Other Nonconformist and Evangelical Churches Books

Book SynopsisThis book aims to introduce a distinctively evangelical voice to the discipline of practical theology. Evangelicals have sometimes seen practical theology as primarily a liberal' project. This collection, however, actively engages with practical theology from an evangelical perspective, both through discussion of the substantive issues and by providing examples of practical theology done by evangelicals in the classroom, the church, and beyond. This volume brings together established and emerging voices to debate the growing role which practical theology is playing in evangelical and Pentecostal circles. Chapters begin by addressing methodological concerns, before moving into areas of practice. Additionally, there are four short papers from students who make use of practical theology to re?ect upon their own practice. Issues of authority and normativity are tackled head on in a way that will inform the debate both within and beyond evangelicalism. This book will, therefore, be of keTable of ContentsIntroductionHelen Morris and Helen CameronPart I – Engaging with the Discipline1 Practical Theology and Evangelicalism: Methodological Considerations Andy Thomas2 Practical Theology in the Mode of Prophetic Imagination Chloe Lynch3 The Role of Teleology in Practical Theology Alistair McKitterick4 A wonderful plan for my life? Pete Ward’s ‘The Gospel and Change’ in Dialogue withCharles Taylor Helen MorrisPart II – Engaging with Education5 From the Boy in the Temple to the Man on the Road: The Maturing Role of PracticalTheology in the Life of the Church Helen Cameron6 Evangelicals Learning Practical Theology: Autobiographical Reflections Andrew Rogers7 Developing Reflective Practitioners: Evangelical Ordinands’ Engagement withTheological Reflection Elizabeth HoarePart III – Engaging with Practice8 Educating for the Common Good: Engaging Truth in a World of Ideas Olwyn Mark9 Salvation’s Song Matt SpencerPart IV – Engagement by Students10 Developing Critical Thinking within the Context of Small Group Bible StudiesIsaac McNish11 Theodrama: A Contemporary Application Sam Norman12 Creating Space: A Reflection on Chaplaincy work in a Local Day-HospiceFiona Moore13 An Elim Community Pneumatologically Engaged in Corporate Theological Reflection -Sheryl ArthurPart V – Theology that Impacts Church and World14 Evangelical Practical Theology: The Past, the Present and the Possible FutureMark J CartledgeConclusion - Prospects for an Evangelical Practical Theology Helen Morris and Helen Cameron

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Book SynopsisA prize-winning, five-decade history of the evangelical movement in Southern California that explains a sweeping realignment of American politics.Trade Review"Lively, utterly convincing. . . . A superbly researched study of grassroots political mobilization. . . . [Dochuk] skillfully traces a continuous narrative stretching from the Dust Bowl to Ronald Reagan, and demonstrates with prodigious research how this narrative fits into a much broader American canvas. . . . From Bible Belt to Sunbelt is an important book." -- Chris Lehmann - New Republic"Darren Dochuk has painted a vista from which unfolds the creation of Reagan’s nation, as the California dreams of Southern evangelicals become the American dreams of Sunbelt conservatives. Through the guiding telescope of Dochuk’s prose, we meet a fascinating cast of characters destined to be staples in future tellings of this important story. This much anticipated book is well worth the wait." -- Steven P. Miller, author of Billy Graham and the Rise of the Republican South"The nation is today color-coded into red and blue. In this tour de force of research, narrative, and analysis, a brilliant young historian chronicles how Southern California served as the matrix for this enduring bifurcation. Beneath the sunshine and the palm trees, uprooted evangelicals experienced a Great Awakening that transformed American politics in our era." -- Kevin Starr, University of Southern California"With narrative authority and sparkling insight, Darren Dochuk explains how and why Southern California became the crucible of the Christian Right. Anyone who wants to understand the history of modern American conservatism should read this book." -- Michael Kazin, author of A Godly Hero: The Life of William Jennings Bryan

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Book SynopsisMy name is Flora Jessop. I've been called apostate, vigilante, and crazy bitch, and maybe I am. But some people call me a hero, and I'd like to think they're right too. If I am a hero, maybe it's because every time I can play a part in saving a child or woman from a life of servitude and degradation, I'm saving a little piece of me, too.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments. Introduction: My Name Is Flora Jessop. Part One: Pligville. 1. The End of Innocence. 2. Home Sweet Home. 3. The Rape. 4. The Great Escape. 5. Little Runaway. 6. The Prisoner. Part Two: Apostate. 7. Married. 8. Gone for Good. 9. No Boundaries. 10. The End of the Road. 11. Shauna. 12. No One’s Property. 13. Family. Part Three: Outlaw. 14. Ruby. 15. Lost and Found. 16. Changes. 17. Rescuing the Fawns. 18. Running Away Again. 19. Laurene. 20. No Sympathy for the Devil. Part Four: No More Pain. 21. Fighting On. Epilogue. Notes. About the Authors. Index.

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Book SynopsisOver the years the American religious landscape has undergone a dramatic change. More and more churches meet in converted warehouses, and many have ministers who've never attended a seminary. This title offers an examination of these 'new paradigm churches' - sometimes called megachurches or postdenominational churches.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Winners and Losers: Restructuring the Religious Economy 1 The New Face of American Protestantism: A Second Reformation? 2 Hippies, Beach Baptisms, and Healings: A History of Three Movements 3 Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion 4 Beyond Rationality: Democratizing Access to the Sacred 5 Living by the Bible: Social Ministry, Politics, Theology 6 Giving the Ministry to the People: The Postmodern Organization 7 Franchising New Groups: Church Planting and Growth 8 Can the Mainline Church Survive? Some Lessons from History APPENDIX 1. Geographical Distribution of Churches APPENDIX 2. Congregational Surveys APPENDIX 3. Pastors Survey Notes Index

