By clicking “Accept,” you agree to the use of cookies and similar technologies on your device as set forth in our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy. Please note that certain cookies are essential for this website to function properly and do not require user consent to be deployed.

The Founding Myth

Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American

Contributors

By Andrew L Seidel

Foreword by Susan Jacoby

Preface by Dan Barker

Formats and Prices

Price

$14.99

Format

Do “In God We Trust,” the Declaration of Independence, and other historical “evidence” prove that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles? Are the Ten Commandments the basis for American law? A constitutional attorney dives into the debate about religion’s role in America’s founding.
 
In today’s contentious political climate, understanding religion’s role in American government is more important than ever. Christian nationalists assert that our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and advocate an agenda based on this popular historical claim. But is this belief true? The Founding Myth answers the question once and for all. Andrew L. Seidel, a constitutional attorney at the Freedom from Religion Foundation, builds his case point by point, comparing the Ten Commandments to the Constitution and contrasting biblical doctrine with America’s founding philosophy, showing that the Bible contradicts the Declaration of Independence’s central tenets. Thoroughly researched, this persuasively argued and fascinating book proves that America was not built on the Bible and that Christian nationalism is, in fact, un-American.

On Sale
May 14, 2019
Page Count
352 pages
Publisher
Union Square & Co.
ISBN-13
9781454933281

Andrew L Seidel

About the Author

Andrew L. Seidel is an author and attorney who’s defended the First Amendment for more than a decade, both in and out of court. Seidel has dedicated his career to challenging religious privilege and battling Christian Nationalism. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book The Founding Myth; has appeared on Fox and Friends, MSNBC, The O’Reilly Factor, and numerous radio shows; speaks and writes extensively about religious freedom; and has been profiled by BBC News, Buzzfeed, International Business Times, and more. After a decade as a constitutional attorney and director with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, he joined Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Learn more about him at: @AndrewLSeidel on social media and andrewlseidel.com. He lives in Madison, WI.

Erwin Chemerinsky is Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and President of the Association of American Law Schools. He is a contributing writer for the Opinion section of the Los Angeles Times, and he writes regular columns for the Sacramento Bee, the ABA Journal, and the Daily Journal, and writes op-eds in newspapers across the country. He frequently argues appellate cases, including in the Supreme Court. He was named the most influential person in legal education in the United States by National Jurist magazine in 2017.

 

Learn more about this author