Notions of Christian love, or charity, strongly shaped the political thought of John Winthrop, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln as each presided over a foundational moment in the development of American democracy. Matthew Holland examines how each figure interpreted and appropriated charity, revealing both the problems and possibilities of making it a political ideal. Weaving a rich tapestry of insights from political science and literature and American religious history and political theory, ''Bonds of Affection'' is a major contribution to the study of American political identity. Matthew Holland makes plain that civic charity, while commonly rejected as irrelevant or even harmful to political engagement, has been integral to our national character. The book includes the full texts of Winthrop's speech ''A Model of Christian Charity''; Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration and his First Inaugural; and Lincoln's Second Inaugural.