Download PDF by Suzanne Geissler: God and Sea Power: The Influence of Religion on Alfred

This ebook makes a speciality of the spiritual ideals and writings of naval historian and theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan. Mahan used to be a religious Christian and an lively Episcopal layman. His spiritual ideals had a tremendous impact on his theories of sea strength, naval command, conflict, and politics. a few historians and biographers have thoroughly missed his those ideals. Others have said them, yet considered them as inappropriate to Mahan’s pondering on naval issues. a few have said them as very important, yet seen them as being a unfavorable effect on Mahan. these kind of perspectives are unsuitable. Mahan dedicated a life-time to learning and constructing his perspectives on faith and so they have been a huge resource of his considering on his naval and political theories. And his spiritual writings additionally reveal that some of the unfavorable stereotypes of him (such as imperialist, war-monger, racist, Social Darwinist) are inaccurate.

There is a huge physique of fabric that has both been neglected or purely superficially studied that provide us perception into Mahan’s non secular existence, techniques, and writings. there's a huge selection of correspondence to friends and family during which Mahan discuses his Christian religion. there's his diary, stored whereas he was once a tender officer on a three-year voyage aboard the USS Iroquois. This rfile, additionally often misunderstood, offers a dramatic account of his struggles to accomplish a correct courting with God. finally, there's a major corpus of his released writings on spiritual subject matters. as soon as he retired from the army Mahan started to put up greatly on theological issues in either the secular and spiritual press. those writings incorporated letters to the editor, e-book reports, articles, and a publication, The Harvest inside: concepts at the lifetime of a Christian released in 1909. as well as his writings he additionally gave a few speeches to church teams. Copies of each one of these speeches nonetheless exist. All this fabric offers us a really complete photograph of his religion, a desirable blend of born-again evangelicalism and excessive Church Anglicanism. Mahan used to be additionally an energetic layman within the Episcopal Church and those actions are mentioned as well.

Mahan’s father, Dennis Hart Mahan, was once a West aspect professor of engineering and army technological know-how for a few years, and was once a striking army determine in his personal correct. Mahan’s uncle, Milo Mahan, used to be a famous church historian and professor at basic Theological Seminary. either those males had a powerful impact on Alfred and their lives and careers are mentioned as well.