The Mixing of Religion and State: A Good Idea?

March 11, 2008 - PRLog -- Religion has been brought back into the forefront of American politics with the current presidential campaign. Republican candidates Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney’s religious beliefs are consistently front-page news, as many of their platforms are based in their religious roots. The American government has strived to be politically neutral by keeping government and religious separate. However, this hasn’t always been the case.

In the controversial new book, God Bless America: Patriotic Fervor or Historic Reality, authors Dean C. Coddington and Richard Chapman explore the religious roots in the government of the United States and how religion helped form the country now known as the “melting pot of the world.”

In God Bless America: Patriotic Fervor or Historic Reality, Coddington and Chapman give a fast-paced history of the United States while exploring the impact of Christianity on every choice and decision made by the nation’s forefathers.

Coddington and Chapman also take a closer look at an often-overshadowed component of American history: the first and second Great Awakenings, religious revivals that effectively changed America’s culture.

“Our goal with this book is to help readers have a better understanding of American history and the role of religion in the formation of our nation,” Coddington said. “However, our comparison of the impact of the Enlightenment vs. Christianity will be challenged by some writers and intellectuals.”

With detailed examples, documented evidence, and thoughtful conclusions, God Bless America is a powerful addition to the literature on this topic and will prove to be an interesting component to the upcoming presidential election.

About the Authors

Dean C. Coddington is an avid writer and has written and published nine previous books and over 100 articles. Coddington holds an MBA from Harvard and has over 40 years of economics experience, much of that dedicated he has to the field of early American history. Coddington works as a health care consultant.

Richard Chapman has co-authored one book and published several dozen research reports. Chapman holds a PhD in political science from Syracuse University and has studied American history for over four decades. Now retired, Chapman dedicates his time solely to research and writing.

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