"We must reduce our volume to the simple evangelists, select, even from them, the very words only of Jesus. There will be remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man."--Thomas Jefferson
Featuring an introduction by Forrest Church, this reissue of "The Jefferson Bible" offers extraordinary insight into the logic of Thomas Jefferson and the Gospel of Jesus. Working in the White House in 1804, Jefferson set out to edit the Gospels in order to uncover the essence of true religion in the simple story of the life of Jesus. Jefferson was convinced that the authentic message of Jesus could be found only by extracting from the Gospels Jesus's message of absolute love and service, rather than the miracle of the Annunciation, Virgin Birth, or even the Resurrection. Completed in 1819, this little book is the remarkable result of Jefferson's efforts.

Described by Cornel West as "a towering public intellectual and the leading universalist philosopher of his generation," Forrest Church was one of the preeminent liberal theologians of our time. His final gift, "The Cathedral of the World," draws from the entire span of Church's life's work to leave behind a clear statement of his universalist theology and liberal faith. Giving new voice to the power of liberal religion, Church invites all seekers to enter the Cathedral of the World, home to many windows but only one Light.

Today's dispute over the line between church and state (or the lack thereof) is neither the first nor the fiercest in our history. In a revelatory look at our nation's birth, Forrest Church re-creates our first great culture war--a tumultuous, nearly forgotten conflict that raged from George Washington's presidency to James Monroe's.

Religion was the most divisive issue in the nation's early presidential elections. Battles raged over numerous issues while the bible and the Declaration of Independence competed for American affections. The religous political wars reached a vicious peak during the War of 1812; the American victory drove New England's Christian right to withdraw from electoral politics, thereby shaping our modern sense of church-state separation. No longer entangled, both church and state flourished.

Forrest Church has written a rich, page-turning history, a new vision of our earliest presidents' beliefs that stands as a reminder and a warning for America today.

What makes us all Americans--whatever our differences--is adherence to a creed, a creed based upon cornerstone truths the founders believed "self-evident." From the earliest days, the survival of the new republic hinged not merely upon the expression of these grand principles of liberty and equality but upon their spiritual underpinnings. Freedom and faith were intertwined. America, as a foreign observer once put it, is a nation with the soul of a church.
In this stirring and timely book, Forrest Church charts the progress of this creed from the America's beginnings to the present day by evoking those whose words-whether in declarations, songs, inaugural addresses, speeches, or prayers-have expressed its letter and captured its spirit. What emerges is our shared destiny. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream that this country might someday "rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed," echoes Thomas Jefferson's belief that "equal and exact justice to all" is the "creed of our political faith." Our connection with the past represents our commitment to the future and vice versa.
A "spiritual and patriotic primer," The American Creed distills the essence of American history while also matching its sweep. Church lets the story of the Declaration of Independence unfold before our eyes, giving us both the big picture and the details that place it into brilliant focus. Those steeped in our nation's heritage will find fresh insight and renewed purpose. Those still discovering its riches could have no finer introduction. In its scope and embrace, this is a book for us all.

The Art of Meaning in the Everyday
A joyous book on the art of finding meaning in daily life. Forrest Church challenges much of the modern search for meaning-indeed, the entire thrust of modern theology.
"A spiritual guide for grown-ups-this book doesn't pander and it doesn't apologize: it is simple and wise."
-Joanne Woodward

In this eloquent, personal, hopeful book, popular writer and minister Forrest Church explores the lifelines that can sustain us in times of trouble: deeper connections to neighbor and stranger, a better understanding of human limits, a larger view of our place in the universe.
"Excellent, truly excellent!"

--M. Scott Peck
"Wise and wonderful. With great courage and compassion, Forrest Church helps us face the core issues of human existence: being alive and having to die."

--Sylvia Ann Hewlett, author of When the Bough Breaks: The Cost of Neglecting Our Childr en
"With wisdom from Ecclesiastes guiding the contemporary wisdom of one of our nation's leading pastors, Life Lines offers good counsel, comfort, and insight for today's dilemmas. Forrest Church takes on the toughest issues--love, death, guilt, and forgiveness--and comes up with practical, usable advice."

--Dan Wakefield, author of Expect a Miracle
"At once insightful, provocative and comforting."

--Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Politics of Meaning