{{Short description|American political activist and author (born 1954)}} {{protection padlock|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = David Barton | image = David Barton in 2016 -- photo by Gage Skidmore (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Barton in 2016 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|01|28}} | birth_place = Aledo, Texas, U.S. | occupation = Author, political activist | alma_mater = Oral Roberts University (BA) | footnotes = }}
'''David Barton''' (born January 28, 1954) is an evangelical Christian political activist and author. He is the founder of WallBuilders, LLC, a Texas-based organization that promotes his views about the religious basis of the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of|title=The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard of|newspaper=NPR.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://religiondispatches.org/huckabee-channels-rushdoony/|title = Huckabee Channels Rushdoony|date = 8 April 2011}}</ref>
Barton has been described as a Christian nationalist;<ref>Peterson, Kurt W. (October 31, 2006). "American Idol". ''Christian Century''. '''123''' (22): 20–23</ref><ref>Shimron, Yonat (July 3, 2018), "[https://www.ncronline.org/news/politics/campaign-blitz-country-god-we-trust-laws-takes-root A campaign to blitz the country with 'In God We Trust' laws takes root]", ''National Catholic Reporter''. Retrieved December 11, 2018.</ref> his work is devoted to advancing the idea that the United States was founded as an explicitly Christian nation and rejecting the consensus view that the United States Constitution calls for separation of church and state.<ref name="Blakeslee" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kwsqAAAAIBAJ&dq=wallbuilders%20barton&pg=5837%2C1813659 |title=First Amendment specialist views church/state separation as "myth" |publisher=Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal |author=Billy Bruce |date=1992-02-18 |access-date=2011-09-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcriptNOW217_full.html |title=NOW: God's Country |publisher=PBS |date=2006-04-28 |access-date=2011-09-28}}</ref><ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-goldberg/what-is-christian-nationa_b_20989.html What is Christian Nationalism?], Michelle Goldberg, ''Salon.com'', May 14, 2006</ref> Historians have described his research as "flawed" and containing "outright falsehoods".<ref name="NYT" /><ref name=":2" />
Barton is a former vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas and served as director of Keep the Promise PAC, a political action committee that supported the unsuccessful Ted Cruz 2016 presidential campaign.<ref name="Bloomberg.com/politics">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-09-09/pac-built-by-ted-cruz-mega-donors-gets-evangelical-leader|title=PAC Built by Ted Cruz Mega-Donors Gets Evangelical Leader|date=9 September 2015|work=Bloomberg.com/politics|access-date=12 September 2015}}</ref> {{toc limit|3}}
==Early life, education, and family== Barton is a lifelong resident of Aledo, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He graduated from Aledo High School in 1972.<ref name="Blakeslee">{{Cite journal|issn = 0148-7736|volume = 34|issue = 9|page = 1|last = Blakeslee|first = Nate|title = King Of the Christocrats|journal = Texas Monthly|access-date = November 10, 2008|date = September 2006|url = http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/king-of-the-christocrats/}}</ref> He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious education from Oral Roberts University in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/september/8.76.html|title=Healing Oral Roberts University|first=John W. Kennedy in|last=Tulsa|website=ChristianityToday.com|date=September 3, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JQrHCQAAQBAJ&q=barton+1976+oral+roberts+%22religious+education%22&pg=PT235|title=Building God's Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction|first=Julie J.|last=Ingersoll|author-link=Julie Ingersoll|date=July 1, 2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-939028-1|via=Google Books}}</ref>
== Career == {{Christian nationalism US sidebar|Activists}} After graduating from college, Barton served as a youth pastor at churches in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was employed as a teacher of math and science and eventually became principal at Aledo Christian School, a ministry of the charismatic church started by Barton's parents.<ref name="Blakeslee" />
