God’s American Israel

The American political experiment has been shaped by diverse intellectual traditions; among them are British constitutionalism, Enlightenment liberalism, and classical republicanism. Americans have also drawn deeply from Hebraic and Christian sources. The influence of the latter sources was especially evident in colonial New England, where Puritans sought to establish commonwealths in conformity with biblical laws and principles; but it can also be found, more generally, throughout American culture and political thought. Yet these Hebraic and Christian influences have often been discounted or ignored by leading scholars and standard histories alike, thereby undermining a faithful telling of the nation’s story.

Two books published this year are welcome correctives. First, Wilfred M. McClay’s Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, a grand, sweeping chronicle of five centuries of history, gives attention to the role of religion in shaping the American character. Second, Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land: The Hebrew Bible in the United States brings into sharp focus religion’s contributions to the American political order. Compiled and edited by Meir Y. Soloveichik, Matthew Holbreich, Jonathan Silver, and Stuart W. Halpern, this rich sourcebook of primary documents, from the Mayflower Compact to Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, shows vividly how the Hebrew Bible in particular deserves to be known as “a foundational text” in the American political tradition.

Let’s consider how each book enriches the understanding of America’s story.