This book forms the core of a semester-length civics course at the high school or college level. As a practical manual, there is plenty to do in and out of the classroom.
The sourcebook of The American Civics Curriculum
The Forgotten Realm
Civics for American Christians
By Elizabeth Landis · Foreword by Miles Smith IV
A practical manual on American government for Christians: the city, the county, special districts, the state and the nation, and how a citizen takes part in each.
Explore the accompanying curriculum“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
About the book
Hold the activism. Hold the platitudes. We know something is wrong with our government. As American Christians, we have a rich political inheritance and a strong desire to act. Yet our action is stunted by reactionary politics and a lack of understanding of the systems which govern us.
It is time for a practical manual on American government written specifically for Christians. In The Forgotten Realm, Elizabeth Landis explains these often ignored structures of government that the average citizen interacts with every day. Starting with the city and working outward to the county, special districts, state, and nation, Landis inverts the way many Americans think about politics and their role as citizens. She demonstrates that there is much we can do to engage with the civil realm and heal our nation. By looking at these structures and learning them well, American Christians will not only become more informed citizens but also more engaged citizens, able to bring the gospel of Christ into an often unreached space.
By faithfully pursuing civics, American Christians can ensure that The Forgotten Realm does not stay forgotten for long.
This book is the sourcebook for The American Civics Curriculum, but also stands on its own for the student or adult seeking to understand the civil realm through self-study.
Who is this book for?
A practical manual for the citizen who wants to understand how the governmental structures all around them work. It will demystify what occurs in their own town, county, and state.
At America’s founding, the pastors of the “Black Regiment” were leaders as well as shepherds. The civil realm is distinct from the church, but both are under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and clergymen are essential in leading their flocks in its affairs.
This book presupposes a Christian audience. The non-Christian is warmly invited to come along, in the hope that he will see there is no true freedom apart from the freedom found in Jesus Christ.
Inside
Nine chapters, from city hall to Washington
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- Prefacexiii
- Introduction1
- Chapter 1: The Realm of Civil Government & Dual Citizenship15
- Chapter 2: Layers of Law—The Cornerstone Chapter49
- Chapter 3: City Government93
- Chapter 4: County-Equivalent Government151
- Chapter 5: Special Districts, Independent Cities, Townships & Regional Governments193
- Chapter 6: State Government211
- Chapter 7: National Government275
- Chapter 8: Voting, Elections & Parties317
- Chapter 9: Christian Diplomacy353
- Conclusion379
- Appendix A: The Declaration of Independence389
- Appendix B: The Constitution & the Bill of Rights395
- Appendix C: Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists427
- Appendix D: Establishment & Enablement of State Agencies431
- Appendix E: Civic Parenting435
- Appendix F: All Sorts of Districts441
- Glossary451
- Bibliography483
Teaching it?
Explore the accompanying curriculumThis book is the reading for a one-semester civics course
The American Civics Curriculum pairs each chapter with a lesson in a Student Text, a Teacher’s Edition with every answer, an Exam Pack, and the founding documents in Foundations in Liberty. Grades 9–12 and adults.
Commendations
“In writing this book, Landis did the hard but imperative work of making clear what is utterly opaque for most of us. As American Christians, we desperately need this book on civic engagement.”
“Her step-by-step, bottom-up breakdown of the American system reveals that there are ample opportunities for Christians to engage responsibly and effectively in politics — not with rage but with mercy.”
“A great primer on government in America — explaining not just the federal government but also state, county, and city government and special districts . . . a good basic education in what you need to know.”
About the author
Elizabeth Landis
Elizabeth Landis graduated from The Ohio State University with a master’s degree in French. She and her husband Greg have five children whom they have homeschooled K-12. In 2016, a local issue pulled her into the civil realm, and she has been uncovering the forgotten realm ever since. She currently works as assistant to the president at New Saint Andrews College, where she founded the college’s civics club in 2020.
Publishing information
- Author
- Elizabeth Landis
- Foreword
- Miles Smith IV
- Format
- Paperback, 534 pages
- ISBN
- 978-1-963505-08-5
- Publisher
- Roman Roads Press
The Forgotten Realm
$34.95 · 534 pages