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Book SynopsisShows how scholars and popular media talk about religious conservatives and sex. Moving away from debates over homosexuality, premarital sex, and other perceived sexual sins, this title examines Christian sexuality websites to show how some evangelical Christians use digital media to promote the idea that God wants married, and more.Trade Review"Kelsy Burke's new study of evangelical sexuality websites tells a new, finely nuanced and wholly convincing story... fascinating and suggestive." Reading Religion "Burke has constructed an artfully crafted and instructive text that extends sexual work in the sociology of religion, documents the complexity of contemporary religious-sexual relations, and provides a useful example of integrating sexual, gender, and religious sociologies in practice." American Journal of SociologyTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables Acknowledgments A Note to Readers on Quoting Online Content Introduction 1 * Godly Sex: A New Evangelical Sexual Logic 2 * Overcoming the Obscene: Using Religion to Talk about Sex 3 * Virtual and Virtuous: Forming Online Religious Communities 4 * Sexual Awakening: Defining Women's Pleasures 5 * What Makes a Man: Making "Bad" Sex "Good" Conclusion: Paths of Desire Appendix A: Websites Mentioned by Name in the Book Appendix B: Doing Internet Ethnography Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisGordon Kuhrt served in Parish Ministry for over twenty years (1967-1989) and was then Archdeacon of Lewisham (1989-1996) before becoming Director of Ministry for the Church of England (1996-2006).Stephen Kuhrt has been Vicar of Christ Church, New Malden, UK since 2007. Previously, he was curate of Christ Church and before that a school teacher. He is the author of Tom Wright for Everyone: Putting the Theology of N.T. Wright into Practice in the Local Church (2011).Trade ReviewWe have every reason to be grateful to the Kuhrts for this deeply biblical and eminently practical study of baptism. Well-researched, thorough and rich, this is a fine book with wide sympathies and a clear centre of gravity. It could well be a classic. * John Pritchard, former Bishop of Oxford, UK *This is a great book, which any thoughtful Christian would be blessed to read, with any number of valuable insights into Scripture as much as into Baptism, and I thoroughly recommend it. * Baptismal Integrity *Table of ContentsPreface Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction: Baptism in Melton Sudbury 1 Who believes in baptism? 2 The Bible and baptism 3 God’s covenant (part one) 4 God’s covenant (part two) 5 John the Baptist and baptism 6 The baptism of Jesus 7 Baptism in the Early Church 8 Baptism as a sacrament 9 Baptism and the Christian family 10 The ‘Baptist’ view 11 Discrimination in baptism 12 ‘Rebaptism’ – Is it ever justified? 13 Baptism and its completion? 14 Living and preaching baptism Epilogue: Changes to baptism in Melton Sudbury Notes Bibliography Index of biblical references General index

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Book SynopsisJohn W. Tweeddale is Vice President of Academics and Professor of Theology at Reformation Bible College, USA.Crawford Gribben is Professor of Early Modern British History at Queen's University Belfast, UK.Trade ReviewAt a time when John Owen is receiving increased attention as a historical figure and as a Reformed theologian, this Handbook, bringing together essays on aspects of Owen's thought and life and on selected writings, is a welcome atlas guiding those interested in Owen's historical context or as a contemporary resource. -- Kenneth P. Minkema, Yale University, USAJohn Owen was one of the major English thinkers of the seventeenth century. This volume, which assembles a remarkable team of contributors, offers state-of-the art research written in an accessible style. It will be an indispensable and easily-navigated source for anyone interested in theological, social and intellectual history. -- Anne Dunan-Page, Aix-Marseille University, FranceTable of ContentsAbbreviations 1. Introduction, Crawford Gribben (Queen’s University Belfast) and John W. Tweeddale (Reformation Bible College, USA) Part 1: Owen’s contexts 2. Owen’s life, Michael A. G. Haykin (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, USA) 3. Owen as a theologian, Ryan M. McGraw (Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, USA) 4. Owen’s intellectual context, Richard A. Muller (Calvin Theological Seminary, USA) 5. Owen and politics, Crawford Gribben (Queen’s University Belfast) 6. Owen the preacher, Martyn C. Cowan (Union Theological College, Northern Ireland) 7. Owen and education, Eric Newton (BJU Seminary, USA) 8. Owen and the Church of England, Lee Gatiss (Union School of Theology, UK) 9. Owen the polemicist, Paul C.-H. Lim (Vanderbilt University, USA) 10. Owen and scientific reform, Katherine Calloway (Baylor University, USA) 11. Owen and philosophy, Paul Helm Part 2: Owen’s writings 12. A display of Arminianisme (1643), Christopher Cleveland (Veritas Academy, USA) 13. Salus electorum, Sanguis Jesu: or, The death of death in the death of Christ (1648), Timothy Robert Baylor (University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK) 14. Of the mortification of sinne in believers (1656), Joel R. Beeke (Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, USA) 15. Exercitations on the epistle to the Hebrews (1668), John W. Tweeddale (Reformation Bible College, USA) 16. A discourse concerning the Holy Spirit (1674), Andrew M. Leslie (Moore Theological College, Australia) 17. The nature of apostasie (1676), Tim Cooper (University of Otago, New Zealand) 18. The doctrine of justification by faith (1677), Whitney Gamble-Smith (The Master’s University, USA) 19. Meditations and discourses on the glory of Christ (1684), Suzanne McDonald (Western Theological Seminary, USA) Part 3: Owen today 20. Retrieving Owen, Kelly M. Kapic (Covenant College, USA) Bibliography Contributors Owen’s Works Index Author and Subject Index

