America’s Religious Crossroads: Faith and Community in the Emerging Midwest

Abstract

Another consistent thread that runs throughout this study is an emphasis on honor – whether that be personal, sectional, or national – as being vital to understanding Calhoun’s thought and behavior. Calhoun, according to Elder, viewed nearly everything in his life “through the lens of duty and obligation” (p. 320). Given the author’s previous work, particularly his 2016 book The Sacred Mirror: Evangelicalism, Honor, and Identity in the Deep South, 1790-1860, such an emphasis is perhaps predictable – but no less persuasive for being so. It is hard to findmeaningful faults with Calhoun: American Heretic, though the title of the book does at times jar against its contents. The picture Elder often paints of Calhoun is not really heretical at all and, indeed, there are plenty of moments where Calhoun’s thought on a variety of topics, such as democracy, race, and trade, seem to be either within or close to the mainstream of early to mid-nineteenth century white American values. As Elder notes at the end of the epilogue, even if we focus on Calhoun’s extreme (even by the standards of his own time) defense of slavery, we might ignore the fact that his description of the United States as “the government of the white man” was “possibly one of the least controversial things that he ever said” (p. 546). Though certainly arresting, the title does rather obfuscate the book’s overall portrayal of Calhoun. The book could also have given the reader more aids to help them on their journey through Calhoun’s complex life, such as images of Calhoun and other recurring characters, a map of his native South Carolina, and a genealogical chart of the family. It must, of course, be noted that these faults may lie more with the publisher than the author. In all, Robert Elder has given us a much-needed new look at the life, politics, and thought of John C. Calhoun. Engagingly written, consistently insightful, and multidimensional in its approach, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the political history of the U.S. during the first half of the nineteenth century, the society and culture of the U.S. South, or the wider history of ideas.