City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism

by Abram C. Van Engen

Publisher:

Yale University Press

, 2020

Overview

In this illuminating book, Abram C. Van Engen shows how the phrase “city on a hill,” from a 1630 sermon by Massachusetts Bay governor John Winthrop, shaped the story of American exceptionalism in the twentieth century.

By tracing the history of Winthrop’s speech, its changing status through time, and its use in modern politics, Van Engen asks us to reevaluate our national narratives. He tells the story of curators, librarians, collectors, archivists, antiquarians, and other often anonymous figures who emphasized the role of the Pilgrims and Puritans in American history, paving the way for the saving and sanctifying of a single sermon and its eventual transformation into an American tale. This sermon’s rags-to-riches rise reveals the way national stories take shape and shows us how they continue to influence competing visions of the country—the many different meanings of America that emerge from its literary past.

Key Features

• Explores the story of American exceptionalism in the twentieth century
• Examines the story of curators, librarians, collectors, archivists, antiquarians, and other often anonymous figures who emphasized the role of the Pilgrims and Puritans in American history

Contents

• Message
• Materials
• Myth
• Methods
• Models

Praise for the Print Edition

Americans are transiting to a new political chapter. They may want their city to shine again. How can they reconnect to their historical vision of their country’s special mission? Thankfully, a fascinating guide for that task is right at hand, an elegant piece of historical detective work.

—David Frum, The Atlantic

[An] important book. . . . We can be grateful that Van Engen has taught us so much about the misuses—and the possible appropriate uses—of John Winthrop’s vision.

—Richard Mouw, Comment

Product Details

• Title: City On A Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism
• Author: Abram C. Van Engen
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Print Publication Date: 2020
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 379
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subjects: Exceptionalism; Christianity and politics
• ISBNs: 9780300229752, 0300229755
• Resource ID: LLS:CTYHLLMXCPTNLSM
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-01-09T22:18:13Z

About Abram C. Van Engen

Abram C. Van Engen is associate professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is also associate professor (by courtesy) at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics.