The Light and the Glory: Did God Have a Plan for America?

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The Light and the Glory: Did God Have a Plan for America?

by Peter Marshall, David Manuel

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 546 ratings · 62 reviews

A call for Americans to return to God and rediscover the destiny that was ours from the beginning.

Paperback, 384 pages

Published November 1st 1980 by Fleming H. Revell Company (first published 1973)

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Sep 25, 2012 Sheryl Tribble rated it 2 of 5 stars

If you consider history to be the study of what actually happened, insofar as we can discover that, and believe that a U.S. history book should at least touch on most major events and offer the most agreed on explanations for things in elaborations (even if the author chooses to include factors not always considered), then this is not a U.S. history book. For instance, the book neglects to mention crucial factors in King Philip’s war (like the death -- or even existence of! Wamsutta and also the...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Mr. Graham rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, theology

The Light and the Glory was a fascinating read. It accomplishes its purpose in exposing some of the Christian tradition of America that isn't taught in history classes, and isn't mentioned in textbooks.

Though Christians always talk about the Christian foundations of our nation, the cynical side of me wonders to what extent that is true. This book cites primary sources that sheds light on some of these things that I have been cynical about. It's especially enlightening how many of the writers of...more

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Nov 12, 2012 David Holford rated it 2 of 5 stars

I originally read this book in an American history course at a Christian college. At the time, I probably would have given it four stars. With hindsight and a graduate school education in Colonial and Revolutionary America, and aged much more than 17 as I was at the time, I'm much less impressed.

If David Barton had a patron saint, it would be the late Peter Marshall. They are from the same mold of historical eisegesis. They know the result they want and an eclectic set of period quotes "prove" i...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Jeannie Romanello rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am reading this book, as a devotional. I have had it for years and have tried to read it many times before... always thinking to myself... this is just so boring.

Well, I may be mature enough now to read it and thoroughly enjoy it. Though not done I just have to review it has a family & friend MUST READ.

Christianity is a power religion. Christ has the power to re-create men from the inside out, as every man who has ever met Him knows. And one of the early lessons a new Christian learns thro...more

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May 06, 2012 Penny rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, 2-star-books

What to say about this book. Peter Marshall (now deceased), son of the senate chaplain, was at the time involved in what surely is (was) a cult, the Community of Jesus. An Anglican manifestation of some sort, it attracted many of the famous and rich to its communal life, being headed by Mother Superiors (in their own minds) - and later involved in scandals, including of course, sexual scandals. Abuse of authority was the beginning of their troubles. Mr. Marshall left them (or was expelled) not l...more What to say about this book. Peter Marshall (now deceased), son of the senate chaplain, was at the time involved in what surely is (was) a cult, the Community of Jesus. An Anglican manifestation of some sort, it attracted many of the famous and rich to its communal life, being headed by Mother Superiors (in their own minds) - and later involved in scandals, including of course, sexual scandals. Abuse of authority was the beginning of their troubles. Mr. Marshall left them (or was expelled) not long after the publication of "The Light and the Glory".

This is the story of America's beginning as the nation chosen by God to live in the "Covenant Way", which is a little vague in the book. I think it probably has something to do with the beliefs and way of life of the Community of Jesus - surface-wise, perhaps not as it really was. But - others have taken this idea, and not been involved in such kooky goings-on.

It begins with excruciatingly long details of the voyages, relationships, and writings of Columbus and his friends and supporters. From there, the adventures of the "good and moral" Catholic missionaries (there were some who were not, of course), and it all adds up to God having chosen this land as the per-eminent bastion of Christianity.

Then people lost their faith, gained it back, were punished, lost, gained, lost, gained (on through all the Protestant history of America) and on and on and on.

The book, written in 1977, deals evenhandedly with Christianity in its many manifestations throughout US history - it does not favor one sort over another for the most part. Some of it is very well researched, as far as I can tell. Their conclusions cannot be other than America is (has been) the new Israel, because I don't think they can believe anything else. They MUST come to this conclusion. And they do a fair job of "making it so".

