The Jefferson Bible : a biography / Peter Manseau.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Manseau, Peter, 1974- author.

Series:

Lives of great religious books.

Lives of great religious books

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826--Religion.

Jefferson, Thomas.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Edition:

Hardcover ed..

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey ; Oxford : Princeton University Press, [2020]

Summary:

"In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson edited the New Testament with a penknife and glue, removing all mention of miracles and other supernatural events. Inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment, Jefferson hoped to reconcile Christian tradition with reason by presenting Jesus of Nazareth as a great moral teacher-not a divine one. Peter Manseau tells the story of the Jefferson Bible, exploring how each new generation has reimagined the book in its own image as readers grapple with both the legacy of the man who made it and the place of religion in American life. Lost for decades and rediscovered by chance in the late nineteenth century, Jefferson's cut-and-paste scripture has meant different things to different people. Some have held it up as evidence that America is a Christian nation founded on the lessons of the Gospels. Others see it as proof of the Founders' intent to root out the stubborn influence of faith. Manseau explains Jefferson's personal religion and philosophy, shedding light on the influences and ideas that inspired him to radically revise the Gospels. He situates the creation of the Jefferson Bible within the broader search for the historical Jesus, and examines the book's role in American religious disputes over the interpretation of scripture. Manseau describes the intrigue surrounding the loss and rediscovery of the Jefferson Bible, and traces its remarkable reception history from its first planned printing in 1904 for members of Congress to its persistent power to provoke and enlighten us today"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

List of Illustrations

Author’s Note and Acknowledgments

Introduction: Excavating the Sacred

Chapter 1. Sharpening the Blade

Chapter 2. Making the Cut

Chapter 3. The Quest for the Jeffersonian Jesus

Chapter 4. Lost and Found

Chapter 5. Born Again

Chapter 6. Social Engineering

Chapter 7. Congressional Inheritances

Chapter 8. Jefferson, Jesus, and the Sixties

Chapter 9. Choose Your Own Adventure

Epilogue: Bible as Barrow

Illustrations

Notes

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Includes index.

ISBN:

9781787858404

1787858405

9780691209685

0691209685

OCLC:

1179117433