Religious conservatives continually proclaim the United States to be a Christian nation founded on biblical principles. None other than Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, come to the conviction that America had been uniquely trusted with a Divine calling and mission. But our course will reveal that the similarities abruptly and immediately end right there. President Lincoln conscientiously developed a profound religious faith while in the White House, but he was never an Orthodox Christian. His sacred text, for which he sacrificed his life (on Good Friday), was neither the Old or New Testament, both of which countenanced slavery, but the Declaration of Independence and its proclamation of “Nature’s God” who had created and endowed all men with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration’s affirmation that all governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed became for Lincoln a Divine doctrine that he would stake the survival of the Union upon. Abraham Lincoln had the astounding boldness to declare the United States, “the last, best hope of earth” and that no other nation or civilization had ever begun with such an inclusive idealism. Such idealism was no abstract notion, it was terribly tested by our Civil War’s sea of blood. We will explore together whether or not we are still “the last, best hope of earth.” The course will feature class presentations including videos. Reading assignments will be distributed weekly to encourage discussion.