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Abraham Lincoln did not take his family Bible to the White House. And the reason he did not use the Bible in his first inaugural address was not because it failed to arrive in his baggage. Freed concentrates on what Abraham Lincoln himself says instead of what others say about him, which yields insights into understanding Lincoln's speech before the Young Men's Lyceum, his reply to the "Loyal Colored People of Baltimore," and his Second Inaugural Address. The author shows that much of what has been written about Lincoln's knowledge of the Bible and its influence on his thought is myth. Although his language was replete with vocabulary from the Bible, Lincoln's knowledge of it was superficial, and he did not use the Bible to promote religion. He was always a politician, but with a moral sensitivity. With the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, he used the Bible to help him achieve his political ambitions and to support the emancipation of slaves. A unique book on a subject never treated so thoroughly, this is a must-read for all Lincoln admirers.
About the author
Edwin D. Freed, Emeritus Professor of Religion at Gettysburg College, earned his PhD in biblical and patristic Greek from Harvard University. He taught biblical studies for thirty-six years and published numerous articles and books, including two textbooks. He remains a dedicated scholar, as evidenced by his most recent book,
The Bible Says So! From Simple Answers to Insightful Understanding (2009).
