Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.76 (518 Votes) |
| Asin | : | B071YPMRFX |
| Format Type | : | |
| Number of Pages | : | 168 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-01-28 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
But Franklin, as a man of faith, was far more complex than the "thorough deist" who emerges in his autobiography. As Thomas Kidd reveals, deist writers influenced Franklin's beliefs, to be sure, but devout Christians in his life - including George Whitefield, the era's greatest evangelical preacher; his parents; and his beloved sister Jane - kept him tethered to the Calvinist creed of his Puritan upbringing. Born to Boston Puritans, by his teenage years Franklin had abandoned the exclusive Christian faith of his family and embraced deism. Based on rigorous research into Franklin's voluminous correspondence, essays, and almanacs, this fresh assessment of a well-known figure unpacks the contradictions and conundrums faith presented in Franklin's life.. Renowned as a printer, scientist, and diplomat, Benjamin Franklin also published more works on religious topics than any other 18th-century American layperson
An excellent new interpretation of Franklin and his faith James P. Byrd Americans have found a lot to admire about Benjamin Franklin. He was brilliant, witty, and industrious. He was a successful businessman and an invaluable diplomat. Nearly everyone seems to find something to like about him. According to Historian Gordon Wood, Franklin "seems the most accessible, the most democratic, and the most folksy of the Founders." But what about Franklin's religious faith. "Another excellent and illuminating study from Thomas Kidd" according to ERIC COLEMAN SMITH. This briskly-paced, well-researched, and clearly written biography sheds new light on the enigmatic religious life of one of America's most significant and beloved founders. Many readers will already know (as his own peers well knew) that Franklin was no orthodox Christian believer. Throughout his life, Franklin openly questioned basic tenets of Christian doctrine, including the deity of Jesus. Kidd's Franklin Religious Views I have researched and studied Franklin for years. I have occasionally read about his religious views but never indepth. Dr. Kidd does a decent job on a kind of Franklin bio but his major focus was on the doctor's complex spiritual beliefs. Kidd did an excellent job mining the Frankin papers and drew heavily from Leo LaMay, one of Franklin's best biograpghers. I have a tainted view towards auth