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| Rediscovering God in America: Reflections on the Role of Faith in Our Nation's History | 
 enlarge | Author: Newt Gingrich
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Category: Book
List Price: $14.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  82 reviews
Sales Rank: 28106
Format: Illustrated
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5 x 0.9
ISBN: 1591454824
Dewey Decimal Number: 200.9753
EAN: 9781591454823
ASIN: 1591454824
Publication Date: October 10, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A tour de force November 26, 2006
40 out of 51 found this review helpful
Returning to his origins as a historian, the author presents an important argument for the role of god in American life, not only in the life of the home but in public life. What this books shows very convincingly is that god was very much on the minds of the founders. Even the most secular revolutionary founders such as Jefferson wrote about the 'creator' and many of the founders and signers of the declaration were deeply religious. When they spoke of Freedom of Religion they spoke in terms fo freedom from the church of England and by extension the English government extending its control over America. The people who wrote the constitution were descendants of non-conformists who fled religious persecution in England. Later those fighting against too much religion in schools would be protestants opposing catholic schools using public money. But there was not an intention to strip the cross out of public life or to pretend like Christmass isnt an integral part of AMerican life where 90% of the people celebrate it.
The book shows us that throughout the monuments in Washington, right down to the archives there is a deep attachment to god in the United States, not an attachment to a certain god, but a beleif that god grants equality and freedom and rights and that is why dictatorship and tyranny are wrong, becuase of the natural rights granted by god. It was beleif in god that led abolitionists to fight against slavery, secularism didnt end slavery or inspire John Brown or Fredrick Douglas or Lincoln. It was always god and in particular christianity that laid behind many of the great campaigns for freedom, democracy and human rights, of which the U.S was a pioneer. Those like George Crook who fought against the oppression of the Native Americans, were influenced by the 'creator'.
So here we have a very important work that shows why the Ten Commandments and 'under god' and 'in god we trust' are all integral to America. It also shows why America has always been so tolerant of other faiths. But it dares to show that athiesm is not tolerant of all faiths and atheism would strip america of religious diversity in order to impose its will.
Seth J. Frantzman
 A refresher course of God in American politics February 19, 2007
20 out of 28 found this review helpful
Newt Gingrich takes the reader on a walking tour through Washington for one purpose: to remind us that God played a significant role in the founding, building, and survival of America. Our capital city is teeming with not-so-subtle references to a divine being, a creator, to whom we owe so much.
Honest, objective historians and most educated Americans already know this. In fact, Gingrich's target audience won't get much from the premise of the book. But what you will get is an appreciation for what the Founding Fathers intended this country to become and an understanding that what we have become has, in many ways, contradicted that intent. Even Jefferson, the left's favorite deist and Mr. Wall of Separation himself, attended Christian church services in the capitol building. It's hard to imagine that coinciding with a complete "separation of church and state".
I appreciate this book, and so will many others. Judeo-Christian principles were paramount in America's 200+ year history and that should never be forgotten if this country is going to survive another 200 years. This is a truly inspiring walk through time and through the thoughts and hopes of those who built the greatest nation known to man.
 Sins of Omission June 18, 2007
15 out of 41 found this review helpful
Mr. Gingrich has carefully selected his quotes and photos to present a distorted view of the monuments. For instance, the book shows a statue of Moses and and an image of a Gutenberg Bible from the Library of Congress. He does not mention that the Gutenberg Bible is displayed under the feet of the false goddess of wisdom and war, Minerva, nor that it is steps away from a gold inlaid representation of the zodiac in the floor of the Great Hall. Interestingly, the Library of Congress Christmas Tree is set up each year right in the middle of this zodiac.
That's just one example. He sounds almost rapturous about the references to "the creator" from the base of the Washington Monument right up to the aluminum cap, but seems not to notice that the obelisk is an ancient pagan phallic symbol.
It is intellectually dishonest to present such a slanted view of the spiritual influences in our national monuments. It weakens the case for pointing out the legitimate Christian influences when authors insist on pretending the pagan idolatrous images aren't even there. As any parent knows, telling a little slice of the truth and omitting the parts of the story that incriminate do not qualify as telling the truth.
