Revolution within the Revolution: The First Amendment in Historical Context, 1612-1789

by Mr. William R. Estep, Mr. Bill Moyers (Foreword)

This is a   book and is therefore non- returnable.

Distinguished historian William Estep offers in this book a lively account of the persons and events that influenced the shaping of the First Amendment. Estep shows specifically how evangelical dissenters laid the groundwork necessary for the triumph of religious freedom in America — something that has often been ignored.

Incredibly, says Estep, some Christians today appear determined to reinterpret if not eliminate the First Amendment and its historically revolutionary provision for the separation of church and state. But those who envision America as a church-state where Puritan ideals and concepts should rule misconstrue the amendment's original intent — to "free citizens from the overweening power of a church-controlled state."

The book includes an ample bibliography and an appendix of rarely seen documents pertaining to the struggle for religious liberty. A wide audience — including students, ministers, and general readers across the religious spectrum — will appreciate this absorbing historical account.

236 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1990

Reviews

[James F · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a good summary of the growth of religious freedom in the 17th and 18th centuries (and into the 19th), I was disappointed by the failure to live up to the title in that it did not cover any of the rest of the 1st Amendment.