In 1987, Barton formed Specialty Research Associates, Inc.,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/conservative-author-david-barton-says-obama-is-most-biblically-hostile-us-president.html |title=Conservative Author David Barton Says Obama Is Most Biblically Hostile US President |date=March 11, 2012 |website=The Christian Post |first=Paul |last=Stanley |access-date=June 9, 2020 }}</ref> a company which said it focused on historical research "relating to America's constitutional, moral, and religious heritage".<ref name="splc">{{cite web |url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/david-barton |title=David Barton |website=Southern Poverty Law Center |access-date=June 9, 2020 }}</ref> Specialty Research Associates submitted amicus curiae briefs in court cases.<ref>[http://alumni.oru.edu/excell/summer91/pages/insight.html The Turnaround in Education], David Barton, Oral Roberts University</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlf.net/Activities/briefs/warren_commissioner.nlf.PDF |title=Brief Amicus Curiae of Specialty Research Associates, Inc. |date=May 3, 2002 |access-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://supreme.justia.com/us/496/226/case.html |title=Westside Community Bd. of Ed. v. Mergens, 496 U.S. 226 (1990) |publisher=Justia.com |access-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> In 1988, the company became WallBuilders.<ref name="splc" />
Barton is the founder and president of WallBuilders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/marshall-prayer-force-banquet-to-honor-first-responders-prayer-warriors/article_1bed7172-3e3e-11ea-b059-77a309d42e56.html|title=Marshall Prayer Force banquet to honor first responders, prayer warriors|first=Bridget|last=Ortigo|website=Marshall News Messenger|date=January 24, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://world.wng.org/2012/08/the_david_barton_controversy|title=The David Barton controversy|first=Thomas|last=Kidd|website=World|access-date=March 9, 2020|archive-date=June 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619161059/https://world.wng.org/2012/08/the_david_barton_controversy|url-status=dead}}</ref> WallBuilders publishes and sells most of Barton's books and videos, some of which present Barton's position that the modern view of separation of church and state is not consistent with the views of the Founding Fathers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Barton|first=David|title=The Separation of Church and State|url=http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=123|publisher=Wall Builders|access-date=August 20, 2012|archive-date=August 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809094600/http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=123|url-status=dead}}</ref> Barton has argued that the religion clauses of the First Amendment were intended only for monotheistic religions, and perhaps solely Christianity.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2010/02/religious_rights_for_christian.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=The Faith Divide: Christian Right's attack on rights | first=Barbara | last= McGraw | url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524074025/http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2010/02/religious_rights_for_christian.html|archive-date=May 24, 2011}}</ref> A 2005 ''Time'' magazine article entitled "The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals" called Barton "a major voice in the debate over church–state separation" who, despite the fact that "many historians dismiss his thinking ... [is] a hero to millions—including some powerful politicians".<ref name="time">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1993235_1993243_1993261,00.html|title=David Barton - The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America |date=February 7, 2005|magazine=Time|access-date=September 12, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822130328/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1993235_1993243_1993261,00.html|archive-date=August 22, 2013}}</ref> Barton has appeared on television and radio programs, including those of Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and Glenn Beck. Beck has praised Barton as "the Library of Congress in shoes".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2010/07/07/glenn-beck-university/|title=Perusing the Glenn Beck University Curriculum Guide|date=July 7, 2010|magazine=Time |author=Kayla Webley|access-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> In September 2013, he returned to the political arena and advised state legislators on how to fight the Common Core academic standards promoted by the Obama administration.<ref name="Sept 8, 2013" />
Barton was the vice chairman of the Texas Republican Party from 1997 to 2006<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last1=Jedeed |first1=Laura |last2=Bittle |first2=Jake |last3=Bittle |first3=Jake |last4=Ford |first4=Matt |last5=Ford |first5=Matt |last6=Covert |first6=Bryce |last7=Covert |first7=Bryce |last8=Duss |first8=Matthew |last9=Wertheim |first9=Stephen |date=January 3, 2023 |title=My Week Inside a Right-Wing "Constitutional Defense" Training Camp |magazine=The New Republic |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/169563/patriot-academy-right-wing-constitutional-defense-training-camp |access-date=January 5, 2023 |issn=0028-6583}}</ref> under state chairman Susan Weddington. He has also acted as a political consultant to the Republican National Committee on outreach to evangelicals.