In the Beginning Was the Word

Short Review: Noll is pretty much always helpful in understanding the complexity of history. Many people like historians to simplify but history isn't simple. This review of how early colonial Americans (and to a lesser extent Catholic Spanish and Canadian colonialists) understood and used scripture is helpful. Quotes from early american religious or political leaders come up all the time in modern politics, but Noll does a good job placing those types of quotes in context. This is a broad look, not just New England. And Noll hits on many areas, slavery, understanding of the US destiny, relationship to Native Americans, political and religious diversity and leadership and more.

I read this in conversation with God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution by Thomas Kidd. They were attempting different things, so even when there was overlapping discussion on the same sermons or documents, the orientation was different. I do think this should be read by many that are interested in the question of whether the United States was founded as a Christian country or not. (The answer is that, it is complicated.)

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/in-the-beginning/