The Evangelical Origins of the Living Constitution
John Compton’s superb book provides a fascinating account of the influence that evangelical attempts to stamp out drinking and lotteries had on American constitutional development. That, in itself, is worth the price of admission. (Mark Graber, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law)The book’s clear, forcibly argued, and original thesis challenges some of the most influential scholarship in its field. (Ken I. Kersch, Boston College)As scholars and pundits debate whether the New Deal order is coming to an end, questions about its inception are particularly timely, and the author’s engagement with the question of how morals can influence constitutional politics is quite salient at this time. (Julie Novkov, University at Albany, State University of New York)