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Book SynopsisWhy do so many evangelicals follow leaders with dubious credentials when they have other options in their own faith? Exploring intellectual authority within evangelicalism, the authors reveal how the concept of anointing—being chosen by God to speak for him—established a conservative evangelical leadership isolated from secular arts and sciences.Trade ReviewStephens and Giberson have produced a stunning and well-documented indictment of the evangelical right wing. Here is a 'must read' for anyone wanting an insight into one of the most powerful religious-political movements in modern American culture. -- Owen Gingerich, author of God's UniverseTwo talented writers join forces to introduce us to some of the most influential religious and cultural leaders in contemporary America--such 'experts' as Ken Ham, David Barton, James Dobson, and Hal Lindsey. I know of no better place to discover how the conservative half of America lives and thinks. -- Ronald L. Numbers, author of The Creationists: From Creation Science to Intelligent DesignThis is an important book on a pressing topic that should be read by everyone concerned with the place of religion in American life today. -- Michael Ruse, author of The Evolution-Creation StruggleThe Anointed demonstrates how questionable 'experts' emerge and flourish within American evangelicalism. Stephens and Giberson function as knowledgeable guides into this intriguing--and troubling--'parallel universe.' -- Randall Balmer, author of The Making of Evangelicalism[Stephens and Giberson] rise triumphantly to the challenge of explaining the leaders and the culture of the religious Right without rancor or condescension. -- Ray Olson * Booklist *The Anointed is one of the best and most important books on religion published this year. It is a well-written, well-argued study that penetrates to the heart of modern evangelical culture. Stephens and Giberson have done an excellent job of critiquing what Mark Noll has called the "scandal of the evangelical mind" (the scandal, wrote Noll, is "that there is not much of an evangelical mind") while empathetically explaining why so many evangelicals are smitten with dubious experts. Evangelicals who take the intellect seriously, as well as outsiders struggling to understand the evangelical sub-culture, will benefit from their hard work and keen insights. -- Matthew Avery Sutton * Christian Century *In The Anointed, Randall J. Stephens and Karl W. Giberson, professors at evangelical Eastern Nazarene College near Boston, draw a fascinating group portrait of today's most popular intellectual leaders among evangelicals and attempt to explain why so many of the faithful buy their arguments...One of the principal virtues of The Anointed is that it represents an effort to demonstrate that the evangelical community is not a monolith of the unthinking. -- Kevin M. Schultz * Wilson Quarterly *Neither an expose nor a screed, The Anointed is the work of educated evangelical Christians who reject the kitsch and anti-intellectualism that outsiders tend to equate with the faith itself...There are evangelicals who reject fundamentalism, find apocalyptic revenge fantasies distasteful, and don't see any reason why God wouldn't bless same-sex unions. The Anointed seems to be written for such readers--to explain the history and internal dynamics of the evangelical subculture, perhaps as a step towards changing it. As a report on the parallel culture of evangelical Christianity, the book is well-researched and intelligently composed. -- Scott McLemee * Inside Higher Ed *The Anointed [is] a field guide to the evangelical experts you haven't heard of--but should...Why would anyone heed ersatz "experts" over trained authorities far more qualified to comment on the origins of life or the worldview of the founding fathers? Drawing on case studies of evangelical gurus, Stephens and Giberson argue that intellectual authority works differently in the "parallel culture" of evangelicalism. In this world of prophecy conferences and home-schooling curriculums, a dash of charisma, a media empire and a firm stance on the right side of the line between "us" and "them" matter more than a fancy degree...The Anointed condemns the current state of evangelical intellectual life, but Stephens and Giberson avoid monolithic stereotypes. They are careful to note that evangelicals disagree wildly among themselves about almost everything. -- Molly Worthen * New York Times *With its coverage of wide-ranging figures and issues, the book reveals important facets of ways evangelicals maintain both their ideology and boundaries in what they perceive as a threatening culture. This insightful work is an important contribution to readers' understanding of the ways evangelicals maintain their self-identity and worldview. -- A. W. Klink * Choice *In their new book, The Anointed: Evangelical Truth in a Secular Age, Randall Stephens and Karl Giberson explain the nature of intellectual insularity of so many in this world, in which "the teachings of dubiously credentialed leaders are favored over the word of secular experts in the arts and sciences."...The authors describe "what amounts to a 'parallel culture,'" where people like alleged "historian" David Barton...proffer[s] phony-baloney history lessons that distort almost everything professional historians know to be true about America's founders. -- Eric Alterman * The Nation *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBrigham Young is a landmark work… There is no aspect of Young’s fascinating life that eludes Turner’s scrutiny. -- Alex Beam * New York Times Book Review *A definitive biography of Mormonism’s greatest activist and apostle. -- Adam Gopnik * New Yorker *A major accomplishment that, more than any past treatment of Young, situates the protean prophet squarely in the context of his turbulent times. Turner is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and brings to Young an emotional objectivity and distance that greatly benefit his profile of the 19th century Mormon leader and colonizer… Turner unflinchingly tackles the full spectrum, warts and all, of Young’s multifarious personality and life… For Turner, no topic is off-limits, too controversial, too intimate. He exhibits a healthy skepticism and curiosity that are as bracing as they are salutary… He is balanced, insightful, sympathetic, even occasionally affectionate. Turner’s Young is a far cry from the (take your pick) superficial, cartoonish, angelic/devilish caricatures of most popularized portrayals. He is a fully rendered, flesh-and-blood, flawed-but-earnest human being who sincerely believed he had been ‘called’ to govern God’s new covenant people as heaven’s representative. The biography adds much to both our understanding and appreciation of Young. -- Gary James Bergera * Salt Lake Tribune *[A] magnificent new biography… [Turner’s] book should establish him as one of the best religious historians of his generation. Turner had unfettered access to Young’s papers, and his keen eye for social context makes this book an excellent introduction to the story of Mormonism as well as an essential addition to the history of the American West. It should also do for Brigham Young what Richard Lyman Bushman’s Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling did for the Mormon prophet: make the case not only that Young was one of the most fascinating people of the 19th century but also that his importance in American history can no longer be overlooked. Indeed, some of that history will have to be revised to fit this ‘pioneer prophet’ into its narrative… Turner’s prose is so smooth and his interpretations so balanced that I suspect Mormonism’s defenders and detractors alike will flock to this book… Turner is not a member of the Mormon church, which makes his achievement all the more remarkable. -- Stephen H. Webb * Books & Culture *The great virtue of John G. Turner’s new biography of Brigham Young—the first major study since LDS historian Leonard Arrington’s Brigham Young: American Moses (1985)—is the author’s stolid resistance to either version of the traditional Young caricature. -- Chris Lehmann * The Nation *Turner offers an unflinching account of Young’s life ‘within the context of mid-19th-century American religion and politics,’ yet evinces throughout a sympathetic understanding of the way Young and the Mormon pioneers saw themselves: as a chosen people delivered by God from their persecutors and led to a latter-day Zion… Turner’s portrait is of a man both great and greatly flawed. -- Jason Lee Steorts * National Review *Previous biographers of Brigham Young have used epithets such as ‘American Moses’ and ‘Lion of the Lord.’ However, what Turner demonstrates here is that the three-dimensional Young cannot be reduced to saint or tyrant; he was bold, brave, crude, petty, visionary, manipulative, creative, charismatic, kindly, and much more besides. He presents Young as a family man navigating the complexities of polygamy, as a leader moving large numbers of people across the Great Plains, and as a politician negotiating enough independence for the Mormons from the American government that he could build the kingdom of God as he saw fit. Turner was given unprecedented access to the LDS church archives and he makes full use of them and other sources, as well as providing a cogent interpretive context. It is easy to forget Young’s significance in American history, but at a minimum it needs to be remembered that he is responsible for settling a vast swath of the West. Turner gives him his due… There aren’t enough superlatives for this book. It will remain the standard biography for a long time. Because of its thorough documentation, academics will take it seriously, while general readers will appreciate its clarity of prose and argument. -- D. S. Azzolina * Library Journal (starred review) *In his richly researched new biography of Brigham Young, John G. Turner not only profiles the man who brought the church to Utah, but also satisfies both high-minded and lowbrow curiosity about this most American of religions. * Boston Globe *A comprehensive biography of Young and his times… It is an exceptional work… We can learn a lot about the development of Mormon theology from Turner’s book, far more than can be gleaned from previous biographies of Young… Turner is at his best when he is placing the elements of Young’s life within the main contours of broader 19th-century America… Those who want to know more about Mormonism’s birth and growth will want to get a copy. -- Edward J. Blum * Christian Century *[Turner] provides an admirably balanced account of this complex man, and his little-understood and frequently reviled faith… When finished with this superb biography, readers will find [Brigham Young] less of a curiosity but still fascinating. -- Alan Cate * Cleveland Plain Dealer *Young’s life is admirably chronicled in this fine new biography… The character who emerges from Turner’s elegantly written and well-researched biography is a man for whom the word ‘protean’ might almost have been invented. He became one of the foremost colonizers of American history, leading the Mormons on a perilous journey to the Great Basin and laying claim to approximately a sixth of the western United States… Turner shows [Young] to be a shrewd and subtle politician… Turner’s story never drags, partly because the tale itself is so fascinating, but also because he writes with clarity and energy. -- Richard Aldous * Irish Times *John G. Turner’s new biography of Brigham Young…portrays a social experiment, the most ambitious in American history, that until Young’s death in 1877 explicitly rejected the core values of Victorian capitalism: possessive individualism and Darwinian competition. -- Mike Davis * Los Angeles Review of Books *[A] strong and authoritative biography. -- Jackson Lears * New Republic *[An] exceptionally well-researched and endlessly interesting biography. -- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *Fascinating… Young very much emerges with his faults manifest in Turner’s impressive biography. At the same time, [Brigham Young] takes Mormon studies forward, avoiding the pitfalls of apologia and polemic. -- Jeremy Black * Standpoint *Turner’s broad historical perspective clarifies why Young’s ecclesiastical successors have still felt the man’s influence—even after abandoning polygamy. An impressively detailed portrait of a controversial giant. -- Bryce Christensen * Booklist (starred review) *[Turner] presents a very thoughtful, well-contextualized account of a complex and contradictory religious leader who was profane as well as pious and powerful. The book traces the development of an aimless young man who became the prophet and president of a sprawling theocracy. Turner offers a fair consideration of Young… This well-researched, readable biography will satisfy all but the most partisan reader. -- D. Liestman * Choice *A scholarly yet thoroughly readable historical/biographical study, of considerable interest to students of 19th-century American history and religious revivalism. * Kirkus Reviews *Inextricably tied together by bonds of fate and faith, Brigham Young and Mormonism rose as one in nineteenth-century America. It is that America, as well as that man and that religion, that Turner explores and explains so well in this wonderful book. -- William Deverell, Director, Huntington–USC Institute on California and the WestTurner’s treatment of the complex Brigham Young is unsentimental, cogent, critical, and fair. It takes its place alongside Leonard Arrington’s magisterial American Moses as the essential, mutually challenging portraits of one of America’s greatest colonizers and religious figures. -- Philip L. Barlow, author of Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American ReligionThe story Turner tells in this elegantly written biography will startle and shock many readers. He reveals a Brigham Young more violent and coarse than the man Mormons have known. While lauding his achievements as pioneer, politician, and church leader, the book will require a reassessment of Brigham Young the man. -- Richard Bushman, author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone RollingIn this superb new biography, Turner’s strong narrative, human insight, knowledge of context, meticulous use of sources, and sophisticated appreciation of Mormon theology combine to create an account of his larger-than-life subject that is at once informative, judicious, and profoundly engaging. -- Daniel Walker Howe, author of What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815–1848Turner provides a searing portrait of a leader at his most determined and—at times—ruthless in defense of his religion. A provocative and compelling view of one of the most elusive, yet influential, figures in our nation’s westward expansion. -- Ken Verdoia, author of Utah: The Struggle for Statehood

