Review
======
Title: Presidents and Prophets
Author: Michael K. Winder
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Genre: Non-fiction
Year Published: 2007
Number of Pages: 428
Binding: Oversized Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-59811-452-2
Price: $32.95
Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle
Religion and politics -- do they mix? Absolutely not, in my view. Should sectarian belief affect public policy? Probably not. But, like it or not, America is a big-tent religious nation. From its inception, religion of one sort or another has been a part of our national identity. And while we've resisted the temptation to anoint one religion over another as our national faith, one can hardly miss the idea that Christianity is the most powerful force in religious America today. That, of course, may change.
Mormonism is the quintessential American religion. Born in the excitement of newly-won freedom, and nurtured in the fires of religious persecution, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown from a handful of followers to many millions around the world. Unlike other American-born religions, Mormonism has never lost its peculiarly American feel. Mainly dominated by elderly male leaders, it resists the winds of cultural change and adapts only very slowly to the changing mores of an ever-changing culture.
It should not be surprising to learn that Mormonism's leadership has crossed paths with the American presidency on more than one occasion. In its earliest form, this relationship was marked by distrust and sometimes dire threats against the Church. But, over time, relations between the American government and the Mormon leadership relaxed, and are now marked by favorable, if unremarkable, cooperation and friendship.
"Presidents and Prophets" is one man's attempt to document the relationships between Mormonism and the U.S. Presidency. From Washington to the current President Bush, Winder explores how dealings between Church and state have matured over the years. Sure, Washington never heard of a Mormon, but the author explores how he, and several subsequent presidents, might have related to the new religion. And while I think Winder is sometimes over-generous in his speculations about pre-Restoration presidents, his intention is to reflect as accurately as possible the beliefs of each of the national leaders and factor this into their relationship with Mormonism.
Indeed, each chapter begins with a sketch of the religious beliefs of the U.S. President. I found his observations to be fairly accurate and non-judgmental. Each in his own way, our Presidents have had some connection to Deity, from the Deism of Thomas Jefferson to the born-again belief of Jimmy Carter. Reading a bit about each of the presidents was a bit of an education for me. Can you, for example, explain the religious belief of Millard Fillmore?
Winder then briefly surveys world and national events under each presidency. By necessity, the information is rather sketchy, and is intended to provide only a quick introduction. Readers who want to know more have plenty of resources to help fill in the gaps. An abundance of photos fills out the volume.
I had a lot of fun reading through "Presidents and Prophets." Some will think it lacks philosophical sophistication; others will puzzle over its very simple presentation of a sometimes-complicated relationship. But Winder accomplishes his purpose -- to bring the reader a fun and accessible introduction to this interesting subject.
As a large coffee-table sized book, "Presidents and Prophets" is the kind of book you can display in your living room. It will surely attract the attention of visitors, and will capture the imagination of your children as they see how their Church has played a small part in the ongoing narrative of our country. This will be a nice addition to a Latter-day Saint's library, and is worth a close look.
Jeff Needle
Association for Mormon Letters
jeff.needle@gmail.comwww.aml-online.orgwww.LDSBookLovers.com/Needle.html
