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Zusatztext “An extraordinary distillation of the though and wisdom of Thomas Jefferson.” —MERRILL D. PETERSON, professor emeritus of history, University of Virginia, author of The Jefferson Image in the American Mind “Seamlessly weaving Jefferson’s wisdom and lively moral imagination into discrete an dtimeless meditations, this far from common ‘commonplace book’ brings Jefferson’s thoughts alive again for a new generation of Americans.” —FORREST CHURCH, author of The American Creed and editor of The Jefferson Bible Informationen zum Autor Thomas Jefferson Klappentext Were Thomas Jefferson alive to read this book, he would recognize every sentence, every elegant turn of phrase, every lofty, beautifully expressed idea. Indeed, every word in the book is his. In an astonishing feat of editing, Eric S. Petersen has culled the entirety of Thomas Jefferson's published works to fashion thirty-four original essays on themes ranging from patriotism and liberty to hope, humility, and gratitude. The result is a lucid, inspiring distillation of the wisdom of one of America's greatest political thinkers. From his personal motto—"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God”—to his resounding discourse on "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson defined the essential truth of the American spirit. In the essays that Petersen has crafted from letters, speeches, and public documents, Jefferson's unique moral philosophy and vision shine through. Among the hundreds of magnificent sentences gathered in this volume, here are Jefferson's pronouncements on Gratitude: "I have but one system of ethics for men and for nations— to be grateful, to be faithful to all engagements and under all circumstances, to be open and generous.” Religion: "A concern purely between our God and our consciences.” America's national character: "It is part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate; to surmount every difficulty with resolution and contrivance.” Public debt: "We shall all consider ourselves unauthorized to saddle posterity with our debts, and morally bound to pay them ourselves.” War: "I abhor war and view it as the greatest scourge of mankind.” In stately measured cadences, these thirty-four essays provide timeless guidance on leading a spiritually fulfilling life. Light and Liberty is a triumphant work of supreme eloquence, as uplifting today as when Jefferson first set these immortal sentences on paper. Leseprobe Faith . . . Adore God . . . I have ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our consciences, for which we were accountable to Him, and not to the priests. I never told my own religion, nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another’s creed. I have ever judged of the religion of others by their lives, for it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be read. By the same test the world must judge me. Hitherto I have been under the guidance of that portion of reason which He has thought proper to deal out to me. I have followed it faithfully in all important cases, to such a degree at least as leaves me without uneasiness; and if on minor occasions I have erred from its dictates, I have trust in Him who made us what we are, and know it was not His plan to make us always unerring. Faith and works will show their worth by their weight in the scales of eternal justice before God’s tribunal. If no action is to be deemed virtuous for which malice can imagine a sinister motive, then there never was a virtuous action; no, not even in the life of our Saviour himself. But He has taught us to judge the tree by its fruit and to leave motives to Him who can alone see into them. There is only one God and He is all perfect. There is a future state of rewards ...