<ref name="time" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.texasgop.org/site/PageServer?pagename=library_history |title=History of the Republican Party of Texas |access-date=March 30, 2007 |archive-date=April 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424053454/http://www.texasgop.org/site/PageServer?pagename=library_history |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=March 2020}}<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/050117/17evangelicals.htm The Dobson way] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009091628/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/050117/17evangelicals.htm |date=October 9, 2012 }}, Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report, 1/9/05</ref> There was a Tea Party movement to get him to run against Senator John Cornyn in the 2014 Senate election from Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/texas-tea-party-david-barton-ted-cruz-99278.html|title=Texas tea party seeks Cruz 2.0|work=Politico|date=November 3, 2013 |access-date=September 12, 2015}}</ref> However, Barton announced on November 6, 2013, that he would not run for the seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/david-barton-john-cornyn-99459.html?hp=r1|title=David Barton won't run against John Cornyn|last=Kopan|first=Tal|work=Politico|date=November 6, 2013 |access-date=November 6, 2013}}</ref> Barton headed the Keep the Promise PAC, a political action committee supporting Ted Cruz during his campaign for election as U.S. President in 2016.<ref name="Bloomberg.com/politics" /> Cruz failed to receive the Republican nomination.<ref name="tribune">{{Cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2016/05/17/cruz-super-pac-story/|title=The Super PAC Experiment That Bankrolled Ted Cruz|first=Patrick|last=Svitek|date=May 17, 2016|website=The Texas Tribune}}</ref> Barton has also advised Newt Gingrich.<ref name=":0" />
Barton's first non-self-published work was a 2003 article in the ''Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy'', (Volume XVII Issue No. 2, 2003, p. 399), a survey of Jefferson's writings about the First Amendment.<ref name="Blakeslee" />
Barton is the initial funder of Patriot Academy, a right-wing organization that says it gives participants "the physical training you need to be able to defend your family" and "intellectual ammunition to defend the Constitution".<ref name=":0" />
==Affiliations== Barton has served on the board of advisors of the Providence Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beliefnet.com/news/politics/2004/10/david-barton-the-myth-of-church-state-separation.aspx |title=David Barton & the 'Myth' of Church-State Separation |website=Beliefnet |date=October 2004 |access-date=June 8, 2020 }}</ref> In an article discussing Barton, ''The Nation'' described the Providence Foundation as "a Christian Reconstructionist group that promotes the idea that biblical law should be instituted in America".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050425/blumenthal/2 |title=In Contempt of Courts |first=Max |last=Blumenthal |author-link=Max Blumenthal |magazine=The Nation |date=April 11, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060520184036/http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050425/blumenthal/2 |archive-date=May 20, 2006 }}</ref>
According to Skipp Porteous of the Massachusetts-based Institute for First Amendment Studies, Barton was listed in promotional literature as a "new and special speaker" at a 1991 summer retreat in Colorado sponsored by Scriptures for America, a far-right Christian Identity ministry headed by Pete Peters, which has been linked to neo-Nazi groups.<ref name=CST>{{cite news|last=Luckett|first=Bill|title=Speaker Accused of Racist Ties: Christian Coalition denies Barton's links to white supremacists|url=http://www.tfn.org/site/DocServer/Barton_CST_6.20.97.pdf?docID=2864|access-date=May 3, 2012|newspaper=Casper Star-Tribune|date=June 20, 1997|archive-date=July 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718191520/http://www.tfn.org/site/DocServer/Barton_CST_6.20.97.pdf?docID=2864|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=http://www.tfn.org/images/content/pagebuilder/Barton_Lawsuit_CST_2.22.97.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=June 2, 2012 |archive-date=July 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718184745/http://www.tfn.org/images/content/pagebuilder/Barton_Lawsuit_CST_2.22.97.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref> Barton's assistant Kit Marshall said in 1993 that Barton was previously unaware of the anti-Semitic and racist views of these groups.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.publiceye.org/ifas/fw/9606/barton.html |title=David Barton – Master of myth and misinformation |last=Boston |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Boston |journal=Public Eye |date=June 1996 |publisher=Institute for First Amendment Studies |access-date=August 17, 2012}}</ref> In September 2011, Barton sued two former Texas State Board of Education candidates for posting a video on YouTube that stated that he was "known for speaking at white supremacist rallies".<ref>{{cite web|author=Christin Coyne |url=http://weatherforddemocrat.com/local/x1078459320/WallBuilders-files-libel-suit-against-three |title=WallBuilders files libel suit against three |publisher=Weatherford Democrat |date=September 14, 2011 |access-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref>