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Book SynopsisLate one night in 1823 Joseph Smith, Jr was reportedly visited in his family's farmhouse in upstate New York by an angel named Moroni. Thus began the unlikely career of the "Book of Mormon". This book traces the life of this book as it has formed and fractured different strains of Mormonism and transformed religious expression around the world.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "To explain this book--now published in 150 million copies in 110 languages--Gutjahr recounts the life of Joseph Smith, whose status as the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints rests upon his claim that he translated the Book of Mormon from ancient gold plates delivered to him by an angel... Undeterred by skeptics' allegations of fraud, a small army of missionaries have made the book a powerful proselytizing tool ... but as an engaging human story, it has also inspired the creative impulses of visual, cinematic, and theatrical artists... A very helpful introduction to a perplexing but increasingly visible religious text."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist "[A] fascinating history of an important document of American culture."--Steven Poole, The Guardian "This is a book that has been waiting to be written. There have been previous accounts of the Book of Mormon by believers and nonbelievers, but most have been too polemical for general readers. Gutjahr (English, Indiana Univ.; Charles Hodge: Guardian of American Orthodoxy) doesn't ignore controversial issues of history and authenticity, as is the case with some other short introductions; rather, he provides several alternative interpretations of the book's origins... Needless to say, especially with the tremendous success of the Broadway show The Book of Mormon, there is a great need for a book like this. It should appeal to scholars and interested general readers alike."--David S. Azzolina, Library Journal (starred review) "America is experiencing something of a Mormon moment... But much remains unknown about this faith, including the circumstances surrounding its primary sacred text. Paul C. Gutjahr's well-written and erudite account of the history of the Book of Mormon fills much of this void... Gutjahr's account leaves one with considerable appreciation for the enduring value of the Book of Mormon."--Wade Clark Roof, Pacific Standard Magazine "Gutjahr has read widely in both Mormon and non-Mormon sources, and he has taken the trouble to get the basic facts right... The Book of Mormon: A Biography is a quick read that Latter-day Saints will find enjoyable and thought-provoking. It would also be perfect for non-member friends who are curious about the Book of Mormon but are looking for something more neutral or balanced than materials published by the Church, yet are perhaps not quite interested enough to take on a thick monograph like By the Hand of Mormon or Understanding the Book of Mormon."--Grant Hardy, Meridian Magazine "[I]t's refreshing to read a nonpartisan book about Mormonism."--Justin Moyer, Washington Post Book World "Gutjahr's biography is an easy-to-read overview of the Book of Mormon's life, a reminder that the Book of Mormon is the world's text, not merely the text of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in spite of the Church's careful efforts (through copyright measures and other means) to maintain the text's integrity. And even within the LDS tradition itself, the book shapeshifts as it traverses landscapes of differing historical contexts and rhetorical objectives. Such is the life of books, such is the life Gutjahr ably recounts."--Blair Hodges, Dialogue "Book of Mormon: A Biography takes readers on a quick journey through Mormon history from past to present focused on the Book of Mormon. The topics covered include Joseph Smith, the translation of the Book of Mormon, how the book was used in early church history, the death of Joseph Smith, the church's move to Utah, missionary work, further growth of the church, and the influence of the Book of Mormon on movies, music, theater, art and culture."--Ryan Morgenegg, Deseret News "Gutjahr tells the story of this very strange book ... with courage and verve."--Jon Sweeney, Tablet "Gutjahr's contribution to the 'Lives of Great Religious Books' series is a concise and eminently teachable history of the most important American-made world scripture. In a welcome departure from most such accounts, Gutjahr gives as much space to the Book of Mormon's 20th-century life as he does to its ancient or 19th-century origins, presenting in a compact, readable form a great deal of relatively recent history about its cultural and religious significance... Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers."--Choice, Editor's Picks "The Book of Mormon: A Biography is overall a delight... Gutjahr's ... book is a terrific example of a work typifying legitimate academic study, particularly as compared with most of the poor mistreatments of Mormon studies. It is balanced and engaging enough to give non-LDS readers a clear insight into what members consider a truly divine work and, perhaps more importantly, accurate and honest enough to satisfy LDS readers."--Tod R. Harris, BYU Studies Quarterly "Gutjahr succeeded in writing an informative account of the history of the Book of Mormon. His style provides enough information for those who are just curious about the Book of Mormon and Mormonism while at the same time satisfying a more interested reader's curiosity by providing a platform for further research."--Ingrid Sherlock-Taselaar, International Journal for the Study of New Religions "Gutjahr has produced a valuable biography of an American apocrypha for a general audience. He provides a valuable summary of various editions and translations of a sacred text that has made an indelible impact on religion in America and beyond. The overview of scholarly debates about the historical claims of the scripture is fair, accessible and concise. His outline of the illustrations in the Book of Mormon and its life on the stage and in the cinema is original and will be of value even to specialists in Mormonism."--Thomas Murphy, Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions "The Book of Mormon: A Biography is very readable and portrays the Mormon position well."--Eric Johnson, Christian Research JournalTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xi Acknowledgments xiii A Note on Usage xix Part I: Germination 1 Prologue 3 Chapter 1: Joseph's Gold Bible 11 Chapter 2: Holy Writ or Humbug? 38 Part II: Budding 59 Chapter 3 Multiplying Prophets 61 Chapter 4 Great Basin Saints and The Book 86