To read to preface "The Search" is to be introduced to the authors world-view, which is not completely odd to me (I live in the Bible Belt) -

Let me not be too scathing - it's a strange book, yes. However, I would have the entire world be Christian. I am a Christian. I think it's good that missionaries have been all over the world. Sometimes, there have been scandalous or unintentional effects. Sometimes, entire nations have turned to Christ. I cannot think of a better thing to happen to a people (or country).

But is America the bright candle Christ meant to exist - and directed history (as much as men would cooperate) to various shining eras of piety or purity or whatever. More so than anywhere else. Like the light on the hill. Like the New Jerusalem.

I'm an American and a Christian - I love America. I love God. I love the Church. I think we are unique - are great in some ways - are awful in some ways - special sometimes, and sometimes ordinary butchers. I think Mr. Marshall's conclusions would be persuasive (are persuasive to many people) in guises worded somewhat differently than in this tome.

Not persuasive to me, though. I don't think he has the authority to come to that radical (though frequently unspoken and assumed, at least where I live) conclusion. And it is radical - surely it must sound that way to people of other nations. Not only radical, but a little insane.

Mr. Marshall (and his co-author) knew the end of this story, before they began it. That I believe.

(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 J. rated it 1 of 5 stars

An enjoyable read and a compelling story. It's too bad the authors proceed with such little concern for historical accuracy, reprinting any anecdote (however unsubstantiated) that supports their interpretation and failing to deal with evidence that conflicts with it.

Yes, many of America's founders were devout Christians. Yes, the United States government was constructed in a civilizational context deeply influenced by Christianity. But Marshall and Manuel carry their argument to baseless, inacc...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Tom rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a strange book. If I am just looking at the book as history, it needs one star. The thesis will be laughable to most people - that the reason that the United States exists is that God had a plan to create a 'New Israel' in America. There is really no way to evaluate this thesis. The authors offer 'proof' of their thesis, which is that Columbus, the Pilgrims, and the Puritans all believed that they were called by God, therefore it must be true. All of the outrages committed by Columbus ar...more This is a strange book. If I am just looking at the book as history, it needs one star. The thesis will be laughable to most people - that the reason that the United States exists is that God had a plan to create a 'New Israel' in America. There is really no way to evaluate this thesis. The authors offer 'proof' of their thesis, which is that Columbus, the Pilgrims, and the Puritans all believed that they were called by God, therefore it must be true. All of the outrages committed by Columbus are a result of him allowing his pride and greed to pull him away from God's calling to bring light to the darkness of the new world. Everything bad that happened in Jamestown was because the settlers weren't sincere Christians and were just looking for gold, where everything bad that ever happened in Massachusetts was God's loving way of disciplining his children in order to accomplish his mission. Marshall and Manuel ignore the existence of Virginia once the colony is established and thriving - apparently there is no way to fit this into their thesis. In any case, the thesis is ultimately religious, not historical, so maybe it's not even fair to evaluate it as a book of history.

There is one other flaw - the authors use a lot of quotes, which does strengthen the book, and they are well documented. They also make up a lot of dialogue. They do mark this by writing things like this: '...we can imagine Winthrop saying...' They then go on to relate a long and completely fictitious dialogue between John Winthrop and Thomas Hooker in New England. It is sometimes hard to keep track of which dialogues are real and which are made up.

On the other hand, I have learned a lot from reading this book. The details they give on Columbus were not new to me, and Columbus' story is laid out much more completely in the excellent book by Charles Mann '1491.' I actually learned a lot about Jamestown, Plymouth and Salem from reading this, however. The authors do a thorough job of portraying Jamestown as an unmitigated disaster, and contrasting that with the early successes of Plymouth and Salem. They give a much more nuanced account of the Puritans' exclusion of Quakers, Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson than I have seen in standard US History textbooks that paint this very simply as examples of Puritan intolerance. The extensive quotes from various Pilgrim and Puritan leaders effectively paint the Puritans not as saints or as bigots, but as human beings trying and sometimes failing to create a more perfect society.

