In the Beginning Was the Word

By Mark A. Noll

Book Description

Mark A. Noll invites readers on a fascinating exploration of how Scripture shaped the very foundation of American civilization. This compelling historical journey reveals how the Bible's influence evolved from the earliest colonial settlements to the revolutionary birth of a new nation.

The story begins with a surprising revelation: America's first encounter with Christianity came through Spanish and Latin voices, along with indigenous languages like Nahuatal. However, the transformative power of English-language Scripture arrived with seventeenth-century Protestant settlers who carried an unwavering devotion to biblical authority. These Puritans envisioned a society where Scripture would permeate every aspect of daily life, creating their ideal of a true Christian civilization.

Noll demonstrates how colonial Americans inherited three distinct approaches to biblical authority from Europe: placing Scripture within established religious structures, elevating it above institutional control, or wielding it as a revolutionary force against traditional religious power. As the eighteenth century unfolded, colonists increasingly embraced this final approach, using biblical principles to challenge Anglican Britain and ultimately justify their break toward independence.

This scholarly yet accessible work illuminates how Scripture became both a unifying force and a catalyst for change in early America. Readers seeking to understand the spiritual foundations of American identity will discover how biblical interpretation shaped not only personal faith but also the political and social structures that defined a emerging nation's character.