In his book Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America Waldman seeks to debunk popular myths about the founding fathers and their beliefs. Waldman is the co-founder of Beliefnet.com, a Web site devoted to spirituality and faith issues. ( )

Well-reasoned, and researched. Every media pundit should be required to read this book. I can only pray for (but, alas, not truly hope for), what the author states towards the end: that people on both "sides" of the culture wars will stop seeing the other as Evil, and instead realize that each as an element of truth, but also is mistaken in some respects. ( )

Really well-researched look into the Constitutional origins of separation of church and state that goes much further back, looking at the evolution of the thinking of each of the Founding Fathers' attitudes towards issue. ( )

Best book on the subject that I have read. Thorough research, opinions are clearly identified. Well balanced. ( )

It has a slow start, but once you get a few chapters in it is fascinating to see the plethora of views our founding fathers maintained. The final chapter, which lists several myths from the Left and the Right about the founding fathers and the constitutional application of faith and country.
The nutshell is our founding fathers escaped from religious persecution and wanted to make sure the government they were setting up kept out of the affairs of religion; however, once elections happened politicians immediately started pandering to their base.
It is amusing how far different denominations have shifted from their original stance to their current political climate. Many religious folks believed the constitution was poorly written. It is also funny the various things that our original Bill of Rights could have included i.e. Suspect religious denomination (read L/R extremist) couldn't carry firearms. ( )