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A review by jbrooxd
100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith by Robert J. Morgan
3.0
[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
3.5 stars. I am rating this book on what it IS rather than on how it shapes up based on what I was EXPECTING. That title made me believe I was going to read a book about 100 Bible verses that were chosen and used to build and shape America in the early days of the country.
Instead, this is 100 stories of historical figures and Bible verses either they referenced specifically (in a speech or a story or a letter) or one that the author chose to sum up the story. I could see someone who loves history, or someone interested in the intersection between history and faith using this as a 100 day devotional. The individual entries aren't long and there are some fascinating stories included. But I'm not sold that these are all "defining moments" or convinced of the author's assertion that these examples mean the Bible is a "cornerstone" of American history. One hundred stories hardly scratches the surface of 400+ years of history or the full range of even one historical figure's life and choices and how the Bible either was or was not reflected.
In recent years I have become skeptical at best - cynical at worst - when it comes to the intersection of faith and politics. So I approached this with that sort of eye. I wanted to see how the author sourced the stories he shared, and how he dealt with the darker parts of American history that we like to ignore. It didn't help the author that at the same time I read this I was also reading a book about how the Church was complicit in slavery and other racial/white supremacy/civil rights issues in America (The Color of Compromise). I brought all of that baggage to my reading. To the author's credit, this held up pretty well under all of that scrutiny.
The stories are sourced in the notes. The author was careful to spell out at the beginning that just because he shared a story of an individual, it didn't mean he endorsed the person or every decision the person made. And he included stories of individuals who, because of their faith, stood in opposition to slavery and to the early settlers' treatment of indigenous people. While this isn't something I would necessarily buy for myself or read on my own, I wouldn't hesitate to pick this up for someone with an interest in history and faith. I will be curious to read other reviews to see if any other readers, especially BIPOC readers, bring a different perspective to the stories.
3.5 stars. I am rating this book on what it IS rather than on how it shapes up based on what I was EXPECTING. That title made me believe I was going to read a book about 100 Bible verses that were chosen and used to build and shape America in the early days of the country.
Instead, this is 100 stories of historical figures and Bible verses either they referenced specifically (in a speech or a story or a letter) or one that the author chose to sum up the story. I could see someone who loves history, or someone interested in the intersection between history and faith using this as a 100 day devotional. The individual entries aren't long and there are some fascinating stories included. But I'm not sold that these are all "defining moments" or convinced of the author's assertion that these examples mean the Bible is a "cornerstone" of American history. One hundred stories hardly scratches the surface of 400+ years of history or the full range of even one historical figure's life and choices and how the Bible either was or was not reflected.
In recent years I have become skeptical at best - cynical at worst - when it comes to the intersection of faith and politics. So I approached this with that sort of eye. I wanted to see how the author sourced the stories he shared, and how he dealt with the darker parts of American history that we like to ignore. It didn't help the author that at the same time I read this I was also reading a book about how the Church was complicit in slavery and other racial/white supremacy/civil rights issues in America (The Color of Compromise). I brought all of that baggage to my reading. To the author's credit, this held up pretty well under all of that scrutiny.
The stories are sourced in the notes. The author was careful to spell out at the beginning that just because he shared a story of an individual, it didn't mean he endorsed the person or every decision the person made. And he included stories of individuals who, because of their faith, stood in opposition to slavery and to the early settlers' treatment of indigenous people. While this isn't something I would necessarily buy for myself or read on my own, I wouldn't hesitate to pick this up for someone with an interest in history and faith. I will be curious to read other reviews to see if any other readers, especially BIPOC readers, bring a different perspective to the stories.