I would have a hard time saying if I recommend this book or not. If you are interested in learning more about the religious roots of New England, and the lack of such roots in Virginia, this could be a good place to start. If you would like to understand the 'America was founded as a Christian Nation' argument, this book certainly lays the foundation for that particular thesis. If you think that a book based on that thesis sounds unreadable, you should certainly avoid this. I don't subscribe to the 'Christian Nation' thesis, but I like to understand other people's points of view, which made this book worthwhile for me.(less)

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Apr 02, 2010 lysslyss rated it 3 of 5 stars

Historically-speaking this book was a wealth of information. It's based more from a Christian viewpoint. There were a few things I didn't agree with, ie. the fact that America is the 'new Israel'. However, the authors made it a point to show how God's hand was in the forming of our country, and how the foundations of our country were built on morals and ethics.

The book was NOT an easy read as it was close to 300 pages and wasn't really engaging. There were some amusing parts, but it was overall...more

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Sep 18, 2010 Kent Horner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love U.S. history and Peter Marshall (Wasn't that the name of the guy who hosted Hollywood Squares?) wrote this in a way that held my interest. Why was Jamestown a failure while Plymouth prospered? This is a history book that reads like a story leaving me no doubt of the divine providence that formed our great nation. The only thing I would say negatively is Marshall has,I belive, a sort of "works mentality" when it come to grace of God but this may very well be the most enjoyable non fiction...more

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May 09, 2012 Keila rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book by Peter Marshall and David Manuel is a must read!!! It takes a look at our nation's history without taking God out of the equation! For the skeptics out there, this is not a book of opinions. It is a history book written by people who aren't afraid to tell the whole story! I must warn you that it is heavy reading...it's a history book! But...how can we call ourselves "Americans" if we don't even know what America stands for, or shall I say, what it was founded to stand for. Buy the bo...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Coco rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very fascinating book. It is a must read for all of those interested in the foundations of America, christianity, and views of how those two are combined. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it for it's insightful information, yet has a hard time getting through it because of the very matter of fact style it was written in. It is worth reading just for the information and views in the book, so if you're interested, you should read it!

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Jun 22, 2011 Teri Moote rated it 4 of 5 stars

American history (1492 - 1793) focusing on our Christian heritage, quoting from original sources, not the ideology of the authors. It would be a great addition to any American History course. Oh the things we aren't taught about our heritage anymore. When we forget where we came from and who we were, we are lost. Well written; it reads like a novel, not a textbook.

The revised and updated edition has expanded the information.

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Oct 31, 2012 Draya Stahl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY
Peter Marshall and David Manuel

Awesome Book! The entire trilogy was wonderful. My husband and I read them all together and loved them. My daughter used this one as her text in the 8th grade and loved it also. No, you could not put all U.S. history in one book. If you did you could not carry it around. If you want to know God's plan for our nation, this trilogy is the first books I would choose.

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Apr 27, 2009 Steven rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book that helped a generation rediscover America's Christian heritage. This is not only an excellent saga of the founding of America, written at a time when such works were impossibly scarce, but it is also an easy read, more novel than textbook.

Thanks to David Barton and others, the many primary and secondary sources Marshall relies on are beginning to reach a wider audience. But it was the Light and the Glory that started it all.

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Aug 02, 2011 Susie added it

There were parts that I really enjoyed. I did think that parts were biased toward some of the particular religious groups, but it's not too bad if you keep in mind the denominational backgrounds of the authors. It's a good reminder that God has a plan for America, and He wants us to stay committed to what He wants us to do.