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2013 Cover/Jacket Merit Award in the Professional, Scholarly Series category, New York Book Show""One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013"

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Book SynopsisDozens of beautiful photos, both vintage and contemporary, draw us into the fascinating world of Shaker communities' accomplishments, their progressive views, and their still-resonating impact on American life. This book focuses specifically on two Shaker villages, Hancock and Mount Lebanon, which were close neighbors situated on either side of the Taconic Mountain Range bordering New York and Massachusetts. Mount Lebanon was the vibrant voice of Shakerism for over 160 years while Hancock lived in the shadows of its larger sister. Explaining the beliefs that grounded these villages, this book unfolds the Shaker legacies we live with today, involving Shakers' spiritual beliefs, their social welfare structures, their wide-ranging industries from seeds to herbal medicines to furniture to fancy goods, and their building of villages and of lives with a sense of purpose and permanency.

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Book SynopsisA close investigation of a new wave of "reflexive evangelicals," whose playful critique of their own faith wins crowds.Trade Review"Creatively written and engaging, The Subversive Evangelical is an important book and a pleasure to read." Sam Reimer, Crandall University"The Subversive Evangelical explains how an inventive and charismatic leader adopted and now orchestrates the performance of an unexpected and newly legitimated ecclesiology for contemporary evangelicals, one that is aggressively fighting for the continued relevancy of congregational faith in North America." Gerardo Martí, Davidson College

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Book SynopsisThe fulfillment of prophetic promises from God is not automatic. Here's how to make sure they're fulfilled--and to rightly understand the amazing prophetic gift.

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Book SynopsisThis inspirational book urges evangelical churches to find room for catechesis as a non-negotiable practice for the sake of their spiritual health and vitality.

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Book SynopsisThe Shakers emerge as the culmination of the century's religious quest, preserving the immediacy of spirit possession while making it the basis for the formation of an ideal Christian community.Originally published as Spirit Possession and Popular Religion: From the Comisards to the ShakersTrade ReviewClearly written and richly detailed, Garrett's work is an excellent study of such dramatic spiritual performances, what he pictures as the sacred theater of popular religion. Journal of American Culture The description is outstanding. Nowhere else can one find such a succinct and eminently readable account that places Shakerism in its broadest context. Garrett makes character and personality come alive throughout the book, from the Prophets' strange gyrations to Mother Ann Lee's drinking problem. Journal of American History [Unravels] the subtle links among such apparently divergent manifestations of popular religion as that of the Camisards and French Prophets of the seventeenth century, German pietism, the early Methodists in England, the revivals of the Great Awakening, the Amana community, and the Shakers... Garrett's study deserves the attention of all who would understand the history and nature of ecstatic experience and its continuing presence in Western religion. Church History Shaker buffs will not find this study very comforting, but serious students of Shakerism and historians interested in other communal societies stand in Garrett's debt for his excellent contribution to the field, for his determination to address a range of important but difficult interpretive issues, and for his willingness to employ a critical approach to texts too long handled uncritically. American Historical Review A carefully researched, methodologically sophisticated, and lucidly written work. Catholic Historical ReviewTable of ContentsPreface Introduction: Anthropology and HistoryChapter 1. Your Sons and Daughters Shall ProphesyChapter 2. The Prophetic DiasporaChapter 3. The Community of True InspirationChapter 4. The Methodist AwakeningChapter 5. The Transatlantic AwakeningChapter 6. A Prophetess in ManchesterChapter 7. The Woman in the WildernessChapter 8. Into New EnglandChapter 9. Spiritual Wars and Sharp TestimoniesChapter 10. The Gathering Into OrderNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisIn this new edition, the authors update demographic and technological changes, and describe Amish enterprises outside of Pennsylvania in a new chapter.Trade ReviewUseful in courses in religion and culture; an excellent supplementary text for courses in sociology... Amish and other minority groups... may be inspired and instructed by this heartening document. -- Gene Burd Utopian Studies 2005 Important for anyone interested in the interplay between a small, separate religious group and the dominant culture. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 2005Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart I: The Cultural ContextChapter 1. The Roots of Amish LifePart II: Cultural Resources for Entrepreneurship Chapter 2. From Plows to ProfitsChapter 3. A Profile of Amish EnterprisesChapter 4. Homespun Entrepreneurs Chapter 5. Labor and Human ResourcesPart III: Cultural Constraints of EntrepreneurshipChapter 6. The Moral Boundaries of BusinessChapter 7. Taming the Power of TechnologyChapter 8. Small-Scale LimitationsPart IV: The Public Face of Amish EnterpriseChapter 9. Promotion and Professional NetworksChapter 10. Coping with Litigation and LiabilityChapter 11. Negotiating with CaesarChapter 12. Failure and SuccessPart V: The Transformation of Amish SocietyChapter 13. The Fate of a Traditional PeopleChapter 14. National Patters of Amish WorkAppendixes: Research Methods and Data SourcesNotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisIn this new edition, the authors update demographic and technological changes, and describe Amish enterprises outside of Pennsylvania in a new chapter.Trade ReviewUseful in courses in religion and culture; an excellent supplementary text for courses in sociology... Amish and other minority groups... may be inspired and instructed by this heartening document. -- Gene Burd Utopian Studies 2005 Important for anyone interested in the interplay between a small, separate religious group and the dominant culture. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 2005Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart I: The Cultural ContextChapter 1. The Roots of Amish LifePart II: Cultural Resources for Entrepreneurship Chapter 2. From Plows to ProfitsChapter 3. A Profile of Amish EnterprisesChapter 4. Homespun Entrepreneurs Chapter 5. Labor and Human ResourcesPart III: Cultural Constraints of EntrepreneurshipChapter 6. The Moral Boundaries of BusinessChapter 7. Taming the Power of TechnologyChapter 8. Small-Scale LimitationsPart IV: The Public Face of Amish EnterpriseChapter 9. Promotion and Professional NetworksChapter 10. Coping with Litigation and LiabilityChapter 11. Negotiating with CaesarChapter 12. Failure and SuccessPart V: The Transformation of Amish SocietyChapter 13. The Fate of a Traditional PeopleChapter 14. National Patters of Amish WorkAppendixes: Research Methods and Data SourcesNotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisIn the most comprehensive study of Old Order schools to date, Johnson-Weiner provides valuable insight into how variables such as community size and relationship with other Old Order groups affect the role of these schools in maintaining behavioral norms and in shaping the Old Order's response to modernity.Trade ReviewWell produced, based on archival and participant-observer research, with a useful bibliography. -- Steven Reschly Journal of Mennonite Studies 2008 Train Up a Child makes a valuable contribution in illustrating how Old Order education, in myriad ways, reflects and conserves the values and commitments of Old Order communities. It makes an equally valuable contribution in what it implicitly says about the current state of secular education. -- Kevin H. Gary Mennonite Quarterly Review 2008Table of ContentsPreface1. Private Schools and Old Order Life2. Old Order Schools and Old Order Identities3. The Swartzentruber Schools4. Small Schools in Small Settlements5. Mainstream Amish Schools6. Progressive Amish Schools7. Old Order Mennonite Schools in Lancaster County8. Publish or Perish9. What's Education For?AppendixesA. InformantsB. Schools and LocationsC. Hectograph RecipeD. Representative School SchedulesNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis study argues that the first two generations of Puritan settlers in New England were not hostile toward their Indian neighbours but sought peaceful and equitable relations as a first step to moulding the Indians into neo-Englishman.

