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The Roundtable

In Brenda Wineapple's "Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a Nation" readers revisit The Scopes Trial

By Joe Donahue
Published July 23, 2025 at 11:33 AM EDT
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This week marks the 100th anniversary of the conclusion of The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes.

In "Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a Nation," acclaimed historian Brenda Wineapple revisits the Scopes “Monkey” Trial of 1925 - not just as a courtroom clash over evolution, but as a defining moment in the struggle between religious belief, scientific inquiry, and democratic ideals in America.

Wineapple brings to life the characters at the center of the drama—Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and John Scopes—while exploring the broader cultural fault lines that the trial exposed. This is a riveting and timely reflection on faith, freedom, and the American experiment.

Brenda Wineapple is the award-winning author of The Impeachers.

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The Roundtable Brenda WineappleKeeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a NationThe State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes
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Joe Donahue
Joe talks to people on the radio for a living. In addition to countless impressive human "gets" - he has talked to a lot of Muppets. Joe grew up in Philadelphia, has been on the area airwaves for more than 25 years and currently lives in Washington County, NY with his wife, Kelly, and their dog, Brady. And yes, he reads every single book.
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