In my reading I am occasionally revisiting the era of the founding of the Unites States. I’ve read a biography of George Washington, John Adams, and just this week one on Thomas Jefferson. Another book, from Thomas Nelson publishers that fit in with this era was called The Founders’ Key by Larry Arnn. The subtitle is “the divine and natural connection between the Declaration and the Constitution and what we risk by losing it”. The book is a response to a practice I had missed in our politicians. That of stating support for the Declaration of Independence, but distancing it from the Constitution. As if the two documents are opposed to each other.
The book was well written in clarifying the points in the Declaration that were not only against the form of government that England was imposing on the States, but also showing the form of government that the Declaration demonstrated was a better way. Then the author shows how the Constitution is a natural product to implement just that kind of government that the Declaration identified as better. The case is made in eight chapters that are clear and easy to follow for the most part. The second half of the book is a collection of the original documents referred to in the first half. This includes the Declaration and the Constitution, of course. Plus the specific letters from the Federalist Papers that are referred to most frequently.
The book is fairly timeless, which is a strength. It refers to a few specific politicians and recent events, but the scope is the unchanging purpose of the Declaration and the Constitution and why the vision that led to those documents is not outdated due to the passage of time. I was intrigued enough, however, to want to learn more about what current politicians actually are saying to themselves to be able to say one document is good while the other is not. I think any book that covers its chosen topic while also stimulating interest in related topics has done a good job.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