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Book SynopsisA lively memoir of growing up with blind African American parents in a segregated cult preaching the imminent end of the world—for fans of James McBride’s The Good Lord Bird. It’s 1970, and Jerry Walker is six years old. His consciousness revolves around being a member of a church whose beliefs he finds not only confusing but terrifying. Composed of a hodgepodge of requirements and restrictions—including a prohibition against doctors and hospitals—the underpinning tenet of Herbert W. Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God was that its members were divinely chosen and all others would soon perish in rivers of flames. The substantial membership was ruled by fear, intimidation, and threats. Anyone who dared leave the church would endure hardship for the remainder of this life and eternal suffering in the next. The next life, according to Armstrong, would arrive in 1975, three years after the start of the Great Tribulation. Jer

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Book SynopsisDespite the separation of church and state, public aid to religious agencies has traditionally been part of liberal social policy. This book shows that the post-World War II expansion of public funding for evangelical health care, educational, welfare, and foreign relief increasingly benefited the religious Right and contributed to its resurgence.Trade Review"Piety and Public Funding complicates, and sometimes even demolishes, much of the conventional wisdom about the rise of the religious right. Schäfer's tone is neither bombastic nor polemical, but the result is revolutionary nonetheless: a complete reconfiguration of our assumptions about conservative Protestants and Republican Party politics from the 1940s to the 1990s." * Andrew Preston, Cambridge University *"Exceptionally clear and engagingly written, Piety and Public Funding makes an important intervention that every subsequent historian of the conservative counterrevolution will need to take into consideration. By examining the fiscal links between the postwar state and organized religion, Schafer's case marks a distinct departure from both academic and popular conceptions of Christian conservatism in recent American history." * Bethany Moreton, author of To Serve God and Wal-Mart: The Making of Christian Free Enterprise *Table of ContentsIntroduction: How Evangelicals Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the State Chapter 1. The Cold War and Religious Agencies Chapter 2. The Evangelical Rediscovery of the State Chapter 3. Evangelicals, Foreign Policy, and the National Security State Chapter 4. Evangelicals, Social Policy, and the Welfare State Chapter 5. Church-State Relations and the Rise of the Evangelical Right Conclusion: Resurgent Conservatism and the Public Funding of Religious Agencies Notes Bibliography Index Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisThe evangelical seeker churches in the US target seekers, people of any faith or denominational background who seek spiritual fulfillment. This book provides a sociological context for the rise of these churches by exploring their rituals, messages, strategies and denominational functions.Trade ReviewIn the last two decades, thousands of churches across the U.S. have combined traditional evangelical theology with innovative marketing principles to respond to the contemporary cultural environment. . . . Sargeant provides a sociological mapping of the seeker church movement. He focuses on Willow Creek Community church (a widely recognized suburban Chicago congregation) and the over 5,000 churches that form the Willow Creek Association. SargeantÆs description and analysis give the reader a better understanding of both the American religious context that gave birth to the movement and the practices that make it distinct. . . . Fascinating. * Choice *Just about everyone by now has heard of seeker churches, and many Americans have visited or joined them. Thousands of pastors across the country each year flock to seminars to learn more about these churchesÆ approach to ministry and to gain insight into why the movement is rapidly growing. Kimon Howland SargeantÆs sociological analysis of the movement is the first systematic attempt to try to make some sense of it historically and culturally. This nicely written and timely book addresses, in SargeantÆs words, the fundamental question, æWhat does it mean to be religious, especially to be an evangelical, at this moment in history?Æ. . . . Sargeant provides a good introduction to these churches and raises the critical sociological and theological issues. * Christian Century *SargeantÆs book is a clearly written picture of the Seeker church phenomenon. It uses for its main data a survey of Seeker church pastors. . . . A fascinating portrayal of this æmarket niche.Æ It is a truly æpost-denominationalÆ movement that is thoroughly accommodated to a contract-oriented ethos with ænetworks benefitsÆ and bereft, at least for now, of æhierarchies of religious authority.Æ It is, in sum, a quintessential incarnation of American market religion. * Journal of Religion *SargeantÆs thesis is that seeker churches will continue to grow and to conform to cultural trends. . . . A temperate and insightful account, highly readable, and adequately illustrated. It makes a timely contribution to the sociology of religion and of American culture. * Social Forces *I found this a most insightful and helpful book for anyone who is interested in evangelical church growth. . . . Replete with well-chosen examples, extensive and thought-provoking discussion, Seeker Churches is well written and well edited, ensuring that it will be a useful resource for years to come. * Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith *After suffering much armchair analysis, the Seeker Church movement has, at last, found a worthy scholar. Kimon Howland Sargeant has produced an excellent study, historically sound and sociologically dexterous. -- Randall Balmer * author of Blessed Assurance: A History of Evangelicalism in America *After a quarter century we have a definitive study of the Seeker Church movement that tells us what these churches do and why they have become so attractive. -- Robert Wuthnow * Princeton University *Table of ContentsA new reformation? Traditional religion in a spiritual age Ritual: modern liturgies for skeptical seekers Message: believe and be fulfilled Strategy: the shopping mall church Organization: the postmodern denomination Translation and tradition

