Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic
“Matthew Stewart’s brilliant new book breathes fresh life into our understanding of the American Revolution. Beautifully written and lucidly argued,Nature’s Godrecovers the lost voices and original intentions of the thoughtful men who made America. Sure to stir controversy on all fronts,Nature’s Godwill set the agenda for serious discussion of the American Revolution’s significance in world history.” (Peter S. Onuf, author of The Mind of Thomas Jefferson)“Splendid…imaginative but never fanciful, even at its most surprising. What lendsNature’s Goda good deal of its verve is Matthew Stewart’s unabashed attachment not only to the revolutionaries as they really were but to the skeptical rationalism they embodied. This is partisan scholarship as it should be written, and much needed service to the public.” (Alan Ryan, author of The Making of Modern Liberalism)“In a book that offers you a chance to rethink much of what you thought you knew about America’s founders, Matthew Stewart traces the little-known influence of secular philosophers, from Epicurus through Spinoza, on the revolutionary generation and offers a lively, powerful, and erudite refutation of the myth that the framers of our secular Constitution had any intention of founding an orthodox Christian nation.” (Susan Jacoby, author of Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism)“Eloquently argued.” (Wendy Smith - Los Angeles Times)