A Guideline to America's Spiritual Renewal

When it comes to politics and culture, it is easy to see America is an increasingly divided nation. While a vibrant optimism about the future once filled the nation, a new sense of "discouragement and despair" is now felt regarding the direction in which the United States is headed.

But amid this "gloom and doom," Tim Goeglein, vice president of external relations for Focus on the Family, says he has one possible solution.

Goeglein, who also served as special assistant to President George W. Bush, spoke at the Heritage Foundation last week on his new book "American Restoration: How Faith, Family, and Personal Sacrifice Can Heal Our Nation." (The just-released book is co-authored by Craig Osten.)

"American Restoration," Goeglein assured, is "not a political book. It is a culture book." He explained the importance of cooperation and the necessity of people on both sides of the political aisle to make sacrifices to help bridge the cultural divide.

This is all part of a larger vision, he said, for the greater good of America.

Goeglin pointed out many great books describe problems and chaos in America, but they do not necessarily set out a solution to these issues. In his book, Goeglein wanted to spell out one possible remedy for the "restoration, regeneration, [and] renewal" of American founding principles.

This remedy is directly related to the "Little Platoon," a legacy of political theorist and philosopher Edmund Burke.

The "Little Platoon," Goeglin explained, is the local community. To restore the founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, restoration must begin "from the bottom up, and not from the top down," he stressed.

In addressing the ills of America today, Goeglein's book also aims to answer the "largest historical question" of 2019: "What kind of a county or culture or civilization do we want 50 years from now?"

"Restoring America's founding principles," is the basis of "American Restoration."

In Goeglein's words, "We can, and I believe, we will, do better."

(Clare Hillen is a sophomore at George Washington University, and a summer intern at the Washington, D.C. bureau of Newsmax)