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Book SynopsisExplains how and why this religious group, founded on principles of enforced community, explicit authoritative relationships, and therapeutic ideals, attracted so many individuals. Tracing the rise and fall of this fast-growing religious movement, this study offers insight into the difficulties that revivalist movements have in sustaining growth.Trade ReviewA masterful work. This book is a must-read. It artfully weaves engaging ethnography with social theory to take the reader on a learning adventure. Through this study of family life, gender relations, and culture in a fast-rising and then falling 'therapeutic religious movement,' we learn about life in the modern world. Given that the conditions that led to this movement's appeal and growth remain, similar groups will continue to appear. As they do, we will want to turn to Awesome Families to understand their meaning. -- Michael O. Emerson * author of Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in Amer *Awesome Families is an excellent study of a Christain based religious movement that offered the promise of healing and family to over one thousand members throughout the world. Jenkins's work is well researched, well written and presents new and exciting insights into religious conversion and disillusionment. Her book is at the cutting edge of the new scholarship on commitment to religious movements, providing a much needed understanding of the complex ways in which alternative religions function in contemporary society. -- Janet Jacobs * author of Hidden Heritage the Legacy of the Crypto-Jews *"This work is a valuable resource for the sociologist of religion as well as a fine exemplar of, and introduction to, the cultural turn in sociology for the scholar of religion in general" -- Brad Nabors * Sociology of Religion *A masterful work. This book is a must-read. It artfully weaves engaging ethnography with social theory to take the reader on a learning adventure. Through this study of family life, gender relations, and culture in a fast-rising and then falling 'therapeutic religious movement,' we learn about life in the modern world. Given that the conditions that led to this movement's appeal and growth remain, similar groups will continue to appear. As they do, we will want to turn to Awesome Families to understand their meaning. -- Michael O. Emerson * author of Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in Amer *Awesome Families is an excellent study of a Christain based religious movement that offered the promise of healing and family to over one thousand members throughout the world. Jenkins's work is well researched, well written and presents new and exciting insights into religious conversion and disillusionment. Her book is at the cutting edge of the new scholarship on commitment to religious movements, providing a much needed understanding of the complex ways in which alternative religions function in contemporary society. -- Janet Jacobs * author of Hidden Heritage the Legacy of the Crypto-Jews *"This work is a valuable resource for the sociologist of religion as well as a fine exemplar of, and introduction to, the cultural turn in sociology for the scholar of religion in general" -- Brad Nabors * Sociology of Religion *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: "It's Like Free Counseling All the Time" 1. Sacred Counsel: "Ambassadors for God" 2. An Unsinkable Raft in a Foreboding Divorce Culture 3. Collective Performances of Healing 4. In with the Old and the New 5. Awesome Kids 6. Brothers and Sisters for the Kingdom of God 7. A Kingdom That Promised Too Much Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn Christianity, as with most religions, attaining holiness and a higher spirituality while simultaneously pursuing worldly ideals such as fame and fortune is nearly impossible. This book looks at religion among the ""creative class."" It is suitable for those who wants to understand how religion adapts to social change.Trade ReviewDrawing on rich ethnographic data from his study of Oasis Christian Center in Hollywood, Gerardo Marti describes an emergent style of neo-Pentecostal worship and religious community that speaks to members of the 'creative class' of youthful Millennials who are in their 20s and early 30s. This cutting-edge analysis of where religion may be heading is theoretically sophisticated and yet highly readable. -- Donald E. Miller * Executive Director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of S *Drawing on rich ethnographic data from his study of Oasis Christian Center in Hollywood, Gerardo Marti describes an emergent style of neo-Pentecostal worship and religious community that speaks to members of the 'creative class' of youthful Millennials who are in their 20s and early 30s. This cutting-edge analysis of where religion may be heading is theoretically sophisticated and yet highly readable. -- Donald E. Miller * Executive Director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of S *Addressing the perspectives of students of religion, media and the film industry, and ethnic differences, the book speaks to all three subjects, combining them in a novel, interesting fashion. Highly recommended. * Choice *Hollywood Faith is an engaging ethnography that makes multiple contributions to the sociology of contemporary U.S. religion. Marti's analysis of Oasis, a fast-growing multiracial church in Hollywood, CA, contributes much to our understanding of multiracial churches in a nation whose religious landscape has long been divided by race and ethnicity. The careful attention to congregational dynamics and how they support a multiracial congregation make this a valuable addition to literature on religion, race, and ethnicity. * Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: Negotiating Holiness and Hollywood 2. The Making of a Star: Hollywood as Destination and Dream 3. Love and Hate between Hollywood and Christianity 4. Save the World, Starting in Hollywood 5. Celebrity, Heartache, and the Pressue to Make It 6. Religion: Playing at a Theater Near You 7. Fade to Black 8. Becoming Champions of Life 9. Conclusion: Religion in the Era of Identity Commodification Appendix: Research Methodology Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTraces the historical significance of the rise and development of black theology as an important conversation partner for the black church.Trade ReviewThe book reads as an altar call to action that honors the liberationist roots of a global church community, regardless of race or gender. * Publishers Weekly *Resilient in its hope and perceptive in its analysis, this book makes a valuable contribution to imagining a liberation-focused ecclesiology. * Ecumenical Review *The Divided Mind of the Black Church is an informative work for historians, theologians, and humanities scholars interested in debating what the Black Church needs to be doing in the 21st century. * Journal of African American History *Raphael G. Warnock's The Divided Mind of the Black Church is not only a scholarly monograph but also an autobiographical work on the pietistic and prophetic traditions of the black church. * Black Theology *Warnock weaves together an impressive array of subjects to advance his argument on the & divided mind of the black church.His introduction, five chapters, and conclusion provide much in structure and content for the advancement of his burden, namely, the construction of a & self-critical liberationist community where & piety and protest may be held in balance. * Sociology of Religion *This well-written and meticulously researched treatment of black church piety and social engagement is a timely and pivotal assessment as we head into the next chapter of American religious life. * The Christian Century *As a person who is not Black, reading this book provided a learning experience for me. It has helped me better understand the dynamics of the Black church. I could also see this book serving as a way to spark discussion involving all ethnic groups as to how we can all, as fellow Christians, blend the goals of saving lost people and moving the culture toward equality for everyone. * Ministry *Embodied in this book is the sharpness of mind of one with an earned Ph.D. in theological studies and the human compassion of a pastor of one of the major churches in the United States. Rarely, if at all, do we get to relish such combined matters of the head and heart. Moreover, this groundbreaking work is rooted in deep spirituality and progressive commitment to the Bible. The ponderings in these pages echo the insightful eyes of the prophetic mystic, Howard Thurman and the scholarly activism of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- Dwight N. Hopkins,editor of The Cambridge Companion to Black TheologyRaphael Warnock's The Divided Mind of the Black Church is a courageous and timely effort to reinvigorate the rich tradition of the Black Church by a full-fledged engagement with the best of its history and theology. Like the Sankofa bird, he looks to the past in order to move forward! -- Cornel West,Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice, Union Theological SeminaryEloquently lays waste to the false theological dilemma between advocates of individual salvation and social justice. Real religion is both personal and political; Warnock skillfully shows how that works by probing creative tensions in the black church between heavenly hunger and earthly engagement. He brilliantly enhances the distinguished intellectual achievement of the historic Ebenezer pulpit by showing how black and womanist theologies partner with the black church to bring God's mighty word to bear on our souls and society all at once. -- Michael Eric Dyson,University Professor of Sociology, Georgetown UniversityRaphael Warnock demonstrates in this book that he is a worthy occupant of the Ebenezer pulpit, following in the intellectual tradition of Martin King and his mentor, Dr. Benjamin Mays. It was faith that led us to activism. Whether one is looking to understand the foundation of civil rights, to understand the role of faith in our public life or seeking to understand a personal call to serve, this book will be enlightening. -- Andrew Young,former U.N. Ambassador, Mayor of Atlanta and Executive Vice President of SCLCRaphael Warnock is known as one of the most brilliant orators of his generation. This excellent new book reveals him to be a brilliant scholar as well. It is the first major work to critically explore the 'double-minded' relationship between the social practice of black churches and the radical implications of their historical witness against the social oppression of the black masses. Warnocks path-breaking periodization of the social activism of the black church is a major contribution to understanding the role of black churches in this nations often stumbling march toward a racially just society. . . . The Divided Mind of the Black Church is a must read for every black pastor, theologian, scholar, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the history and political culture of black churches and the expanding contours of black theological scholarship. -- Obery M. Hendricks, Jr.,author of The Universe Bends Toward JusticeRaphael Warnock, a son of Pentecostal preachers, a theological protégée of James Cone, and pulpit heir of Martin Luther King, Jr., is brilliantly conversant with the ivory tower of academia, yet works in the ebony trenches for justice and the liberation of the 'least of these.' In this literary gift he has insightfully traced the ecclesial and theological journey of the Black Church in America, diagnosing a 'double consciousness' that borders on bipolarity. He prophetically pronounces liberation from captivity to a borrowed oppressive theology that is illustrated by Black pastors who have a picture of Dr. King in the study, but are influenced by Rick Warren when they preach from the pulpit. This scholar-prophet-pastor, in this wonderful work, is presiding over a wedding ceremony, uniting in holy wedlock, piety and protest, the scholarship of liberation and womanist scholars and the ministry and pulpit of the Black Church, with the hope that this marriage will birth a 'new moment of a self critical liberating community.' This family of freedom and faith proposed by Dr. Warnock will usher in that day when 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness as an ever flowing stream.' -- Frederick D. Haynes III,Senior Pastor, Friendship-West Baptist ChurchAs we celebrate the life of the most famous black pastor, Martin Luther King Jr., we should remember that the black church mission connects faith with justice and personal salvation with social transformation, and addresses personal piety and public policy for the well-being of the whole person and the whole community. It fights for the weak and sees the Gospel as 'good news for the poor.' -- Raphael G. Warnock,CNNRefusing to be content with the piety or protest divide between the Black Church and Black Theology, Warnock argues with scholarly rigor and pastoral fire for a vital partnership between the two. As a dedicated pastor and astute theologian, Warnock persuasively argues for a fifth movement in the Black Christian traditiona self-critical liberationist community that represents a public theology founded on the pietistic and liberationist dimensions of the Church. This is a must read for clergy, laity, and the academy. -- Emilie M. Townes,Dean and Professor of Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Divinity SchoolThe broadness and depth of Warnock's theological education and his distinguished pulpit give him the authority to ask the question: piety or protest? Warnock leads us through the history of the tensions and conversations among the black church, black theology and black pastors to boldly change this question into an exclamatory indicative: piety and protest. He admonishes all parties to move beyond the silos of their particular perspective to convene for the broader exchange of ideas, enabling us to fulfill our mission of helping to save the black community and the soul of our nation. -- James A. Forbes Jr.,Senior Pastor Emeritus, Riverside ChurchThis contribution to the enduring subject of piety and protest in black theological discourse is of special importance because it is written from the vantage point of one who stands in the gapa competent theologian with a pastoral vocationvalidating his craft in the trenches of social justice advocacy and community transformation. -- Cheryl J. Sanders,Howard University School of DivinityWarnock carefully traces the history and evolution of the independent black church in America, moving from the black church as a bastion against slavery all the way to the role Ebenezer Baptist and other black churches played in the Civil Rights Movement. He asserts that the black church's roots are in the battle for social liberation of black people, rooted in a progressive understanding of the life and message of Jesus Christ. -- Mark Reynolds * Popmatters *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Gospel of Liberation: Black Christian Resistance Prior to Black Theology 2. The Gospel's Meaning and the Black Church's Mission 3. Black Theologians on the Mission of the Black Church 4. Black Pastors on the Mission of the Black Church 5. Womanist Theologians on the Mission of the Black Church Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisThis text examines the events at Waco, Texas from both sides - the ATF and the FBI on one hand, and Koresh and his followers on the other. It argues that the government had little reason to investigate Koresh, that it lied about what happened, and that the FBI was negligent in gassing Mt. Carmel.

