So Help Me God

by: Forrest Church

Published by: Harcourt

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

Subtitled: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle Over Church and State

Separation of church and state has been a contentious issue on both sides of the discussion for many a year. And both sides use the founding fathers to promote their agenda. One side will contend that the founders were deists at best and couldn’t possibly have intended for religion to have any bearing on civil matters while the other side will contend that the founders instituted the separation to protect the religious, not the state. Who is right? And is it as simple as anyone makes it?

Forrest Church, author of So Help Me God would contend no, it isn’t simple at all. Even the founders contradicted themselves in their words, actions, and policies. For example, Thomas Jefferson, credited for the “wall of separation between church and state,” worshiped regularly, while religious freedom and religion itself flourished under James Monroe, credited for being quite secular.

In this fascinating and seemingly well-researched book I found much to chew on. There is no cut-and-dried answer, but his gives a lot of evidence. Working chronologically, he discusses George Washington, John Adam, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. Through their policies and private actions and what others—many in a faith—said and did for and against them, we get a taste of how complex the issue really is.

If you are interested in the debate over the separation of church and state, this book is a fantastic place to start.

Author’s Web site: http://www.ForrestChurch.com