Demanding Liberty - by Brandon J O'Brien (Paperback)

About the Book

Historian O'Brien unveils the untold story of religious liberty in America. Between theocracy and secularism, Baptist pastor Isaac Backus contended for a third way--religious liberty and freedom of conscience for all Americans, regardless of belief. Backus' theological ideas impacted his era and give insights into how people of faith today can navigate political debates and work for the common good.good.

Book Synopsis

Religious liberty is one of the most contentious political issues of our time. How should people of faith engage with the public square in a pluralist era? Some citizens hope to reclaim a more Christian vision of national identity, while others resist any religious presence at all.This dispute is not new, and it goes back to the founding era of American history. As the country was being formed, some envisioned a Christian nation where laws would require worship attendance and Sabbath observance. Others advocated for a thoroughly secular society where faith would have no place in public life. But neither extreme won the day, thanks to the unsung efforts of a Connecticut pastor who forged a middle way.Historian Brandon O'Brien unveils an untold story of how religious liberty came to be. Between the Scylla and Charybdis of theocracy and secularism, Baptist pastor Isaac Backus contended for a third way. He worked to secure religious liberty and freedom of conscience for all Americans, not just for one particular denomination or religious tradition. Backus's ideas give us insight into how people of faith navigate political debates and work for the common good.Backus lived in an age of both religious revival and growing secularism, competing forces much like those at work today. The past speaks into the present as we continue to demand liberty and justice for all.

Review Quotes

"Brandon O'Brien's Demanding Liberty reintroduces us to a forgotten hero who deserves to be remembered and emulated. Isaac Backus found the courage through his faith and earnest conviction to pursue religious liberty for all Americans. He was willing to work with Deists and anyone else who would help to ensure that all Americans could choose to either worship God or not based on the dictates of their conscience rather than the demands of the majority. In these days of hyper-partisanship, it is important to be reminded that we can only secure freedom for ourselves when we secure it for all. Brandon O'Brien achieves this and more in his excellent popular biography of Isaac Backus. I recommend it for your reading pleasure as we prepare to celebrate our nation's birth."

--Scott Culpepper, in all things, July 3, 2018

"In this enjoyable history, O'Brien, content director for the N.Y.C.-based Christian leadership organization Redeemer City to City, proposes that born-again activist Isaac Backus should be thanked for the development of religious freedom within the United States. . . . O'Brien provides strong evidence that government and traditional churches have long used each other to maintain authority and illustrates that civil disobedience has been necessary since the Colonial era to advocate for minority rights. Those interested in the origins of America's policy on religious regulations will enjoy this assured history of the battles Backus fought when freedom of belief was no foregone conclusion."

--Publishers Weekly, February 26, 2018

About the Author

Brandon J. O'Brien (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is director of content and distribution for Redeemer City to City in Manhattan. He is coauthor, with E. Randolph Richards, of Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes and Paul Behaving Badly, as well as the author of The Strategically Small Church.