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Book SynopsisExamines how popular American religious leaders navigate problems of race and gender in society. This title chronicles the rise of women and African American evangelists in the independent charismatic movement in post-World War II America.Trade ReviewScott Billingsley does a good job of explaining who people are and how they relate in the modern charismatic movement. The world he describes is richly textured and enormously influential, and the biographical sketches point readers toward an understanding of the origins and development of the movement. - Edith L. Blumhofer, Professor of History and Director of the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals, Wheaton College, Illinois ""It's A New Day not only fills a gap in the historical literature of postwar American religion, it also ably tracks the growth, success, and surprising social outlook of one of the most significant mass-religious movements to emerge in the late 20th century."" - Randall S. Stephens, History Department, Eastern Nazarene College, Quinoy, Massachusetts

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Book SynopsisPtrovides a true crime account of religion, mob violence, and vigilante justice in postbellum Georgia.

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Book SynopsisThis book introduces the American Evangelical movement and the role it played in the support of Donald Trump. It is an essential read for all students and researchers of Evangelicalism, Religion in America, Political Theology, or Religion and Politics.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. The New Cyrus and the "Seven Mountains" of Culture 2. Apostles: Religious and Political Entrepeneurs 3. Spiritual Warfare and the Specter of Civil War 4. When Is the End of the World? Eschatological Fictions and Their Political Consequences Conclusion Epilogue Bibliography Name Index Subject Index Scripture Index

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Book SynopsisThis book examines how Methodism and popular review criticism intersected with and informed each other in the eighteenth century. Methodism emerged at a time when the idea of a public square' was taking shape, a process facilitated by the periodical press.

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Book SynopsisA sensitive and realistic look at the spiritual life and practices of the Amish This second book by the authors of the award-winning Amish Grace sheds further light on the Amish, this time on their faith, spirituality, and spiritual practices.Table of ContentsPreface xi Part One Searching for Amish Spirituality 1 1 A Peculiar Way 3 2 Spiritual Headwaters 17 Part Two The Amish Way of Community 29 3 Losing Self 31 4 Joining Church 45 5 Worshiping God 59 6 Living Together 75 Part Three The Amish Way in Everyday Life 91 7 Children 93 8 Family 107 9 Possessions 123 10 Nature 137 11 Evil 151 12 Sorrow 165 Part Four Amish Faith and the Rest of Us 179 13 The Things That Matter 181 Acknowledgments 193 Appendix I. The Amish of North America 195 Appendix II. Amish Lectionary 205 Appendix III. Rules of a Godly Life 209 Notes 223 References 239 The Authors 247 Index 249

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