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But there is one point—and an important one—on which Grant merits a hearing. He speaks of his exhaustive study of Roosevelt's books, speeches, and personal correspondence, of "biographies, memoirs, and testimonies of Roosevelt's life." He refers to "the life-long Catechism-reciting, Sunday School-teaching, Puritanical Roosevelt." Clearly, in Grant's informed judgment, Roosevelt's faith was not merely "civil religion" or "casual Christianity." Here is a point on which Jones and Grant flatly contradict each other—and it's on this basis that Jones cites Grant as exemplifying an undesirable type of Christian history-writing. In the interest of getting at the truth of the matter, insofar as it is accessible, here is an open invitation to both historians to make their case on Books & Culture's Web site. Cogent contributions from other interested parties will be welcome, too.

John Wilson is editor of Books & Culture and editor-at-large for Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Jones's "How to Serve Time" and Grant's "Evangelically-Correct History" are available online.

Grant's Carry a Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt is available from ChristianBook.com and other book retailers.

Christianity Today recently published an article about Christian recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize and unsung Christian peacemakers. Roosevelt was not listed among those "explicitly influenced by Christian principles."

"I speak as one proud of his Holland, Huguenot, and Covenanting ancestors, and proud that the blood of that stark Puritan divine Jonathan Edwards flows in the veins of his children," Theodore Roosevelt wrote in his autobiography.

Both the Web sites of Christianity Today and Books & Culture have areas on history and historiography. (And then of course, there's our sister publication Christian History.)

Books & Culture Corner appears Mondays at ChristianityToday.com. Earlier Books & Culture Corners include:

'Taken Up in Glory' | The Ascension has been forgotten in many Protestant churches, jettisoning an essential part of the Christian story. (May 21, 2001)

Who Won? Who Cares? | Skip the latest ballot reviews and read Italo Calvino's brilliant election novella "The Watcher." (May 14, 2001)

Infamy Indeed | John Gregory Dunne suggests imperialistic Americans got what they deserved at Pearl Harbor. (May 7, 2001)

Rantings of a Not-So-Primly Dressed Person With Too Much Time | The Chronicle of Higher Education infuses some not-so-subtle bigotry into its fetal-tissue research coverage. (Apr. 30, 2001)

Big Numbers, Big Problems | Christianity is in the midst of a massive global shift. But how much of a difference is it making in its new homelands? (Apr. 16, 2001)

DiIulio Keeps Explaining, But Is Anyone Listening? | At a media luncheon in Washington about Bush's faith-based initiatives, answered questions get asked one more time. (Apr. 9, 2001)

Public-izing Faith | Recent articles in Touchstone, Commonweal, and The New York Times serve as reminders that faith is not merely "a private thing." (Apr. 2, 2001)

How Can I Keep From Singing? | Arne Bergstrom has looked suffering square in the eye all over the world. Now he sings about hope. (Mar. 26, 2001)

To Poland, for an Evening | Once in a great while, a film like Kieslowski's The Decalogue discovers how to transport an audience. (Mar. 19, 2001)

Examining Peacocke's Plumage | The winner of the 2001 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion rejects everything resembling Christian orthodoxy, but that doesn't stop him from co-opting the language. (Mar. 12, 2001)

Are Scientists Taking Orders from Pat Robertson? | A Salon.com essay accuses the Intelligent Design movement of being primarily an arm of "conservative Republicans" and the "religious right." (Mar. 5, 2001)

Had Morse No Code? | Like much popular art, the finale of Inspector Morse functions like a dream of the collective unconscious. (Feb. 26, 2001)

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June (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45