The Divided States of America: What Liberals and Conservatives Get Wrong about Faith and Politics

by Richard Land

Book Overview

What's God Got to Do with America?

Turn on a cable news show or pick up a news magazine, and you get the impression that the United States of America is really the Divided States of America, a country politically and ideologically at odds, with one side staring down the other across an unbridgeable chasm.

According to Dr. Richard Land, we need a new way of thinking about ourselves. The differences that divide us are real, he...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1595553525
• ISBN13: 9781595553522
• Release Date: January 2011
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Very Insightful and Informative...a MUST READ

As a younger reader I definitely found this book a refreshing breath of fresh air as I have only really experienced in my lifetime the "state" at which the separation of church/state debate is today along with the shouting matches that have ensued. It was truly enlightening to read of the faith of many of our most prominent presidents and to see how they envisioned freedom of religion and balanced their personal faiths with the running of our country. I never knew so many of presidents had such a strong faith and to hear the prayers, speeches, and addresses given by so many of them was enlightening to me. I wondered why I never learned of these things in public school. What a difference of opinion our founding fathers had on this topic...definitely worth reading. Recommend to ppl who: - want to know a constitutionally acceptable, faith affirming position on church/state issues. - want to learn new things you probably never knew of our American presidents and our history. - enjoy reading informative book on a hard issue...i learned a lot. Thanks

Blessed Are The Peacemakers -- If Richard Land Isn't Making Peace, It Isn't His Fault

When it comes to politics (or religion, though that is not the point here), most books come from the point of either why the author's political philosophy is right and/or why those who disagree with the author is wrong. The result is an increase in polarization. Some of the books along that line deserve to be written, but they help only in presenting the problem, not in solving it. "The Divided States Of America" is written from the point of view of trying to heal the breach, of trying to reconcile Christian brothers that disagree on political issues (or possibly just fellow Americans). Just as welcome, though, is the fact that Land is not promoting unity at the expense of convictions. Rather, his goal is to help others understand their differences. His success is indicated that Senator Joe Lieberman (D-Conn) wrote the foreward, and praise on the cover is written by former Secretary of State (under Clinton) Madeline Albright. One major theme in this book is a proper understanding of separation of church and state. Land favors the ana-baptist approach, which is to have a pluralistic country where the state does not mandate a particular belief structure but tolerates all, while maintaining people in office the constitutional freedom to hold and express their religious view. The other view is the Assorted Crazy Loons Unleashed view, which basically is meant to intimidate people into not expressing their religious views, which is an essential part of a person. Richard Land does an excellent job dealing with the following facts: 1. Persecution of Christians (particularly Baptists) by other Christians, including in American history, leading to the Ana-Baptist and also the constitutional view of Separation of Church And State. 2. There has been religious expression on the part of our government from George Washington on, that it isn't new with Bush, and that it wasn't considered a problem until someone made a mistake of trying to mandate secularalism as the state religion. 3. The militant effort of secularists to eliminate any hints of Christianity in society, which is not promoting religious liberty but hindering it. Thank you, Rev. Land, for writing this needed book. Hope it succeeds in uniting true Christians in an area that is not an essential to faith.

MUST READ!

Dr. Land has done a great job with this book. He maps out a middle ground in the church/state separation debate that is very understandable. Both the novice and the expert will find the book readable, engaging, and thought-provoking. A lady at my church has already read the book and asked me to consider teaching a special six-week Sunday School class based on it. Anyone who wants to know a constitutionally acceptable, faith affirming position on church/state issues must read this book.

Thank you Dr. Land

Having always been a tremendous admirer of the Southern Baptist church, I have been intereted in what Dr. Richard Land has had to say for many years & I would like to thank him for this excellent book. There is much too much shouting from the left & the right (although far more often from the left) on what role & what kind of role that religion should play in American politics & culture. Anyone wishing to hear a rare & thoughtful balanced look should read this book as soon as possible.