Barton has been a guest on the television programs ''The 700 Club''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbn.com/media/player/search.aspx?search=%22David+Barton%22 |title=David Barton on the 700 Club |publisher=Christian Broadcasting Network |access-date=November 23, 2012 }}</ref> and ''The Daily Show''.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-may-1-2012/david-barton |title = David Barton |access-date = September 1, 2012 |date = May 1, 2012 |work = The Daily Show }}</ref> In 2013, Barton appeared on Kenneth Copeland's ''Believer's Voice of Victory'' program where he suggested that abortion caused climate change because God no longer protected the environment as punishment for legalized abortion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2013/11/04/potential_senate_candidate_david_barton_explains_how_abortion_caused_climate_change/|title=Potential Senate candidate David Barton explains how abortion caused climate change|author=Lindsay Abrams|work=salon.com|date=November 4, 2013|access-date=September 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/barton-explains-global-warming|title=Barton explains global warming|author=Steve Benen |author-link=Steve Benen|work=MSNBC|date=November 4, 2013 |access-date=September 12, 2015}}</ref>
He has been influential in the faith and intellectual life of Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson.<ref>Mike Hexinbaugh. (October 26, 2023). "Meet the evangelical activist who's had a 'profound influence' on Speaker Mike Johnson". [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna122313 NBC News website] Retrieved October 26, 2023.</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />
==Reception== Barton has been praised by American conservatives, including Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann,<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|last=Eckholm|first=Erik|title=Using History to Mold Ideas on the Right|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/us/politics/05barton.html|access-date=May 5, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 4, 2011}}</ref> Sam Brownback,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baylor.edu/pr/bitn/news.php?action=story&story=34559 |title=A man with a message; Self-taught historian's work on church-state issues rouses GOP |first=Chris |last=Vaughn |publisher=Baylor University |date=May 22, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060920013836/http://www.baylor.edu/pr/bitn/news.php?action=story&story=34559 |archive-date=September 20, 2006 |access-date=April 13, 2013}} Originally published in the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'', [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ST&s_site=dfw&p_multi=ST&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10A4D13D13A809B0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM page 1A].</ref> and Trinity Broadcasting Network president Matt Crouch.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.tbn.org/blog/faith-freedom-and-our-christian-heritage |title=Faith, Freedom, and Our Christian Heritage |date=June 14, 2019 |first1=Matt |last1=Crouch |first2=Laurie |last2=Crouch |website=tbn.org |publisher=Trinity Broadcasting Network|access-date=June 8, 2020 }}</ref> By contrast, People for the American Way wrote, "This guy is David Barton, a Republican Party activist and a fast-talking, self-promoting, self-taught, self-proclaimed historian who is miseducating millions of Americans about U.S. history and the Constitution."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://files.pfaw.org/pfaw_files/rwwif-david-barton-final-4-18-11.pdf|title=Hack 'Historian' Hits the Big Time in Tea Party America|website=files.pfaw.org|access-date=September 26, 2021|archive-date=September 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923152352/http://files.pfaw.org/pfaw_files/rwwif-david-barton-final-4-18-11.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
His work has been criticized by J. Brent Walker of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bjconline.org/a-critique-of-david-bartons-views-on-church-and-state/|title=A Critique of David Barton's Views on Church and State|website=BJC}}</ref> Rob Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State,<ref name = "TextbookHP">{{Cite web|author = Ryan Grim|date=August 26, 2010|title=David Barton, Texas Textbook Massacre Architect, Backs Daniel Webster, Grayson's Opponent|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/texas-textbook-massacre-a_n_695788|access-date=February 16, 2023|website=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref> Gordon College history professor Stephen Phillips,<ref name=Pierard>[http://www.bostontheological.org/publications/pdf/2004-2005/jan252005.pdf Boston Theological Institute Newsletter Volume XXXIV, No. 17] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317021107/http://www.bostontheological.org/publications/pdf/2004-2005/jan252005.pdf |date=March 17, 2009 }}, January 25, 2005</ref> Senator Arlen Specter,<ref name="Specter">{{Cite journal|last=Specter|first=Arlen|author-link=Arlen Specter|title=Defending the wall: Maintaining church/state separation in America|journal=Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy|volume=18|issue=2|pages=575–590|date=Spring 1995|url=http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9510305125/defending-wall-maintaining-church-state-separation-america|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234314/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9510305125/defending-wall-maintaining-church-state-separation-america|url-status=unfit|archive-date=December 30, 2013|access-date=April 9, 2013}}</ref> the Anti-Defamation League,<ref name=ADL>{{cite book|last=Cantor|first=David|title=Religious Right: The Assault on Tolerance and Pluralism in America|url=https://archive.org/details/religiousrightas00cantrich|url-access=registration|year=1994|publisher=Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith|isbn=978-99946-746-9-5}}</ref> Senior Research Director for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation Chris Rodda,<ref>Warren Throckmorton, an evangelical professor of psychology at Grove City College, a conservative Christian school in Pennsylvania. "If that's what people are passing off as Christian scholarship, there are claims in there that are easily proved false." {{cite news|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/do-well-by-doing-good_b_858148.html|access-date= May 20, 2011|title= Do Well By Doing Good|first= Chris|last= Rodda|work=Huffington Post|date=May 5, 2011}}</ref> Messiah College history professor John Fea,<ref>{{cite book | last = Fea | first = John | title = Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?: A Historical Introduction | publisher = Westminster John Knox Press | location = Louisville | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-0-664-23504-8|page=xxvi }}</ref> Baylor University historian Barry Hankins,<ref>{{cite book | last = Hankins | first = Barry | title = Uneasy in Babylon | url = https://archive.org/details/uneasybabylonsou00hank | url-access = limited | publisher = University of Alabama Press | location = University | year = 2002 | isbn = 978-0-8173-1142-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/uneasybabylonsou00hank/page/n140 128]}}</ref> and Grove City College professors Warren Throckmorton and Michael Coulter.<ref name=":3">{{cite book | last1=Throckmorton | first1=Warren | last2=Coulter | first2=Michael | title = Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims about Our Third President [Kindle Edition] | publisher = Amazon Digital Services, 2012}}</ref>
===Accuracy=== Barton's official biography describes him as "an expert in historical and constitutional issues".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wallbuilders.com/ABTbioDB.asp |title=David Barton Bio |publisher=Wallbuilders |date=September 11, 2001 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=October 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011061608/http://www.wallbuilders.com/ABTbioDB.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> Barton holds no formal credentials in history or law, and scholars dispute the accuracy and integrity of his assertions about history, accusing him of practicing misleading historical revisionism, and spreading "outright falsehoods".<ref name=":1">{{cite web|author=Boston, Rob|year=2007|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Dissecting+the+religious+right%27s+favorite+Bible+Curriculum.%28Church+&...-a0170729742|title=Dissecting the religious right's favorite Bible Curriculum|work=Americans United for Separation of Church and State|publisher=American Humanist Association|access-date=April 9, 2013}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web| last = Harvey|first = Paul|title = Selling the Idea of a Christian Nation: David Barton's Alternate Intellectual Universe|work = Religion Dispatches|date = May 10, 2011|url = http://religiondispatches.org/selling-the-idea-of-a-christian-nation-david-bartons-alternate-intellectual-universe/|access-date=March 12, 2025}}</ref> According to the ''New York Times'', "Many professional historians dismiss Mr. Barton, whose academic degree is in Christian Education from Oral Roberts University, as a biased amateur who cherry-picks quotes from history and the Bible."<ref name="NYT" />
