THE INTEGRITY AND UNITY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND THE CONSITUTION

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

THE FOUNDERS' KEY
The Divine and Natural connection Between the Declaration and the Constitution and What
We Risk by Losing It
By Larry P. Arnn

OVERVIEW: Dr. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, reveals the integral unity of the Declaration and the Constitution. Together, they form the pillars upon which the liberties and rights of the American people stand. United, they have guided history's first self-governing nation, forming our government under certain universal and eternal principles. To many, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are not relevant and little more than quaint reminders of a time past. Our government operates without regard for their content. Our academic elite educate young people to view these documents as transient and narrow. In their place, a government has been established that functions outside the controls of the Constitution and in contradiction to the principles of the Declaration. Dr. Arnn reveals the danger of the modern progressive movement and urges us to rediscover the genius born into our Founding. This rediscovery is vital to our liberty, for we must understand the causes of liberty if we wish to preserve it.

AUTHOR: Larry P. Arnn is the president of Hillsdale College. He received his B.A. from Arkansas State University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Government from the Claremont Graduate School. He has been published widely in newspapers and magazines on issues of public policy, history, and political theory, and he is the author of Liberty and Learning: The Evolution of American Education. Dr.Arnn and his wife, Penny, live in Hillsdale, Michigan, and have four children.

MY REVIEW: Somehow in my education, I missed learning about the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Oh, I learned something about them--but not much. I was born in a conservative time in a conservative state and generally speaking, grew up in a conservation context. The Declaration and Constitution were regarded with great respect. I just don't remember being taught much about them.

Dr. Arnn's book has provided me with a great education about these important documents. I am thankful for his knowledge and wisdom and grateful to him for sharing what he knows with all of us. As citizens of this great country we need the information in this book. I will be recommending this book to many others.

As good as this book is, it is not easy reading. I found myself going back and re-reading many pages. But the knowledge gained about these important documents is well worth the extra effort in re-reading. The Declaration and Constitution form the pillars upon which the liberties and rights of the American people stand. This is an important book that I hope many will read.

(This book was given to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers for this review without any requirements for a positive review.)