Let Men Be Free

“Baptists are (in)famous for their participation in American politics, but exploration of their variegated political views is relatively thin. Obbie Tyler Todd addresses this gap in his latest book, Let Them Be Free. This is an important work for understanding the philosophies and theologies that led Baptists to champion particular political solutions for the young republic.”


—Matthew Y. Emerson, Oklahoma Baptist University





“This fascinating book shows how religious freedom shaped both Baptist churchmanship and Baptist citizenship during the early years of the republic. Deeply researched and well written, Let Men Be Free is a superb contribution to Baptist history and American studies. Enthusiastically recommended!”


—Timothy George, Samford University





“Let Men Be Free is an impressive work of historical scholarship. Obbie Tyler Todd ably demonstrates how the historic Baptist commitment to soul freedom animated Baptist political engagement during the early republic. Along the way, white Baptistthes moved from the periphery of persecuted dissenters to center of antebellum American evangelicalism. This is the sort of monograph that will inspire a flurry of scholarly articles and doctoral dissertations. Highly recommended.”


—Nathan A. Finn, North Greenville University





“Obbie Tyler Todd effectively documents both the central concerns of Baptist politics in the early American republic and the diversity within the movement. I particularly appreciated his treatment of the Baptist Federalists. This is an important book for understanding not just Baptist history but American history, as Baptists did much to shape the nation from its founding through the nineteenth century.”


—Jonathan Den Hartog, Samford University





“Working within the long tradition of scholar-pastors, Obie Tyler Todd shows in this well-researched and elegantly written book that from the earliest decades of US history, Baptists have been all over the place politically. There were patriots and loyalists, elitists and populists, (Jeffersonian) Republicans and Federalists, supporters of slavery and abolitionists, Christian nationalists and dissenting prophets, outsiders, insiders, and everything in between. This is a good read and a welcome contribution to Baptist history.”


—Barry Hankins, Baylor University





“While Baptists agree on the importance of religious liberty, they have not always agreed on how this principle should be implemented, or on a host of other political and social issues. Let Men Be Free is an engaging book with a wealth of detail drawn from a wide range of sources which describes the intricacies of the political and religious contexts in which Baptists sought to engage their cultures and the diversity of their views.”


—Lloyd A. Harsch, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary





“A cohesive history of a group as varied as Baptists may seem like an oxymoron. But Obbie Tyler Todd has done it in Let Men Be Free, the first comprehensive history of Baptist politics in the early United States. Anchored in a central theme of religious liberty, Todd illuminates the kaleidoscope diversity of Baptists in the new nation. A go-to resource for anyone reading or writing on religion in the early American republic!”


—Brian Franklin, associate director, SMU Center for Presidential History





“Obbie Tyler Todd combs carefully through the lives and writings of early American Baptists, tracing their political and social theology. Despite such profound disagreements (and many more besides), Todd argues one issue, a ‘polestar,’ united Baptists as they moved from the dissenting margin into cultural establishment: religious liberty. This rising scholar offers both an important introduction to a neglected phase of American history and a gripping and compelling read.”


—Malcolm B. Yarnell III, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary