The republic of many mansions

the long version

Examines the origins, assumptions, and consequences of three major concepts in American religious history: the Puritan judgement of human nature, the Enlightenment disestablishment of religion, and the definition of truth of American Pragmatism. The lives and beliefs of Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Jefferson, and William James fully characterize these three mainstream religious principIes. ln unique counterpoint, the Carmodys bring into the discussion the many religious and secular groups that were not, and still are not, part of the primarily white, Protestant, male historical tradition: Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, women, African-Americans, and others. The Republic of Many Mansions concludes that the future of American religious culture lies in a collective and ongoing dialogue among the many voices active in the American religious landscape.