Freethinkers a history of american secularism

Christopher camerons book gives a new historical perspective on black freethinkers in the afican american community. A history of african american secularism, christopher cameron is an associate professor of history at the university of north carolina at charlotte. Susan jacoby freethinkers offers a powerful defense of the secularist heritage that gave americans the first government in the world founded not on the authority of religion but on the bedrock of human reason. A history of african american secularism northwestern university press, 2019 by christopher cameron, an associate professor of history at the university of north carolina, charlotte, is a precise and nuanced history of african american secularism from the early nineteenth century to the midtwentieth century. A history of american secularism by susan jacoby 2004, hardcover, revised at the best online prices at ebay. A history of american secularism, author susan jacoby traces the. A history of african american secularism, is an attempt to rectify what he sees as a glaring assumption in african american history. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading freethinkers. Rich with such iconic figures as thomas jefferson, abraham lincoln, elizabeth cady stanton, and clarence darrowas well as oncefamous secularists such as robert green ingersoll, the great agnosticfreethinkers restores to history generations of dedicated humanists. Freethinkers is a history lesson we never learned in school.

A history of american secularism was named a notable book of 2004 by the washington post and the new york times. A history of american secularism kindle edition by susan jacoby. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Secular thought amongst african americans is not a new phenomenon and continues to grow every year. Dec 23, 2004 rich with such iconic figures as thomas jefferson, abraham lincoln, thomas paine, and the oncefamous robert green ingersoll, freethinkers restores to history the passionate humanists who struggled against those who would undermine the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the american system.

In march 2010, the texas state board of education acted to remove mentions of thomas jefferson from a standard history textbook. It was also named an outstanding international book of the year by the times literary supplement london and the guardian. Many books have been written about the judaicchristian contributions regrettably, some historically inaccurate, but the pagansecular contributions have tended to be either forgotten or ignored and this problem has now been corrected by jacobys treatise. The history of america is the history of american secularism. A history of american secularism book online at best prices in india on. The revitalization of american secularism in the twentyfirst century depends upon its ability to convey the passions of humanism as ingersoll did in the nineteenth, to move hearts as well as to change minds. Her muchneeded book is a primer on the antisecularism that characterizes much of. Yet he is an important figure in the history of american secularism because, like the much better known paine, he attempted to carry the message of deism beyond its original audience of educated upperclass intellectuals. Freethinkers and african american intellectual history.

An authoritative history of the vital role of secularist thinkers and activists in the united states, from a writer of fierce intelligence and nimble. The assumption that atheism and other forms of nonbelief are the preserve of whites, wrote cameron, has caused most historians and scholars of. Freethinkers, by susan jacoby the objective standard. Her 2008 book about american antiintellectualism, the. Susan jacoby talks about her new book freethinkers, history. It is they, jacoby shows, who have led the struggle to uphold the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the american system. The most complete exposition of jacobys work is now available in freethinkers. Donohue catalyst 102004 it is no secret that the bush administration is engaged in the most radical assault on the separation of church and state in american history. Black freethinkers argues that, contrary to historical and popular depictions of african americans as naturally religious, freethought has been central to black political and intellectual life from the nineteenth century to the present. This is not a dispassionate account of history, not by any means, but it is an extremely wellresearched and welldocumented account. Elihu palmer was emphatically not a charming or tolerant man, and it would be easy to conclude that he deserves to be forgotten. Yet, as susan jacobys freethinkers shows, hostility toward religion is a vital part of the american heritage. Susan jacobys freethinkers is an important, essential work of american history thats unfortunately married to a naively unproblematic and thus very american concept of enlightenment rationalism.

A history of american secularism and discovered how little i really knew. As a result, those espousing civil rights, equality for all, or social justice must take great pains to prove they arent hostile to religion. Metropolitan books, 2004 pp432 journalist alexander chancellor, writing in the guardian newspaper during the 2004 us elections, suggested that, in britain, flaunting religious faith is. For more famous historical freethinkers, see my series the contributions of freethinkers, susan jacobys excellent book, freethinkers. Moving from nineteenthcentury abolitionism and suffragism through the twentieth centurys civil liberties, civil rights, and feminist movements. The assumption that atheism and other forms of nonbelief are the preserve of whites, wrote cameron, has caused most historians and scholars of religion to ignore or downplay their existence among. An authoritative history of the vital role of secularist thinkers and activists in the united states, from a writer of fierce intelligence and nimble, unfettered imagination the new york timesat a time when the separation of church and state is under attack as never before, freethinkers offers a powerful defense of the secularist heritage that gave americans the first government in the. Following ingersolls death in 1899 the organization declined, in part due to lack of effective leadership. Christopher camerons newest book, black freethinkers.

