Posted By Dustin Walters on Feb 20, 2023 | 2 comments

Forlines, F. Leroy. Secularism and the American Republic: Revisiting Thomas Jefferson on Church and State. Edited by Matthew Steven Bracey. Gallatin, TN: Welch College Press, 2022.

F. Leroy Forlines remained committed to interdisciplinary study until the end of his life, and that is clear in his latest work, Secularism and the American Republic. This Arminian theologian of the twentieth century sought to provide Christians with a framework for understanding and doing theology in his wonderful book, The Quest for Truth, yet he did not restrict his studies to ivory tower theology. He devoted the last years of his life to writing on secularism, which resulted in the publication of Secularism and the American Republic, which is edited by Matthew Steven Bracey. Secularism is a compelling and timely read that reveals key insights about the philosophical commitments of Thomas Jefferson, especially Jefferson’s insights into the relationship between the church and the state.

Book Summary

The book is divided into four parts through which Forlines puts Jefferson on the stand to give an account of whether he was indeed a secularist. Throughout the book, Forlines maintains the courtroom analogy and demonstrates that Jefferson was not the secularist that some of his later interpreters have made him out to be. In part one, Forlines explores whether the founding fathers were influenced by secularism. Part two focuses on two cases from the United States Supreme Court that significantly impact modern interpretations of what the “separation of church and state” means. Part three contains a reflection on Jefferson’s paradigm for religious freedom and Forlines’s articulation of Jefferson’s doctrine of reasonable accommodation. In the last section, Forlines presents his closing argument, concluding, “We as a nation can succeed in accommodating a large and diverse populace that holds assorted philosophical and religious viewpoints in a fair, honest, and respectful manner that accords with constitutional principles” (219).

Part I

Forlines provides historical background and etymological reflection on secularism in chapter one. He argues that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were not secularists. In fact, George Jacob Holyoake did not coin the term until about 1846. Holyoake defined secularism as “a desire to build a human society in which religion played no part” (6). He founded the British Secularist Society about five years later. Forlines shows that the founders did not exhibit these sensibilities and certainly could not have intentionally embraced “secularism” since there is a fifty-year gap between them and Holyoake. The distance of time alone “renders impossible the proposal that the United States was founded on secularism” (7). Forlines goes on to explain that the term secular referred more to one’s location of service rather than an orientation of belief (8).

The founding fathers had a theistic orientation of belief, “believing that worldview had implications for public life” (17). Forlines reflects on the worldview influences of Adams and Jefferson in chapter two. Forlines lists Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and John Locke as Jefferson’s “trinity of heroes” and demonstrates that neither Adams nor Jefferson were the secularists their later interpreters make them out to be. Forlines argues that portraying Adams and Jefferson as secularists “rests on a weak foundation” (33).

Chapter three contains a reflection on Jefferson’s interpreters Susan Jacoby and Lenni Brenner, who like Jefferson for his supposed secularism. Jacoby seems to think that the terms civil and secularist are synonymous, yet Forlines notes that those terms do not function in a one-to-one correspondence (36). Brenner edited a collection of writings on Jefferson and Madison. Forlines acts as a prosecutor against Brenner when he writes, “Thus, in a collection of more than four hundred pages subtitled Writings on Religion and Secularism, not one mention is given to anything resembling secularism” (38). Though Jefferson was not an orthodox Christian, he was “one of the most God-conscious presidents in United States history” (41). Forlines concludes the chapter and part one by stating that Jefferson scholars have misinterpreted him; he believed in the “supernatural, as well as in its place in the public square” (46).

Part II

The second part of the book concerns the historical background that contributed to the contemporary understanding of a strict separation of church and state. Forlines focuses on two important cases: Everson v. Board of Education (1947) and McCollum v. Board of Education (1948). One helpful aspect of this section is that Forlines includes reflection on majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions. The dissenting opinions are important for Forlines: “Though they are not legally binding, they may influence opinions that come before the court at a later date” (64). The two cases on which Forlines focuses in part two reveal key documents from Jefferson and Madison that inform how religious clauses should be interpreted in the Constitution. Forlines transitions his thought in part three to focus on those primary sources that he hopes will provide a better way forward than the strict separation articulated by Everson and McCollum.

Part III

Part three comprises chapters eight through thirteen in which Forlines interacts with Jefferson’s actual views of church and state as revealed in the founder’s writings. In his letter to the Danbury Baptists, Jefferson used the phrase “wall of separation” which was later latched on to by the justices in the two major Supreme Court cases Forlines described in part two. Forlines argues that Jefferson has been misinterpreted, especially in consideration of the founding documents for the University of Virginia, which negate contemporary interpretations of Jefferson’s famous phrase. Forlines’s work in part three is foundational for his closing argument presented in part four.

Part IV

The final section of the book is made up of two chapters. In chapter fourteen, Forlines argues that the reasonable accommodation of church and state is a better understanding of Jefferson’s views than the strict separation of church and state. Jefferson’s foundational work for the establishment of the University of Virginia is pivotal for understanding this section. The last chapter of the book is Forlines’s vision for public education, secular humanism, and liberty. One of Forlines’s key concerns is that the government “should remove the muzzle from those who would like to give voice to Christian belief and morality” and that “a professor who is a Christian should be able to acknowledge that he or she is a Christian” (211). Forlines’s articulation of Jefferson’s beliefs is extremely relevant in this cultural moment where educational tolerance is advocated except in cases where genuine Christians are concerned.

Analysis

Secularism and the American Republic is a compelling work that demonstrates Forlines’s desire to apply theology to all of life. Forlines writes with concern about American secularization and a motivation for his readers to reconsider what the founding fathers meant regarding the separation of church and state. His paradigm of reasonable accommodation rather than strict separation provides a foundation for future study. The work is beneficial for American Christians who grieve over the godlessness in the culture and who want to apply their Christian worldview to politics and education. Local church leaders who read this book might find that it does not provide enough emphasis on the practical implications of the book’s concepts for the local church (although a forthcoming volume is expected to address some of those concerns). Even so, Forlines’s work is both accessible and relevant to a broader audience. The book is also relevant for those who hold positions of political authority in all three branches of the American government. The book is not only accessible but also compelling.

Conclusion

Forlines’s work in this book is important for conservatives and non-conservatives alike. The author’s focus on Jefferson is insightful and encourages the reader to return to the primary sources of the American founders to create a better future for the next generation. Pastors and laity alike will benefit from this work. Forlines had a gift for communicating challenging ideals in ways that everyday believers can understand, and the quality of his work is evident in Secularism. Unfortunately, we can no longer sit down with Forlines and probe his mind about the insightful content in this book. However, we can purchase this book, read it, and/or buy a copy for people in our churches or someone we know who serves in political office.

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