In Review

21 November 2008 20:00 BST

God's Own Country by Stephen Bates

Published by Hodder, out September 15th in hardback, 353 pages, £9.99.

Stephen Bates takes a geo-historical journey across America, covering everything from Massachusetts puritans, Cotton Mathers, and the Salem Witch Trials, to the Founding Fathers and Benjamin Franklin, to Roosevelt, Judge Roy Moore, Jerry Falwell and, of course, George W Bush (pictured on the cover).

In a nutshell

Important, relevant, informative, well-researched, liberal.

What's it all about?

The book decides early on not to present itself as a purely factual, un-opinionated book, in the style of, for example, the excellent The Right Nation by Woolridge and Micklethwait. Stephen Bates has arguments to make, and he makes them well. With factual, reasoned prose, Bates paints an America founded not on a desire for freedom of worship and respect for the individual, but rather, an almost messianic need for religious purity and a refusal to accept more liberal views about religious preferences as were becoming prevalent in England at the time (apparently it was only on orders from London that the puritans in Massachusetts stopped killing Quakers and Anglicans). The Separation of Church and State, according to Bates, was not born out respect for the sanctity of the individual, a belief in freedom of worship, or a desire for a solely rational legislative process, but rather, a belief that a self-declared Christian nation is an irreligious concept because one's Christianity only 'counts' if the worshipper comes to it through their own spiritual acceptance of 'God's truth,' and even a desire on the Church's part to be free from political and legal restraints as to how they could punish sinners.

Perhaps we should not be surprised by the high levels of superstition permeating American politics, but I was just that to learn facts such that as recently as the 1920s, the highly-respected Father Charles Coughlin firmly believed that the Archangel Gabriel was hovering over the White House and was the source of inspiration for Roosevelt's New Deal. And surely no-one could fail to be shocked by the fact that 20th Century Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer refused to touch the King James Bible because it was commissioned by a British King whom some historians believed wasn't entirely heterosexual, because "any document commissioned by a homosexual has obviously been tainted in some way," and – horrifically - as recently as 2008, a monument was erected in Wyoming, by respected pastor Fred Phelps, to 'celebrate' the murder of a young homosexual man. These modern interviews and stories are juxtaposed with corresponding historical occurrences, showing the degree to which social convention has changed – or rather, not changed - in the most powerful country on the planet.

Who's it by?

Stephen Bates is the Guardian's religious and royal affairs correspondent, and has also worked for the BBC. Thus his book has been dismissed as 'left-wing,' 'biased,' 'anti-American,' and even, bizarrely, 'Communist' by some American readers. However, it should be noted that Bates has also worked for the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail too. Indeed, by European/British standards, Bates' views would fall distinctly under the centrist, if not centre-right political persuasion. He has also written A Church at War, also published by Hodder.

As an example…

On the Salem Witch Trials (and perhaps the best argument against the use of torture for extracting information ever made): "Under interrogation, Tituba cracked, and admitted to… riding to Boston with other witches on a broomstick."

Quoting (modern day ex-judge), Judge Roy Moore on his placement of three children with their abusive father rather than their lesbian mother because: "her homosexuality was abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature, a violation of nature's God… the state carries the power of the sword, the power to prohibit conduct with execution. It must use that power to prevent the subversion of children towards this lifestyle, to not encourage a criminal lifestyle."

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

While this would make a compelling Michael Moore-style documentary, the real strength of this book is the depth of knowledge and research, along with the factual, responsible prose, as opposed to Michael Moore's funny but sometimes simplistic and often biased, albeit more commercially appropriate tone. Much of the book would have to be cut away to allow for a documentary of a comfortable length to be made, which would be a shame. However, film clips of the interviews with the likes of Judge Roy Moore would be fascinating, and might hit home even harder than the written versions do.

What the others say

"Fascinating, sometimes disturbing" - The Independent.

"Detailed, accurate, and engaging" - The Church Times.

"A must-read" - The Guardian.

So is it any good?

God's Own Country is both exciting and factual, funny yet disturbing, cynical yet serious, and, most impressively, rich in accurate historical detail, yet deeply relevant to modern politics. I have heard accusations that Bates is guilty of political point-scoring during the run-up to an American national election, but this book does not read as party political material at all. In fact, George W Bush and his colleagues, far from being lambasted, are portrayed as fairly tolerant and liberal. Much is made of George W Bush's concessions to Muslims, Jews, gays, and Dick Cheney is praised for his support of his lesbian daughter's civil partnership. Bates seems much more interested in analysing historical events in America and their impact in the interests of society as a whole than he is in posturing about the imperfections of Bush's speech patterns. It pays off spectacularly - and everyone should read this book.

10/10

Louise McCudden