A history of american secularism by susan jacoby 2005, paperback at the best. A history of american secularism 9780805077766 by jacoby, susan and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Metropolitan books, 2004, jacoby underpaints her historical portrait of american secularism with a sketch of our constitutional roots. A history of african american secularism, disputes the notion that african americans are naturally religious and surveys the long history of freethinking, agnosticism, and atheism among prominent african americans. My time in seminary and a lifetime in the church also left me with what i thought was a pretty good sense of the religious history of the united states. Bush, this dramatic study offers a welcome reminder that the founding fathers were intent on keeping church and state firmly separated. Rich with such iconic figures as thomas jefferson, abraham lincoln, thomas paine, and the oncefamous robert green ingersoll, freethinkers restores to history the passionate humanists who struggled against those who would undermine the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the. A history of african american secularism christopher cameron black freethinkers argues that, contrary to historical and popular depictions of african americans as naturally religious, freethought has been central to black political and intellectual life from the nineteenth century to the present. Jacoby accomplishes her task with clarity, thoroughness, and an engaging passion.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of virginias 1786 act for establishing religious freedom, she writes, for, much to the dismay of religious. Free inquiry magazine touted freethinkers as the freethought book of the year. He is also the founder and past president of the african american intellectual history society. A history of american secularism, author susan jacoby has written not so much a revised but a neglected history the story of the forgotten, maligned, or neutered american thinkers and activists who fought over two centuries to establish and preserve the fundamental distinction between church and state which leads jacoby.

Jacoby spoke with beliefnet about americas secular beginnings, freethought heroes, and the battles ahead between. A history of american secularism susan jacoby isbn 0805074422 hbk 0805077766 pbk new york. Freethinkers restores to history the passionate humanists who struggled against those who would undermine the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the american system. If theres one book of american history that i urge everyone to read this year, susan jacobys freethinkers. This book provides an important narrative of the impact of freethinkers in the creation of the first secular government in the world. A history of american secularism kindle edition by jacoby, susan. Jacoby insists, again and again, that the critical role of freethinkers and free thought movements in american history has been marginalized, deliberately at times, over the last 80 years of historiography. She blames this amorphous group for smudging the line between. When i first read that sentence, i wondered about the sanity of the author. Her 2008 book about american anti intellectualism, the. A history of american secularism, or jennifer michael. Susan jacoby completed freethinkers well before the latest outbreak of hostilities in the culture wars, but even without entries in her index for gibson, mel and nuptials, samesex, it is not hard to situate her in the debate. Then i picked up a copy of susan jacobys bestselling book freethinkers. Freethinkers were the only consistent opponents of censorship from the 1870s until the first world war.

Hope to see more from christopher cameron as he continues to explore the topic of historical black secular figures in history. Ranging from the freethinking revolution to the pious administration of george w. Generally speaking, freethinkers is an historical survey of secularist thought and influence in american history with a special emphasis on the most important actors in this unfolding drama. Sadly the word freethinker has so gone out of use in the english language that most dictionaries do not even include the word many people, uncomfortable with the term write it in its two word form free. A history of american secularism by susan jacoby metropolitan books. Her muchneeded book is a primer on the antisecularism that characterizes much of american history. Freethinkers is not only a good book, it is a necessary one. A history of american secularism by susan jacoby freethinkers is a fascinating historical account of the role of freethinkers in united states. Susan jacoby talks about her new book freethinkers.

Rich with such iconic figures as thomas jefferson, abraham lincoln, thomas paine, and the oncefamous robert green ingersoll, freethinkers restores to history the passionate humanists who struggled against those who would undermine the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the american system. This group reformed itself in 1885 as the american secular union under the leadership of the eminent agnostic orator robert g. Owl books 2004 susan jacobys freethinkers is subtitled a history of american secularism. A history of american secularism by susan jacoby an authoritative history of the vital role of secularist thinkers and activists in the united states, from a writer of fierce intelligence and nimble, unfettered imagination. Freethought in the united states declined in the early twentieth century. The evolution of revenge 1984 was a finalist for the pulitzer prize.

A history of american secularism by susan jacoby an authoritative history of the vital role of secularist thinkers and activists in the united states, from a writer of fierce intelligence and nimble, unfettered imagination the new york times. A history of american secularism kindle edition by. A history of american secularism, susan jacoby sets out to rescue us from the apostles of religious correctness. Freethought or free thought is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that positions regarding truth should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism, rather than authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma. Jan 07, 2005 an authoritative history of the vital role of secularist thinkers and activists in the united states, from a writer of fierce intelligence and nimble, unfettered imagination the new york timesat a time when the separation of church and state is under attack as never before, freethinkers offers a powerful defense of the secularist heritage that gave americans the first government in the. Susan jacoby brings to light a number of significant people from the past who wanted. Oct 20, 2008 rich with such iconic figures as thomas jefferson, abraham lincoln, thomas paine, and the oncefamous robert green ingersoll, freethinkers restores to history the passionate humanists who struggled against those who would undermine the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the american system.