Mark Twain

The very title Mark Twain: Preacher, Prophet, and Social Philosopher is curious in that the famed American writer was neither an ordained “preacher” nor a “prophet” in a strictly religious sense. And Twain is surely better known as a novelist than as a “philosopher,” social or otherwise. In three brief sections (“Preacher,” “Prophet,” and “Social Philosopher”) in his introduction, however, author Gary Scott Smith explains what he means by each of these titular terms. Throughout the rest of this spiritual biography, moreover, Smith demonstrates how Mark Twain, as a social critic, had much to say about American religion, and occasionally world religions as well, given Twain’s international travels, most notably his 1867 “pilgrimage” to the Holy Land and the Middle East (including Turkey, Syria, and Palestine) and, later in life, to India (1895–1896). Perhaps Smith best characterizes Mark Twain’s role as “Preacher, Prophet, and Social Philosopher” in chapter 5, in which he states: “Functioning as a preacher and prophet, Twain condemned numerous social ills including racism, sexism, economic exploitation and inequality, poverty, political corruption, and corporate and personal greed throughout his long writing career. He strove to reduce discrimination against African Americans, Asian Americans, Jews, women, and blue-collar workers” (106).

Although his social justice convictions were strong and definite, Twain’s religious convictions, at least later in life, were pragmatic, not dogmatic, and in any case they were in constant flux and subject to revision as part of his lifelong spiritual search, as amply illustrated in chapter 4. Paradoxically, Mark Twain’s spiritual quest appears to be as much about what traditional religious views he rejected as about what metaphysical world views he came to accept. Twain was so bold as to proclaim: “If Christ were here now, there is one thing he would not be—a Christian” (as quoted by Smith, 99). Twain even predicted the eventual demise of Christianity, and called for a “New Religion” (99) to take its place. This “New Religion,” Twain explained in 1903, would be based on “God and Man as they are, and not as the elaborately masked and disguised artificialities they are represented to be in most philosophies and all religions” (99).

The book ends with chapter 8, where Smith reviews scholarship on Twain’s worldview. As expected, the views of scholars on Twain are varied and conflicting. After this interesting survey, Smith offers his own conclusion as to Mark Twain’s spiritual odyssey, observing that Twain’s religious views were complex and in flux, and should be understood within the context of what was going on in his personal life at any particular time of interest. Twain declared (or least paid lip service to) his belief in mainstream Protestant Christianity for a time, but not so later in life. For instance, while courting Livy, his future wife, Twain professed conventional Christian views. In his last twenty-five years of his life, however, beginning with his “Three Statements from the 1880s,” Twain disavowed such central Protestant Christian doctrines as the personal nature of God; Christ’s virgin birth, incarnation, and atonement for sin; salvation by faith; the Bible as the Word of God; the power of prayer; and the notion of hell. So provocative were some his critiques of Christian hypocrisy and challenges to the metaphysical and the ethical foundations of Christianity that Twain arranged for these more controversial works to be published posthumously.

It should be noted that there are some technical issues with the digital edition of the book, which is the version I reviewed. For example, the page numbers don’t match the print edition, and endnote citations of primary source information could have been more thoroughly double-checked for accuracy. For instance, in chapter 3, Note 38 (on page 34) cites the source of a statement by Twain as Alta California, September 6, 1867, quoted in MTR, 34, whereas the statement was actually published on November 21, 1867.

Overall, however, Smith’s Mark Twain is well researched and written, and offers insightful analysis of Twain’s views of religion throughout his personal life and illustrious career. Smith’s book is rich with anecdotes about, and statements by, Mark Twain that often amuse, impress, and, at times, astonish. It is recommended for university, college, and public libraries.

Christopher Buck in an independent scholar.

Christopher Buck

Date Of Review:

February 26, 2024