Cover of This Earthly Frame: The Making of American Secularism

This Earthly Frame: The Making of American Secularism

by David Sehat

4.42(12 ratings)

An award-winning scholar’s sweeping history of American secularism, from Jefferson to Trump “Insights that are both illuminating and alarming.”—Linda Greenhouse, New York Revi…

Reviews

Jeff Sexton@bookanon.com

Mostly Solid History Of Official Religious Life In The United States. Sehat manages to trace the history of official religious life in the US fairly well from its pre-Founding roots through its current fights over religious liberty. There are a couple of glaring weaknesses - the largest being his claim that Natural Rights theory originated in the Christian Church (it was actually created outside of the Church as a challenge to the Church's position that rights come from God). But as with that particular case, most of these tend to only exist in areas where a rare person might actually know the particular topic particularly well - as this former Libertarian Party of Georgia official and candidate happens to do re: Natural Rights theory. :) Otherwise, a solid if slightly dry - though nowhere *near* as dry as other treatises of its type - history that would be beneficial for many Americans (or those seeking to understand America) to read. Recommended.