reason his way out of being reproved. Finally, he went off to Rhode Island to a colony of people who were dissidents bordering on crankdom like himself and they were a terrible annoyance to him--I found it an amusing account of folly of fanaticism.

Anne Hutchison, was another Puritan character who became a heretic. She believed that whatever on her mind was the voice of God talking to her. She began preaching unbiblical ideas which got her banished from the colony.

The authors take pains to present the Puritans as NOT the tired, old killjoys that some people, probably pleasure addicts, libertines and hedonists, have described them as. They give examples of Puritans partying and telling jokes, all within the limits of righteousness, of course. The authors give them a break from the relentless criticism--I think the Puritans deserve one.

Religious leaders and great preachers are covered in the book. The evangelist George Whitefield during the Great Awakening was the era's greatest soul-winner. Sometimes he would have crowds up to 30,000 listening to him in nearly complete silence. It's remarkable to think about in era before microphones. His preaching helped God save the souls of whole towns on occassion. He would preach as many as four sermons a day and worked everyday. Though he kept an exhausting schedule on his tour of various towns, he never quit until he dropped dead.

Some of the natural events do seem to more than just coincidences. The famous fog that gave cover to George Washington and his cornered troops during the Revolutinary War is one example. Although it had been clear and not rainy previously, a fog appeared in the early morning hours to help the American troops to escape from the British who had them right where they wanted them.

The authors cover the beginnings of a culture war between secular rationalists such as Thomas Jefferson and fervent fundamentalist believers such as George Washington. Jefferson was a deist and a Unitarian that didn't believe in miracles or the divinity of Christ. He thought that Jesus was merely a great moral teacher.

The authors cover the period from Columbus's arrival to America to the beginnings of the Constitutional Republic. I've just picked a few events and people of interest to me. This is a good book for anyone wanting to study the Christian roots of the United States.

Rating:
Summary: You Will Re-Read This Several Times
Review: Marshall and Manuel have assembled a significant anount of material that has been written out of today's politically correct history. Starting with Columbus and working through to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, the authors take details from newspapers, books, diaries and other materials of the times and weave a story of Christianity and the founding of the United States. They show that the two were intertwined and not meant to be separated. A drawback to this kind of writing is that it can not be taken as a serious history text, but rather as a historical overview or treatise. In other words, there is a significant amount of personal comment from the authors. I found quite a few places where the authors imagined comments or scenes about people; what they thought or did. This is unfortunate and caused me to downgrade the book slightly. However, these parts are well written (as is the whole book) and do not detract. Well worth the purchase price.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting, but seriously flawed book.
Review: Peter Marshall and David Manuel have done their homework. There is no doubt about it. They have proposed a thesis - that America was discovered, explored, and founded as an explicitly Christian nation, and that God's hand can be evident in it's early history - and have defended it well. They have gone back to some interesting primary sources, which do, in fact, shed light on our nation's early history. As such, the book is a valuable read.

THIS BEING SAID, for the author's thesis to stand, one must comprehend and assume a totally Calvinistic understanding of Christian theology, AND assume that our Founding Fathers were working under similar paradigms. Such an historical point of view is difficult to defend. Some of our nation's Founders did indeed come from such a theological viewpoint. Many, however, did not. (And our two significant founding documents were penned by a Deist and an Episcopalian!) Such a point of view is also difficult, not only to those who do not profess the Christian faith, but for the enormous majority of those who do! (Catholics, Orthodox, many Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, some Baptists, etc.) If a Calvinistic viewpoint is removed from the book, the entire premise collapses.

Please don't get me wrong -- Marshall and Manuel have assembled a great deal of research, and have presented it in an interesting and entertaining fashion. The "facts" are there. It's just that I (speaking as both a committed Christian and a historian) can't buy their "interpretation" of those facts.

Rating:
Summary: reader review of The Light and the Glory
Review: This marvelous book is an enormously powerful yet easy read. It is appropriate for any age level from about 8 or 9 yrs. on up. I read it about 15 years ago and it still sticks in my mind for it was the seed upon which I became a born-again Christian as opposed to a person who just believed in God. This book has never been more relevant and necessary than today. If a number of Americans ,especially the Congress and all our judges would give one day to this book, our nation would reap enormous benefits in security and financial savings and education and peace.......Parents; please read this book and make it mandatory reading in your household. You'll be planting a very good seed.