Insisting that politics and ideology must remain at the forefront of any examination of nineteenth-century America; Foner reasserts the centrality of the Civil War to the people of that period. The first section of this book deals with the causes of the sectional conflict; the second; with the antislavery movement; and a final group of essays treats land and labor after the war. Taken together; Foner's essays work towards reintegrating the social; political; and intellectual history of the nineteenth century.
#1017209 in Books 2016-03-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .45 x 5.50l; .0 #File Name: 194026975X208 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Joan C. FrondorfVery well written!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Lucid; readable and informative. A must-readBy rhona tolchardScholarly and accessible at the same time - a rare find and a lucid treatment of a complex subject. This is a timely and thoughtful book that sheds light on a much-needed problem - the lingering legacy of Dispensationalism and its influence on the attitude of the modern Church to Israel and the Palestinians. Martin is not afraid to tease out the complexities of theology and history; but he does it in a thoroughly readable and engaging way - even a non-theologian like me has a better understanding of the problem after reading the book.I particularly liked Chapter 7; in which he debunks the sloppy; pseudo-scholarship applied to Biblical prophecy by writers like Hal Lindsey and Tim La Haye. As Martin himself says; the prophets of doom have been wrong so many times in their predictions that their dangerous nonsense needs to be exposed for what it really is. One hopes that books like this go some way towards dispelling the anxiety and division created by such publications.I liked this book not only because it sheds much-needed light on a tricky subject but also because it shows what real Bible scholarship is; and how much it adds to the understanding of something that often elicits a cursory; knee-jerk response inadequate to addressing the issues thoughtfully and properly.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. "Tough Love" in Mid-Eastern PoliticsBy Dean FredriksonIt is said that the greatness of an author is to be judged by the importance of the problem he addresses. In this small book; Dr. Martin attends to a very large problem: that of Evangelical support of American foreign policy regarding Israel. In this book; he is attacking a major item of ingrained evangelical theology; especially as it is mixed into American civil religion. It is entirely reasonable to ask why American politicians have; in recent history; favored the modern State of Israel. Only yesterday; Hillary Clinton promised continued economic and political support of Israel. And there are; the author holds; reasonable answers: the persecution of Jews culminating in Hitler's holocaust was unjust; the Jewish people deserve a nation of their own rather than continue forever as a persecuted minority; Israel is our one dependable ally in a turbulent and dangerous Middle Eastern situation; more than six million talented; articulate Jews form a significant voting block in favor of Israel that politicians seeking office must consider.Many evangelicals add religious reasons for American support of Israel. Dr. Martin is informed and fair in his listing of such reasons. After all; Israel is "God's Chosen People." Bible believing people will take very seriously the biblical statement; "I will bless those who bless you [Israel]; and whoever curses you will curse." Martin gives careful consideration; both of the truth of this statement; made to Abraham more than three thousand years ago; and how it might; or might not; apply to the nation that now bears the name of Israel.But; primarily; in the name of Christianity; the author asks about justice for the Palestinians; including Christian Palestinians. Is Israel motivated by the biblical mandates of seeking to "be blessing" to all nations; or is it seeking ever expanding control of mid-eastern real estate; without consideration of the families who are helplessly displaced by such occupation? Dr. Martin seeks to balance justice for both Israelis and Palestinians with a political application of "Tough Love."The book is relevant to American foreign policy and to evangelical interpretation of the Bible. It is an excellent beginning on a much larger issue: that of the nature of biblical Christianity as a composite vision of the purpose and destiny of humanity; Jew and Gentile together. Julie Galambush; "The Reluctant Parting" and James D. G. Dunn; "The Partings of the Ways;" have written of this historic separation. Karl Barth and particularly N.T. Wright have written of their common roots and conceivable unification.