Jay W. Richards, senior fellow at the Christian conservative Discovery Institute, said in 2012 that Barton's books and videos are full of "embarrassing factual errors, suspiciously selective quotes, and highly misleading claims".<ref name=Kidd2012>{{cite journal |url=http://www.worldmag.com/2012/08/the_david_barton_controversy |title=The David Barton controversy |last=Kidd |first=Thomas |journal=World |date=August 7, 2012 |publisher=God's World Publications, World News Group |access-date=April 9, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905061332/http://www.worldmag.com/2012/08/the_david_barton_controversy|archivedate=September 5, 2012}}</ref> The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Barton's work as "anti-gay" "historical revisionism", noting that Barton has no formal training in history.<ref name="splc" /> A number of credentialed historians have called Barton's work "pseudohistory".<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2023 |title='He Seems to Be Saying His Commitment Is to Minority Rule' |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/10/27/mike-johnson-christian-nationalist-ideas-qa-00123882 |access-date=November 2, 2023 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Stephens|first1=Randall J.|author-link1=Randall J. Stephens|last2=Giberson|first2=Karl|author-link2=Karl Giberson|title=The Anointed: Evangelical Truth in a Secular Age|date=2011|publisher=Harvard University Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/anointedevangeli0000step/page/91 91]|isbn=978-0-674-04818-8|url=https://archive.org/details/anointedevangeli0000step|url-access=registration|access-date=October 8, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Wehner |first=Peter |date=October 31, 2023 |title=The Polite Zealotry of Mike Johnson |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/polite-zealotry-mike-johnson/675845/ |access-date=November 2, 2023 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
===="Unconfirmed Quotations"==== In 1995, in response to criticism by historian Robert Alley, Barton conceded, in an online article titled "Unconfirmed Quotations",<ref name="Blakeslee" /> that he had not located primary sources for 11 alleged quotes from James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and U.S. Supreme Court decisions (hence, the title of the article), but maintained that the quotes were "completely consistent" with the views of the Founders. (By 2007, the article listed 14 unconfirmed quotations.)<ref name="uq">{{cite web| title = Unconfirmed Quotations | last = Barton | first = David |url = http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=126 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928060639/http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=126|archive-date=September 28, 2007| work = WallBuilders website}}</ref> In 1996, Rob Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State accused Barton of "shoddy workmanship" and said that, despite these and other corrections, Barton's work "remains rife with distortions of history and court rulings".<ref name=shoddy>{{Cite journal| journal = Church & State | volume = 49 | number = 7 |date=July–August 1996 | publisher = Americans United for Separation of Church and State | pages = 11–13 | title = Consumer Alert: Wallbuilders Shoddy Workmanship |url=http://candst.tripod.com/boston2.htm | access-date = April 9, 2013 |first=Rob|last=Boston |author-link=Rob Boston}}</ref> WallBuilders responded to its critics by saying that Barton followed "common practice in the academic community" in citing secondary sources, and that in publishing "Unconfirmed Quotations", Barton's intent was to raise the academic bar in historical debates pertinent to public policy.<ref name="uq" />
In 2006, Barton told the ''Texas Monthly'', with regard to Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists, that he had never misquoted the letter in any of his publications. The magazine noted that this denial was contradicted by a 1990 version of Barton's video ''America's Godly Heritage'', in which Barton said:<ref name=Blakeslee/> {{blockquote|On January 1, 1802, Jefferson wrote to that group of Danbury Baptists, and in this letter, he assured them—he said the First Amendment has erected a wall of separation between church and state, he said, but that wall is a one-directional wall. It keeps the government from running the church, but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government.}}
====''The Jefferson Lies''==== In 2012, Barton's ''New York Times'' bestseller<ref>{{cite web|author=Epps, Garrett|date=August 10, 2012|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/08/genuine-christian-scholars-smack-down-an-unruly-colleague/260994/|title=Genuine Christian Scholars Smack Down an Unruly Colleague: The phony evangelical 'historian' David Barton meets his match at last|work=The Atlantic}}</ref> ''The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson'' (published April 10, 2012)<ref>{{cite book|title=Amazon.com: The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson (9781595554598): David Barton, Glenn Beck: Books|isbn=978-1-59555-459-8|last=Barton|first=David|year=2012|publisher=Thomas Nelson }}</ref> was voted "the least credible history book in print" by the users of the History News Network website.<ref name="Schuessler">{{cite news|last=Schuessler|first=Jennifer|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/and-the-worst-book-of-history-is/|title=And the Worst Book of History Is ...|work=The New York Times|date=July 16, 2012|access-date=July 19, 2012}}</ref> A group of ten conservative Christian professors reviewed the work and reported negatively on its claims, saying that Barton misstated facts about Jefferson.<ref name="Kidd2012" /><ref>{{cite web|author=Hagerty, Barbara Bradley|date=August 8, 2012|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/08/08/157754542/the-most-influential-evangelist-youve-never-heard-of|title=The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of|work=NPR}}</ref>
