Embattled We Are

Overview

This book offers an examination of the intersection of American civil religion, religious nationalism, and American militarism.

Themes

Tracing civil-religious themes like American chosenness, America's place in the unfolding design of Providence, the dedication to freedom at home and abroad, and the memory of the soldier’s sacrifice.

Analysis

This book analyses the speeches of American presidents from Washington and Lincoln to Kennedy, Reagan, Bush, and Obama, showing how they have consistently used these themes to justify and promote American militarism.

Contribution

Contributing to the growing body of scholarship on American civil religion by conceptually demarcating American civil religion, religious nationalism, and Christian nationalism. This adds a dimension of cultural analysis to some existing works that approach similar topics.

Audience

It is an interesting read for scholars of civil religion.