An Unclear Manifesto For Conservative America April 1, 2007
14 out of 51 found this review helpful
Is it any wonder that little before the 2008 Presidential race Newt Gingrich published a book titled "Rediscovering God In America?" Not at all. What is surprising is how muddled and unclear this book is. The other issue here is that you kind of feel conflicted while reading this particular volume when the author himself has been proven to be the least qualified person to lecture us on national morality and God-fearing values. In the past few months since the book was published Mr. Gingrich has been exposed to have been having an affair at the same time he was pushing to impeach President Clinton for the same act, and just this week Mr. Gingrich made a stunning racist remark by proclaiming Spanish as "the language of the ghettos," not at all a very Christian attitude. Those quirky facts about the man aside, the material itself is very simplistic and hollow. This does not feel at all like a deep, well-assembled examination of America's religious attitudes, instead it feels like a guy flipping through various biographies and national monuments and pointing out spots where buzz words like "God," "Jesus" or "Bible" are mentioned or printed and chisled. There is a strange, almost disturbing trend in the most recent conservative publications in that they describe and cry for an America that apparently only exists in the minds of the authors and their fans. Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and Gingrich all describe a country that looks nothing like what's around us. Gingrich here makes the argument that many of our founding fathers were religious, ok, point taken, but he exaggerates their religious devotion to the point of making them sound saintly when many of the same men advocated the genocide of our indigenous peoples and the establishment of slavery. True, men like Abraham Lincoln indeed believed in God and decided to fight against moral injustices in the syste such as slavery, but men like Lincoln are sadly less than one percent of what many of our historical figures have been. It's as if Gingrich wants to paint a pretty picture to support some sort of truce between secular politics and neo-theocratic ideas. But what is he actually calling for? Is he simply making a point about the United States having "religious roots" or does he want a deeper mix of religion with our political system? It seems as if Gingrich is trying to make a case for America being a "Christian Nation" yet this is simply unrealistic. The polls show most Americans believe in God, but how many Americans are actual devout church-goers or ever really bother to actually follow Christian doctrine? When has America ever been like that?! Even Gingrich is part of that lot having made the above-mentioned racist comments, but then again, some of our past leaders and politicians would have agreed with Gingrich if one looks at REAL history and racist colonial campaigns as seen in Cuba in 1898 and the Phillipines later. "Rediscovering God" is also written in a dead style, an overtly "glorious" prose that sounds more like the transcript from one of those political ads that try to show the "glory" of our history etc. etc. America is a beautiful, diverse country, but Gingrich here paints a strange, unclear picture of it's history and institutions. It doesn't feel much like a passionate, informative work, more like a vain attempt at showing off how much the man knows about how many people in our history have said "I believe in God." Or worse, it feels like a smug attempt at saying "our religion is the best." There is a strange parallel here with Ann Coulter's "Godless" where she also professes a Christian faith and yet uses it for Crusade-like calls. There is no depth in Gingrich's writing, it feels like a superficial, empty form of believing where Jesus would have been a capitalist and Republican. True students of history will probably be astounded at how un-objective the book is with it's one-sided treatment of events and dismissal of obvious, important facts. "Rediscovering God In America" is more of a campaign speech to the James Dobsons and Ted Haggards out there who desperately need another Bible-thumpin' politician now that George Bush has proven to be an utter disappointment.
This book has touched a nerve in America ! December 24, 2006
12 out of 19 found this review helpful
Just look at all of the reviews below. There are seven other reviews and ALL have been extensively read and extensively commented upon. Now look at the Amazon sales popularity number currently at #132 in sales. What's the point? The point is that whether or not you agree with the views of Newt Gingrich in this book - and whether or not you like or dislike Newt Gingrich - there is no denying that his book has touched a nerve in America ! Newt Gingrich has accomplished exactly what he set out to do...Many times over in recent public appearances, Newt Gingrich has stated that he only wants to re-energize the debates of substantive issues in our country. Well like him or not {and I am NOT one of his fans} Newt Gingrich has written a book that is re-energizing this substantive debate over the role of religion in America. Just read all of the comments - if there were NO comments then the book would be an abject failure. But instead, there are so many comments precisely because the book is an unqualfied success especially for the author's intended purpose. To all those who comment so vociferously against Gingrich - what are YOU doing to publish and proffer alternative positions on this important subject to mainstream America ?? To all those who comment so vociferously against Gingrich - go back and read up on Teddy Rossevelt's sage comment regarding those who bravely get into "the arena" of political controversy. It's so easy to be an armchair critic (hiding in the crowds on the sidelines of political controversy) - it's another thing entirely to actively get into "the arena" of political controversy. To all those who comment so vociferously against Gingrich - you have to respect the talents of your opponent before you can defeat him. The total of ALL the negative and positive comments about this book only serve as testimony to the proof that this book has great merit for the intended purpose stated by Gingrich. Mission accomplished by Gingrich - whether anyone likes it or not!
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