In August 2012, Christian publisher Thomas Nelson withdrew the book from publication and stopped production, announcing that they had "lost confidence in the book's details" and "learned that there were some historical details included in the book that were not adequately supported".<ref name="jlies_withdrawn">{{cite web|author=Kidd, Thomas|date=August 9, 2012|url=http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/19840|title=Lost confidence|work=World|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811212308/http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/19840|archive-date=August 11, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Bob Smietana |newspaper=The Tennessean|title=Thomas Nelson drops 'Jefferson Lies' book over historical errors|date=August 10, 2012|url=http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120810/NEWS06/308100082/Thomas-Nelson-drops-Jefferson-Lies-book-over-historical-errors}}{{dead link|date=August 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [https://forums.footballguys.com/topic/649571-publisher-pulls-controversial-thomas-jefferson-book-citing-loss-of-co/?tab=comments#comment-14622616 Alt URL]</ref> A senior executive said that Thomas Nelson could not stand by the book because "basic truths just were not there."<ref name="Sept 8, 2013">{{cite web|author=Stephanie Simon|title=Evangelical historian remains key ally of right|work=Politico|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/david-barton-historian-right-christian-096443|date=September 8, 2013|access-date=September 19, 2021}}</ref> Glenn Beck, who wrote the foreword, announced that his Mercury Ink imprint would issue a new edition of the book<ref>{{cite news|first=Carolyn|last=Kellogg|url=https://www.latimes.com/books/la-xpm-2012-aug-21-la-jc-glenn-beck-bring-back-recalled-thomas-jefferson-history-20120821-story.html|title=Glenn Beck to bring back recalled Thomas Jefferson history|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 21, 2012|access-date=August 4, 2013}}</ref> once the 17,000 remaining copies that Barton bought of the Thomas Nelson edition had been sold.<ref>{{cite web|last=Garrett|first=Lynn|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/53619-jefferson-lies-author-negotiating-new-edition-for-glenn-beck-s-mercury-ink.html|title=Jefferson Lies Author Negotiating New Edition with Glenn Beck's Mercury Ink|publisher=Publishers Weekly|date=August 17, 2012|access-date=August 4, 2013}}</ref>
A revised edition of ''The Jefferson Lies'' was published by WND Books in January 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/01/13/ted-cruz-evangelical-darling-or-pagan-brutalist-why-he-exposes-a-christian-divide/|title=Ted Cruz: Evangelical darling or 'pagan brutalist'? Why he exposes a Christian divide.|newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 17, 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[https://wallbuilders.com/resource/david-barton/ David Barton biography] on the WallBuilders site *{{cite web | last = Ingersoll | first = Julie | title = Pseudo-Historian David Barton in the ''Times'' and on ''The Daily Show'' | work = Religion Dispatches | date = May 5, 2011 | url = http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/julieingersoll/4579/pseudo-historian_david_barton_in_the_times_and_on_the_daily_show_/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604002716/http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/julieingersoll/4579/pseudo-historian_david_barton_in_the_times_and_on_the_daily_show_/ |archive-date=June 4, 2014 |url-status=dead }} *{{cite web | last = Brooks | first = Joanna | title = Why Won't David Barton Submit to Peer Review? | work = Religion Dispatches | date = May 6, 2011 | url = http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/4582/why_won%27t_david_barton_submit_to_peer_review/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321033739/http://religiondispatches.org/why-wont-david-barton-submit-to-peer-review/ |archive-date=March 21, 2015 |url-status=dead }} *{{C-SPAN|37154}} {{Glenn Beck|state=collapsed}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barton, David}} Category:Texas Republicans Category:Separation of church and state in the United States Category:Living people Category:1954 births Category:People from Aledo, Texas Category:American Charismatics Category:Oral Roberts University alumni Category:Aledo High School (Texas) alumni Category:Writers from Texas Category:Blaze Media people Category:Dominion theology Category:American Christian religious leaders Category:20th-century Protestants Category:21st-century Protestants Category:Activists from Texas Category:Christian nationalists Category:American historical negationists Category:American founders Category:American white nationalists