Another Good Week for Getting Jefferson Right
The spotlight on Christian nationalist revisionist history continues
The spotlight on Christian nationalist revisionist history, and specifically on David Barton, has been bright over the past several days. I can recommend the follow articles for your edification.
Baptist News Global
Professors defend Thomas Jefferson from Christian nationalism - This fine November 29 article by Mark Wingfield at Baptist News Global reflects an interview with me early last week. When one considers the history of BNG, an article about a Jefferson book is very on brand.
BNG has both a short and long history. Its immediate predecessor, Associated Baptist Press, was founded in 1990 as the only independent news service created by and for Baptists. In 2013, the boards of ABP and The Religious Herald approved the merger of the two news organizations to form Baptist News Global. The Religious Herald, one of the earliest Protestant newspapers in the United States, was founded in 1828 as the voice of Baptists in Virginia. The preservation of its rich and distinctive heritage and values is an enduring commitment of BNG’s board of directors and staff.
Religion News Service
Another great interview which dropped on Friday, 12/1 comes from Bob Smietana at Religion News Service: Warren Throckmorton takes on David Barton and ‘Christian nationalists’ revisionist history’. Julie Roys republished the article the next day. I was glad to reconnect with Smietana since he was the person who first told me back in 2012 that David Barton’s book The Jefferson Lies was pulled from publication. We talked in the morning of August 9, 2012 about his discovery that Thomas Nelson had decided to stop publishing Barton’s book. In this week’s article, we discuss that and much more.
Politico
An insightful article which doesn’t mention Getting Jefferson Right but does examine David Barton in some depth appeared in Politico. Titled “The Bogus Historians Who Teach Evangelicals They Live in a Theocracy,” the article is an excerpt from an upcoming book by Atlantic writer Tim Alberta. In the new book, Alberta reports on visits to evangelical conferences, churches, and institutions with an aim to examine how politics have influenced religion.
If you haven’t picked up your copy of Getting Jefferson Right, no need to wait. Here are your options.
Amazon: Paperback or Kindle version (you can read it on any digital device or PC)
Barnes & Noble: Paperback
Another option is GettingJeffersonRight.com