The Light and the Glory

“What had happened to The [American] Dream?  …  As it finally became apparent that there were not going to be any scapegoats, that our best thinkers could not come up with nay conclusive answers, many Americans gave up asking what had happened.  And yet, this book has an answer.  To many, the answer will be incredible, even preposterous, although two hundred years ago, the majority of Americans would have accepted it readily enough.  And a hundred and fifty years before that, for the first settlers who found their way to these shores, it would have been the only answer.”
~Excerpts from Chapter 1, “The Search”

​Have you ever wondered about the history of America between the landing of the Pilgrims and the Revolutionary War?  Or the cause of the rich Judeo-Christian values ingrained in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution?  And did God have a plan for America and does He still?  Well, you’re not the only one asking.  Preacher Peter Marshall and author David Manuel asked themselves the same questions and embarked on a journey of research and investigation.  From their discoveries they wrote a three-book historical narrative on the history and spiritual background of America—from Christopher Columbus to the pre-Civil War era. 
 
The first book in the series, The Light and the Glory, was first published by Revell in 1977 and has since sold over a million copies, revealing the truth of America’s history to countless readers.  This first book in the series traces the events and people who shaped America from the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the first Presidency of the United States. 
 
While I cannot adequately summarize this insightful and thought-provoking 359-page book, a great synopsis of the content and purpose of this book is given by this excerpt from the opening, introductory chapter “The Search”:

“Men like Bradford, Winthrop, and Washington, instead of aspiring to greatness (which is often the goal today), truly wanted nothing more than to serve God’s people.  And because these servant-leaders were living out the example of Jesus Christ … God was able to use them mightily to show the way in the building of His new Promised Land.  …  How many of the incredible blessings which have been poured out upon this land—how much of the grace which continues to cover this country today—were a direct result of their obedience and willingness to die out to self, only God knows for certain.  That grace seems to be lifting now, but as we look at our nation’s history from His point of view, we begin to have an idea of how much we owe to a few—and of how much is still at stake.  For God’s call on this country has never been revoked. 
​America, America, God shed His grace on thee…”

This is the quest the writers of The Light and the Glory embarked upon, and one that we can join.   So be inspirited and enlightened to the spiritual history and foundation of America and the power of God to shape and direct the history of a nation.