Borrow it
Coverart for item
The Resource One nation under God : how corporate America invented Christian America, Kevin M. Kruse

One nation under God : how corporate America invented Christian America, Kevin M. Kruse

Creator
Summary
  • "We're often told that the United States is, was, and always has been a Christian nation. But in One Nation Under God, historian Kevin M. Kruse reveals that the idea of 'Christian America' is an invention--and a relatively recent one at that. As Kruse argues, the belief that America is fundamentally and formally a Christian nation originated in the 1930s when businessmen enlisted religious activists in their fight against FDR's New Deal. Corporations from General Motors to Hilton Hotels bankrolled conservative clergymen, encouraging them to attack the New Deal as a program of 'pagan statism' that perverted the central principle of Christianity: the sanctity and salvation of the individual. Their campaign for 'freedom under God' culminated in the election of their close ally Dwight Eisenhower in 1952. But this apparent triumph had an ironic twist. In Eisenhower's hands, a religious movement born in opposition to the government was transformed into one that fused faith and the federal government as never before. During the 1950s, Eisenhower revolutionized the role of religion in American political culture, inventing new traditions from inaugural prayers to the National Prayer Breakfast. Meanwhile, Congress added the phrase 'under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance and made 'In God We Trust' the country's first official motto. With private groups joining in, church membership soared to an all-time high of 69%. For the first time, Americans began to think of their country as an officially Christian nation. During this moment, virtually all Americans--across the religious and political spectrum--believed that their country was 'one nation under God.' But as Americans moved from broad generalities to the details of issues such as school prayer, cracks began to appear. Religious leaders rejected this 'lowest common denomination' public religion, leaving conservative political activists to champion it alone. In Richard Nixon's hands, a politics that conflated piety and patriotism became sole property of the right. Provocative and authoritative, One Nation Under God reveals how the unholy alliance of money, religion, and politics created a false origin story that continues to define and divide American politics to this day"--
  • "In One Nation Under God, award-winning historian Kevin M. Kruse argues that the story of Christian America begins with the Great Depression, when a coalition of businessmen and religious leaders united in opposition to the New Deal. As Kruse shows, corporations from General Motors and Kraft Foods to J.C. Penney and Hilton Hotels, poured money into the coffers of conservative religious leaders, who in turn used those funds to attack FDR's New Deal administration as a program of "pagan statism" that perverted the central tenet of Christianity: the salvation of the individual"--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xvi, 352 pages
Note
Includes index
Contents
  • pt. I. Creation : "Freedom under God" ; The great crusades
  • pt. II. Consecration : "Government under God" ; Pledging allegiance ; Pitchmen for piety
  • pt. III. Conflict : "Whose religious tradition?"
  • "Our so-called religious leaders" ; "Which side are you on?"
  • Epilogue
Isbn
9780465049493
Link
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=44131
Instance
Label
One nation under God : how corporate America invented Christian America
Title
One nation under God
Title remainder
how corporate America invented Christian America
Statement of responsibility
Kevin M. Kruse
Creator
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
  • "We're often told that the United States is, was, and always has been a Christian nation. But in One Nation Under God, historian Kevin M. Kruse reveals that the idea of 'Christian America' is an invention--and a relatively recent one at that. As Kruse argues, the belief that America is fundamentally and formally a Christian nation originated in the 1930s when businessmen enlisted religious activists in their fight against FDR's New Deal. Corporations from General Motors to Hilton Hotels bankrolled conservative clergymen, encouraging them to attack the New Deal as a program of 'pagan statism' that perverted the central principle of Christianity: the sanctity and salvation of the individual. Their campaign for 'freedom under God' culminated in the election of their close ally Dwight Eisenhower in 1952. But this apparent triumph had an ironic twist. In Eisenhower's hands, a religious movement born in opposition to the government was transformed into one that fused faith and the federal government as never before. During the 1950s, Eisenhower revolutionized the role of religion