{"product_id":"americas-best-idea-the-separation-of-church-and-state-paperback","title":"America's Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRandall Balmer\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA historian and ordained Episcopal priest offers everything you need to know for shaping and defending your own beliefs on the role of religion in American life \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFilled with stories from America's struggle for religious freedom most readers have never heard before and perfect for fans of \u003ci\u003eJesus and John Wayne\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eOn Tyranny\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe 1st Amendment to the US Constitution codified the principle that government should play no role in favoring or supporting any religion, while allowing free exercise of all religions (including unbelief). More than 200 years later, the results from this experiment are overwhelming: The separation of church and state has shielded the government from religious factionalism, and the United States boasts a diverse religious culture unmatched in the world. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut changes have been taking place at an accelerating pace in recent years. The current Supreme Court has shifted away from excluding the influence and practice of religion at public institutions and in our laws and policies, and moved dramatically toward protecting the inclusion and promotion of religion in publicly funded undertakings. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMoreover, adherents to a Christian Nationalism ideology have grown more vocal and emboldened, and are increasingly moving into positions of power. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eRandall Balmer, one of the premier historians of religion in America, reviews both the history of the separation of church and state and various attempts to undermine that wall. Despite the fact that the 1st Amendment and the separation of church and state has served the nation remarkably well, he argues, its future is by no means assured.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRandall Balmer \u003c\/b\u003eis the John Phillips Professor in Religion at Dartmouth College. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including \u003ci\u003eRedeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGod in the White House: A History: How Faith Shaped the Presidency from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America\u003c\/i\u003e, which is now in its fifth edition and has been made into an award-winning three-part series for PBS, and most recently, \u003ci\u003eBad Faith: The Rise of the Religious Right\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 160\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.5 x 6.2 x 4.4 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e August 05, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47368286535858,"sku":"9781586424145","price":20.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/LInQtzd0kj9781586424145.webp?v=1777576559","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/americas-best-idea-the-separation-of-church-and-state-paperback","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}