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Head and Heart: American Christianities Audiobook
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(3.16) - 127 listener ratings
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A landmark examination of Christianity's place in American life across the broad sweep of this country's history, from the Puritans to the presidential administration of George W. Bush.
The struggle within American Christianity, Garry Wills argues, now and throughout our country's history, is between the head and the heart: between reason and emotion, Enlightenment and Evangelism. Why has this been so? How has the tension between the two poles played out, and with what consequences, over the past 400 years? How "Christian" is America, after all? Wills brings a lifetime's worth of thought about these questions to bear on a magnificent historical reckoning that offers much needed perspective on some of the most contentious issues of our time.
A religious revolution occurred in America in the eighteenth century, one that saw the emergence of an Enlightenment religious culture whose hallmarks were tolerance for other faiths and a belief that religion was a matter best divorced from political institutions—the proverbial "separation of church and state." Wills shows us just how incredibly radical a departure this separation was: there was simply no precedent for it. To put this leap in perspective, Wills provides a grounding in the pre-Enlightenment religion that preceded it, beginning with the early Puritans. He then provides a thrillingly clear unpacking of the steps, particularly Madison's and Jefferson's, by which church-state separation was enshrined in the Constitution, and reveals the great irony of the efforts of today's Religious Right to blur the lines between the two. In fact, it is precisely that separation that has allowed religion in America to flourish since the disestablishment of religion created a free market, as it were, and competition for souls led to the profusion of denominations across the length and breadth of the land.
As Wills examines the key movements and personalities that have transformed America's religious landscape, we see again and again the same pattern emerge: a cooling of popular religious fervor followed by a grassroots explosion in evangelical activity, generally at a time of great social transformation and anxiety. But such forces inevitably go too far, provoking a backlash as is happening right now with the forces of creationism and the anti-abortion fundamentalists.
Wills closes with a penetrating dissection of the Religious Right's current machinations and the threat they pose to the enlightened religion that has proved to be such a fertile and enduring force throughout American history. But in the end, Wills's abiding message is to be vigilant against the triumph of emotions over reason but to know that the tension between the two is in fact necessary, inevitable, and unending.
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"I read the early chapters about the Puritans, the Great Awakening, Deism and Unitarianism. The book explains the historical origins of American Christianity, and Garry Wills offers excellent insight on the basis for current trends in American Christianity. "
— Sherri (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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Ingenious and thought-provoking
— The New York Times -
“Challenge[s] the conventional wisdom on many issues while synthesizing much of the finest recent scholarship.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“A major contribution to the national debate over separation of church and state.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Essential reading.”
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch -
“Lucid and grandly informative…As cogent as it is refreshing.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“The story is enlightening and a fascinating glimpse into a relatively unexamined past.”
— Publishers Weekly
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Head and Heart Listener Reviews
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" Started in Dec.2007. Finished 1/23/08. A heavy documentation of the role of religion in the American political process from the earliest to today. "
— Jcurmudge, 11/30/2013 -
" Good Overview of American religious history "
— Jeffrey, 11/27/2013 -
" I read the early chapters about the Puritans, the Great Awakening, Deism and Unitarianism. The book explains the historical origins of American Christianity, and Garry Wills offers excellent insight on the basis for current trends in American Christianity. "
— Sherri, 11/19/2013 -
" Excellent history of religion in america. This book should be required reading before anyone spouts off about whether this is a christina nation or what the religious beliefs of our founding fathers was. "
— David, 10/25/2013 -
" If you can handle the truth about the Puritans, the founding fathers, the Great Awakening and the birth of pre-millennialist fundamentalism read this book. If, however, you want to cling to your guns and religion run away! "
— Rich, 10/12/2013 -
" Interesting, but a little slow starting. The last third was the most interesting. Much of the beginning goes into more detail than I need. "
— Rainbow, 3/11/2013 -
" Excellent overview of the various intersections and separations of Church and State in America, from the Puritans to George W. Bush. Particularly strong on the origins of modern day evangelical Christianity. "
— Edward, 3/5/2013 -
" Excellent (very accessible) book on Christianity in America. Fascinating.... "
— Amy, 10/11/2012 -
" Wonderful premise, but poor execution. I just can't finish. The intro discussing the Puritans and stuff was interesting, but I haven't made it past Thomas Jefferson, et. al., and won't. Entirely too dry for "pleasure reading". "
— Tamara, 4/20/2012 -
" I read several chapters of this for my American literature class. The topic was not exciting by any means, but the author conveyed what he thought very well. "
— Alex, 12/29/2011 -
" I'm enjoying the combination of American history and religious culture that this readable and scholarly book provides "
— Leann, 12/10/2011 -
" the people who Should read this book probably won't ie conservative and fundementalist Christians. i didn't agree w/all of Wills' conclusions, he's a bit too cynical, but he makes his points solidly, fairly and factually "
— Jim, 11/22/2011 -
" This book covers the influence of Christianity on politics and culture from the days of the Puritans to the present administration. The reader will find it worthwhile. "
— Teresa, 7/22/2011 -
" the people who Should read this book probably won't ie conservative and fundementalist Christians. i didn't agree w/all of Wills' conclusions, he's a bit too cynical, but he makes his points solidly, fairly and factually "
— Jim, 1/15/2011 -
" If you can handle the truth about the Puritans, the founding fathers, the Great Awakening and the birth of pre-millennialist fundamentalism read this book. If, however, you want to cling to your guns and religion run away! "
— Rich, 12/22/2010 -
" the book still focuses on <br/>"great white men," but at least wills picked different men to follow. there were founding fathers in here, and people who opposed religious revivals. it made for a fun read. "
— Starbubbles, 11/20/2009 -
" Good Overview of American religious history "
— Jeffrey, 10/31/2009 -
" I'm enjoying the combination of American history and religious culture that this readable and scholarly book provides "
— Leann, 3/9/2009 -
" Excellent (very accessible) book on Christianity in America. Fascinating.... "
— Amy, 12/28/2008 -
" Interesting, but a little slow starting. The last third was the most interesting. Much of the beginning goes into more detail than I need. "
— Rainbow, 10/26/2008 -
" Wonderful premise, but poor execution. I just can't finish. The intro discussing the Puritans and stuff was interesting, but I haven't made it past Thomas Jefferson, et. al., and won't. Entirely too dry for "pleasure reading". "
— Tamara, 4/5/2008 -
" I read several chapters of this for my American literature class. The topic was not exciting by any means, but the author conveyed what he thought very well. "
— Alex, 3/19/2008
About Garry Wills
Garry Wills is a historian and the author of the New York Times bestsellers What Jesus Meant, Papal Sin, Why I Am a Catholic, and Why Priests?, among others. A frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books and other publications, Wills is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a professor emeritus at Northwestern University. He lives in Evanston, Illinois.