Born into the Anglo-Irish landowning class of Down (Killyleagh Castle), Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751-1832) led a colorful life. Heavily influenced by the celebrated radical John Jebb at Cambridge, Rowan made waves throughout his career, weathering the wrath of his own class as he championed the causes of the poor and oppressed. Of a passionate disposition, he was involved in several duels, was denounced by the military for shooting dead tradesmen in Dublin for bull-baiting, and, as a young man, was liable to getting into 'scrapes with married women.' Indeed, Marie Antoinette was so taken by his good looks that she sent him a ring. Rowan was a founding member of the United Irish Society. Imprisoned in 1794, he managed to escape in a fishing vessel to France. He endured 11 years of hardship in France, Germany, and America before his tenacious wife Sarah Dawson managed to secure him a pardon and he returned to Ireland in 1806. His revolutionary activities, treasonable plots with spies, prison escape, and the efforts of the authorities to entrap and hang him, are such that this story is an adventure. However, it is much more. Archibald Hamilton Rowan's world view was influenced by a liberal religious and intellectual tradition of the New Light Presbyterians. The book gives an account of the post-rebellion trauma within Presbyterianism and Rowan's dramatic defiant stand in defense of New Light principles. In conclusion, it traces the evolution of liberal Presbyterian opinion as they pondered their defeat in 1798 and sought new ways of pursuing the old goals of religious freedom and political democracy. *** "Impressively researched....a compelling, exceptionally well written, instructive, and entertaining read that is especially and enthusiastically recommended for both community and academic library Irish Biography, Irish Studies, and Irish History collections." -- Midwest Book Review, MBR Bookwatch: March 2016, Greenspan's Bookshelf Subject: Biography, Irish Studies, History]

An assessment of the Democratic Party's separation from faith-based agendas identifies its past alliances with church leaders and historical role in social justice movements, citing new initiatives that are changing the party's stance on religion and morality.

Politics isn’t a four-letter word. Everyone’s been at that dinner party. The conversation takes a political turn. The arguments start, the atmosphere grows tense, and all that remains is a hopeless stalemate and an awkward silence. Makes you wonder . . . is thoughtful and productive dialogue about politics even possible? In Honoring God in the Red or Blue, Dr. Amy Black addresses the debaters as well as those intimidated or annoyed by the debaters; political junkies and the contented uninvolved. She explains the purposes and limitations of our system and helps readers create realistic expectations for government. While God’s truth is perfect, human application of it is not, a reality that shouldn’t deter us from engaging in debate and staying informed. Rather, it should challenge us to raise our standards for how we speak about the issues—and those in office. It’s time to approach political divides with an extra measure of grace. Success begins with seeking God’s honor first and foremost, regardless of where we fall on the political spectrum. Don’t limit yourself to chatting about the weather.

A stunningly insightful account of the global political and economic system, sustained first by Britain and now by America, that has created the modern world. The key to the two countries' predominance, Mead argues, lies in the individualistic ideology inherent in the Anglo-American religion. Over the years Britain and America's liberal democratic system has been repeatedly challeged—by Catholic Spain and Louis XIV, the Nazis, communists, and Al Qaeda—and for the most part, it has prevailed. But the current conflicts in the Middle East threaten to change that record unless we foster a deeper understanding of the conflicts between the liberal world system and its foes.