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Dec 18, 2009 Patti Cartwright is currently reading it

Listening to this on GPS. I don't think I paid attention very well in US history classes, and even though I feel like I grew up in a very active area for US history (between Richmond and Williamsburg), it is interesting to hear/read about the initial settlers in this country - what drove them, how that impacted the decisions they made.

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Mar 13, 2013 Tammy Webb-witholt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book and the perspective from which it is told. I had one of the authors David Manuel for a writing class. Such a great book, I grew more enlightened about American history and why this nation was established. Great Lessons, it reads like both a story and a text book.

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Aug 10, 2010 Carolyn F. added it · review of another edition

Shelves: religious, historical

I read this in the 1980s. Christian based history lesson on America. Some of the things they are noted are really interesting and then some of them are "well that's your opinion". But overall I really liked book and came away with a lot of information I didn't have before.

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Feb 04, 2009 Carolyn C. rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a Book Grouop choice...didn't make it through the book and probably never will. Parts were interesting but I'm just not a lover of "text book" style. I do appreciate the research they put into it though...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!! Snoozer.

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Jan 25, 2013 Becky Nelson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really appreciated this book and consider it one of the best books I've read on American history for the period 1492-1793. The details provided about the role of faith and God's providence caused me to view history with greater understanding and in a different way. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see American history through the eyes of faith that was such an integral part of so many important figures in our history.

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Jan 30, 2010 Dawn Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

THis book should be read by every American!!! It should be mandatory in all High School history classes...our nation's founding fathers fought hard to establish this nation as a God fearing nation so as to employ His Blessing to us. Read this book!!! :)

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Sep 22, 2010 Dennis Henn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Written like 1 & 2 Chronicles, Marshall investigates through first hand sources the establishing of our country. Chapters on Columbus, the founding of Jamestown and Plymouth, the influence of the Puritans under John Winthrop, and the Revolutionary War period. Marshall presumed too often to know God's intentions. Maybe he is privy to special revelation.

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Jan 11, 2011 Krista rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think this is an absolute must read! I love history and this book does an awesome job of researching what our founding fathers were like in their spirituality and how are nation was shaped and created by these men and women.

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Oct 09, 2010 Cindy Robinson added it

Fabulous book if you want to know the truth. Peter Marshall wrote in a manner that held my interest, and I had the pleasure of attending one of his lectures. I would go to listen to him again, you would not have to ask me twice.

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Jul 04, 2012 Paul rated it 3 of 5 stars

The history of each state stuck out to me, in light of the issue of states rights that is resurfacing in our generation. They provided resarch to prevent us from accepting the secular views on our history.

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Aug 30, 2012 Jenniefamilee rated it 5 of 5 stars

A christian perspective of the early history of the greatest country on earth. If I could only see providence in current events as strongly as I can see in our past, through these authors' eyes.

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May 19, 2012 Steven rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

American history in our schools has been twisted into secular progresive propaganda. If you would like to find out what was excluded from your early American history education read this book.

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May 08, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

Did Columbus believe that God called him west to undiscovered lands? Does American democracy owe its inception to the handful of Pilgrims that settled at Plymouth? If, indeed, there was a specific, divine call upon this nation, is it still valid today?
"The Light and the Glory" answers these questions and many more for history buffs. As readers look at their nation's history from God's point of view, they will begin to have an idea of how much we owe to a very few--and how much is still at stake....more

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Feb 15, 2013 Eva rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you want a completely different point of view on history than any textbook you have ever read in school, then you will love this Manifest Destiny perspective.

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Mar 27, 2009 Dick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wonderul book for Christians. This book - or a copy of it - was in my Mother's library for many years. I could not find it, so ordered my own copy.

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About Peter Marshall

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

The Rev. Peter Marshall is a Presbyterian minister who for over forty years has gained national recognition as a preacher on Christian growth and discipleship, and as a teacher and writer on America's Christian heritage. Because he believes that our nation is in moral and s...more

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