in American political culture, inventing new traditions from inaugural prayers to the National Prayer Breakfast. Meanwhile, Congress added the phrase 'under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance and made 'In God We Trust' the country's first official motto. With private groups joining in, church membership soared to an all-time high of 69%. For the first time, Americans began to think of their country as an officially Christian nation. During this moment, virtually all Americans--across the religious and political spectrum--believed that their country was 'one nation under God.' But as Americans moved from broad generalities to the details of issues such as school prayer, cracks began to appear. Religious leaders rejected this 'lowest common denomination' public religion, leaving conservative political activists to champion it alone. In Richard Nixon's hands, a politics that conflated piety and patriotism became sole property of the right. Provocative and authoritative, One Nation Under God reveals how the unholy alliance of money, religion, and politics created a false origin story that continues to define and divide American politics to this day"--
  • "In One Nation Under God, award-winning historian Kevin M. Kruse argues that the story of Christian America begins with the Great Depression, when a coalition of businessmen and religious leaders united in opposition to the New Deal. As Kruse shows, corporations from General Motors and Kraft Foods to J.C. Penney and Hilton Hotels, poured money into the coffers of conservative religious leaders, who in turn used those funds to attack FDR's New Deal administration as a program of "pagan statism" that perverted the central tenet of Christianity: the salvation of the individual"--
Assigning source
  • Provided by publisher
  • Provided by publisher
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1972-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Kruse, Kevin Michael
Dewey number
322/.10973
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
LC call number
BR517
LC item number
.K78 2015
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • New Deal (1933-1939)
  • Christianity and politics
  • Church and state
  • New Deal, 1933-1939
  • Corporations
  • Conservatism
  • Political culture
  • Social conflict
  • United States
  • United States
  • United States
  • HISTORY
  • POLITICAL SCIENCE
  • RELIGION
  • HISTORY
  • Christianity and politics
  • Church and state
  • Conservatism
  • Corporations
  • Political culture
  • Politics and government
  • Public opinion
  • Religion
  • Social conflict
  • United States
  • Christentum
  • Konservativismus
  • Kirche
  • Staat
  • Politik
  • Unternehmen
  • USA
  • Verenigde Staten
  • United States
  • USA
  • United States
  • USA
Label
One nation under God : how corporate America invented Christian America, Kevin M. Kruse
Link
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=44131
Instantiates
Publication
Note
Includes index
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-337) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
pt. I. Creation : "Freedom under God" ; The great crusades -- pt. II. Consecration : "Government under God" ; Pledging allegiance ; Pitchmen for piety -- pt. III. Conflict : "Whose religious tradition?" -- "Our so-called religious leaders" ; "Which side are you on?" -- Epilogue
Control code
ocn888557074
Dimensions
25 cm
Extent
xvi, 352 pages
Isbn
9780465049493
Lccn
2014035883
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other control number
99963049870
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
  • (Sirsi) i9780465049493
  • (OCoLC)888557074
Label
One nation under God : how corporate America invented Christian America, Kevin M. Kruse
Link
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=44131
Publication
Note
Includes index
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-337) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
pt. I. Creation : "Freedom under God" ; The great crusades -- pt. II. Consecration : "Government under God" ; Pledging allegiance ; Pitchmen for piety -- pt. III. Conflict : "Whose religious tradition?" -- "Our so-called religious leaders" ; "Which side are you on?" -- Epilogue
Control code
ocn888557074
Dimensions
25 cm
Extent
xvi, 352 pages
Isbn
9780465049493
Lccn
2014035883
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other control number
99963049870
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
  • (Sirsi) i9780465049493
  • (OCoLC)888557074

Subject

Genre

Library Locations

    • Waubonsee: Aurora Downtown CampusBorrow it
      1st Floor 18 S. River St., Aurora, IL, 60506, US
      41.7587304 -88.3172925

Library Links

Structured data from the Bibframe namespace is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Waubonsee Community College. Additional terms may apply to data associated with third party namespaces.