During this time when we are asked to remember the value of our religious liberty, our conversation with Dr. Thomas Kidd is an important one.  Dr. Kidd gives us the life and  passionate thought of “Patrick Henry:  First Among Patriots”.  Patrick Henry gave us the great rallying cry “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”, and yet many of us may not realize that he had huge reservations about the scope of the Constitution, because he feared it could one day seize that liberty and destroy it  if allowed to go unchecked….very interesting.  I found this to be a fascinating book.  Would Patrick Henry’s concern turn out to be a prophetic one?  Dr. Thomas Kidd handles his subject well, and presents the time, place and overall personality of Henry with clarity and insight in a very compelling read.

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Dr. Thomas Kidd teaches history at Baylor University and is Senior Fellow at Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion. His newest book is Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots, published in 2011 with Basic Books. God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution was published in 2010, also by Basic Books. Additional recent books include American Christians and Islam, published in 2008 by Princeton University Press, The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America, published by Yale University Press in 2007, and The Great Awakening: A Brief History with Documents, with Bedford Books in 2007.  He is a contributor to patheos.com and has written op-eds for USA Today and the Washington Post.

You can find the book here

Wilfred M. McClay, SunTrust Chair of Excellence in Humanities, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

“His (Patrick Henry’a) historical reputation has suffered somewhat because of his opposition to the Constitution, but as Thomas Kidd shows in this vivid and lucid new biography, that judgment fails to do him justice. Indeed, his fears of the Constitution’s tendency toward consolidation and empire turned out to be well-founded, and the principal themes of his life, including his emphasis upon the cultivation of virtue and the protection of limited government, have never been more relevant. May this fine book lead to a long-overdue reconsideration of a great but neglected figure.”

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Prayer of Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero

“We ask you, in your compassion to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here that day, suffer from injuries and illness. Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy. Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

“We are mindful as well of those who suffered death, injury, and loss on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Our hearts are one with theirs as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

“God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the Earth. Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.

“God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events. Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain. Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.” AMEN

I LOVE biographies, so when this one came along I was delighted.  A memoir from a man who experienced the 20th century in all it’s ugly moments and also in it’s beauty…Archbishop Philip Hannan.  From Irish immigrant parents,  to WWII, to the Kennedy White House, to Hurricane Katrina…what a story.   Wonderful!  I talked with Nancy Collins, 2nd cousin of the Archbishop, who assisted him in writing his memoir.  Nancy is an engaging personality in her own right, and that really comes through in our conversation! She reflects on the Archbishop’s life and contribution to our country and times…praise God the greatest generation is still with us to teach and guide!

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You can get a copy here

“The Look of Catholics: Portrayals in Popular Culture from the Great Depression to the Cold War” is a fascinating work by Anthony Burke Smith.  In film, radio, print Catholics contributed significantly to the American Imagination during some of the truly toughest years our nation has faced.  It is really interesting how the country would turn to the virtuous communal nature of the Catholic identity to lift itself during this time.  From Leo McCarey’s Oscar-winning “Go My Way” to Archbishop Fulton Sheen to Henry Luce (publisher of Life magazine), Anthony covers a vast array of areas in this study.  I loved it and so will you I bet!

You can find Anthony’s book at Amazon.com

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Long before Glenn Beck heard of “George Washington’s Sacred Fire”, which would eventually propel it now to the top of the book charts…..

Spirit Mornings w/Bruce and Kris McGregor brought this important book forward to our listeners, and boy did our great listeners respond (as the nation is now)….

Happy 4th of July (here’s hoping we can celebrate many more…)

Dr. Lilliback is wonderful,,,take a listen….

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You can pick up the book at AMAZON