The Making of the American Mind with Dr. Matthew Spalding

Nearly 50 years after he penned the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "This was the object of the Declaration of Independence, not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of… it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion." What was he trying to express? Dr. Matthew Spalding traces the big ideas of the Declaration in his book The Making of the American Mind, including the role of faith and revelation. In this interview, Cole and Dr. Spalding discuss the ideas of liberty, rights, and the theology of the Declaration 250 years later.