Letters to an American Christian is a substantive, wide-ranging, often-funny treatise on Christianity and politics in the United States. Ashford doesnt shy away from our nations most intractable problems or fiercest debates, and yet he writes with winsomeness and civility, charting a path forward for those who may feel politically homeless these days. Even if you dont agree with his take on every issue, youll find yourself thinking (and chuckling) all the way through this brilliant book.
Trevin Wax , Bible and reference publisher at LifeWay Christian Resources, author of Eschatological Discipleship: Leading Christians to Understand Their Historical and Cultural Context and This Is Our Time: Everyday Myths in Light of the Gospel
Religion and politics are two of the most difficult topics for Americans to discuss today. Too often they generate more heat than light. Letters to an American Christian is different. Bruce Ashford has produced a highly readable and eminently sensible series of reflections on faith and public life. Its a book American Christians need now.
Ryan T. Anderson , author of Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom and When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment
A fantastic, enlightening, and entertaining analysis that perfectly reads the zeitgeist and offers humble, practical, and biblically faithful counsel.
J.D. Greear , lead pastor of The Summit Church (Raleigh-Durham)
Bruce Ashford has shown the way for Christian political conservatives to navigate in this post-Christian world. He illustrates that we need not be locked into a culture war approach nor head for the hills. His smart, informed and insightful advice should be heeded by Christian conservatives in the coming years. You need to buy Letters to an American Christian . No, buy two and give one to a friend.
George Yancey , professor of Sociology, University of North Texas
Bruce Ashford brings much-needed clarity, consistency, and conviction to a range of concerns swirling amidst the sea of moral confusion that surrounds the church and the culture today. Every Christian will benefit from reading Letters to an American Christian .
Karen Swallow Prior , author of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books
With the decline of civics education in the United States, we need to find new and creative ways to help students think about politics. Bruce Ashford has written a book that I think young Christians will find accessible, compassionate, current, and careful. I dont know another theologian who could write a book about politics that is so well-calibrated for Christians of Generation Z.
Hunter Baker , JD, PhD, University Fellow for Religious Liberty, Union University
The American political landscape is an increasingly difficult space for Christians to navigate. Ashford offers a vision for Christian political engagement and applies it to the most pressing issues of the day. Letters to an American Christian is required reading for believers who desire to reflect biblical faith in the public square.
Walter Strickland , assistant professor of Systematic and Contextual Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Copyright 2018 by Bruce Riley Ashford
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
978-1-5359-0513-8
Published by B&H Publishing Group
Nashville, Tennessee
Dewey Decimal Classification: 261.7
Subject Heading: CHRISTIANITY AND POLITICS \ CITIZENSHIP \ AMERICANS
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible and CSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Also used: New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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To my childrenRiley, Anna Kate, and Kuyperwithout whose constant encouragement and ceaseless conversation this book would have been completed in half the time.
Acknowledgments
Most of this book was written early in the mornings, and I would like to acknowledge the Main Street Grille (Wake Forest, North Carolina), whose apple cider doughnuts made the task of writing at 6:00 a.m. such an enjoyable exercise.
I wish to thank Devin Maddox and Taylor Combs at B&H Publishing Group for their commitment to this project and the Kern Family Foundation, whose encouragement and support enabled this project to become a reality. I am also grateful for those persons who, through critical feedback, research, editing, and proofreading, made this manuscript better than it would have been: Hunter Baker for his critical feedback on several chapters; Joe Carter for his research for chapters 10, 12, 13, 18, and 23; Dennis Greeson for his research for chapters 11 and 15; Chris Pappalardo for editing the manuscript; Chris Martin for his encouragement and counsel; and Cindy Hotchkiss and Jackie Sanderlin, who assisted in preparing the manuscript for submission. I am thankful for good friends and colleagues who have sharpened my thinking, including but not limited to political scientists David Koyzis and Hunter Baker, ethicist Daniel Heimbach, and public theologians Craig Bartholomew and Jonathan Leeman.
I thank several media outlets for allowing me to repurpose content originally written for them: Daily Signal for content related to chapters 9 and 22; Daily Caller for content related to chapters 14 and 19; and Fox News Opinion for content related to chapter 14.
And finally, I express my love and appreciation for my wife Lauren, who has been my partner in thinking and writing since 2007.
