Other Nonconformist and Evangelical Churches Books

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 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 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 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 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 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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Book SynopsisBuilt on Kraybill's deep knowledge of Amish life and his contacts within many Amish communities, Renegade Amish highlights one of the strangest and most publicized sagas in contemporary Amish history.Trade ReviewRenegade Amish... provides an insider's perspective into how a small community of Amish people, nurtured in a religious tradition of nonviolence and forgiveness, transformed into a culture of revenge and retaliation. Publishers Weekly For the dimwitted habitues of comments threads, it was the news item that launched a thousand lame puns. But the case of the Bergholz Barbers is funny only as long as it remains a sound bite. Donald B. Kraybill's new book, Renegade Amish: Beard Cutting, Hate Crimes and the Trial of the Bergholz Barbers, digs deep into a story that, for all its seeming quaintness, has the power to both rock the underpinnings of hate crime legislation and to break the human heart. -- Laura Miller Salon Kraybill tells this fascinating story clearly, and has the knowledge and contacts to penetrate a tight-lipped community. -- Damiam Whitworth The Times The apparent dissonance in these opening narratives and the peculiar nature of Amish acting violently to shear helpless victims sets the scene for Kraybill's fascinating exploration of the Bergholz Amish... The case has taken on new significance as the court system works to decide how people will be prosecuted under the Shepherd Byrd act and how broadly hate crimes can be defined. -- Melanie Springer Mock Mennonite World Review An acknowledged expert on Amish life and culture, [Kraybill] explains the religious and social background of the people involved and successfully explains the legal tangle that has not yet completely played out. Journal of Church and State This book will be of interest to those who study the intersection of law and religion or the sociology of closed groups like the Amish Journal of Church and State [Renegade Amish] is a thorough, evenhanded, and accessible volume that provides keen insight on Amish culture. Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies ... Renegade Amish captures a fascinating chapter of legal history and Amish history... That is a tale begging to be told, and Kraybill proves worthy of the task. The Mennonite Quarterly Review Whether you want to learn more about the Amish in general, the Bergholz Amish in particular, are interested in the formation and maintenance of NRMs, interactions between religious groups and the law, or just want to read an informative book that is exceedingly well researched and written, balanced and engaging, Renegade Amish is most definitely worth reading. Nova ReligioTable of ContentsPrefaceChronology1. The Attacks2. The Clan3. The Bishop4. The Cult?5. The FBI6. The Trial7. The Sentencing8. The AftermathEpilogueAppendix IAppendix IINotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisHow a series of violent Amish-on-Amish attacks shattered the peace of a peace-loving people and led to a new interpretation of the federal hate crime law. On the night of September 6, 2011, terror called at the Amish home of the Millers. Answering a late-night knock from what appeared to be an Amish neighbor, Mrs. Miller opened the door to her five estranged adult sons, a daughter, and their spouses. It wasn't a friendly visit. Within moments, the men, wearing headlamps, had pulled their frightened father out of bed, pinned him into a chair, andignoring his tearful protestssheared his hair and beard, leaving him razor-burned and dripping with blood. The women then turned on Mrs. Miller, yanking her prayer cap from her head and shredding it before cutting off her waist-long hair. About twenty minutes later, the attackers fled into the darkness, taking their parents' hair as a trophy. Four similar beard-cutting attacks followed, disfiguring nine victims and generating a tsunami of mediTrade ReviewAn insider’s perspective into how a small community of Amish people, nurtured in a religious tradition of nonviolence and forgiveness, transformed into a culture of revenge and retaliation.—Publishers WeeklyDigs deep into a story that, for all its seeming quaintness, has the power to both rock the underpinnings of hate crime legislation and to break the human heart.—SalonKraybill tells this fascinating story clearly, and has the knowledge and contacts to penetrate a tight-lipped community.—The TimesAn acknowledged expert on Amish life and culture, [Kraybill] explains the religious and social background of the people involved and successfully explains the legal tangle that has not yet completely played out. This book will be of interest to those who study the intersection of law and religion or the sociology of closed groups like the Amish.—Journal of Church and StateA thorough, evenhanded, and accessible volume that provides keen insight on Amish culture.—Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist StudiesCaptures a fascinating chapter of legal history and Amish history . . . [This] is a tale begging to be told, and Kraybill proves worthy of the task.—The Mennonite Quarterly ReviewWhether you want to learn more about the Amish in general, the Bergholz Amish in particular, are interested in the formation and maintenance of NRMs, interactions between religious groups and the law, or just want to read an informative book that is exceedingly well researched and written, balanced, and engaging, Renegade Amish is most definitely worth reading.—Nova ReligioThe apparent dissonance in these opening narratives and the peculiar nature of Amish acting violently to shear helpless victims sets the scene for Kraybill’s fascinating exploration of the Bergholz Amish. . . The case has taken on new significance as the court system works to decide how people will be prosecuted under the Shepherd Byrd act and how broadly hate crimes can be defined.—Mennonite World ReviewTable of ContentsPrefaceChronology1. The Attacks2. The Clan3. The Bishop4. The Cult?5. The FBI6. The Trial7. The Sentencing8. The AftermathEpilogueAppendix IAppendix IINotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisUsing Amish Mafia as a window into the interplay between the real and the imagined, this book dissects the peculiar appeals and potential dangers of deception in reality TV and popular entertainment. When Amish Mafia was released in 2012, viewers were fascinated by the stories of this secret group of Amish and Mennonite enforcers who used threats, extortion, and violence to keep members of the Amish community in lineand to line their own pockets. While some of the stories were based loosely on actual events, the group itself was a complete fabrication. Its members were played by ex-Amish and ex-Mennonite young adults acting out scenarios concocted by the show's producers. What is most extraordinary about Amish Mafia is that, even though it was fictional, it was cleverly constructed to appear real. Discovery Channel, which aired it, assiduously maintained that it was real; whole episodes were devoted to proving that it was real; and many viewers (including smart reality TV fans) were Table of ContentsPrologue1. Enquiring Minds Want to Know2. The Roots of Reality Entertainment3. A Chronicle of Contrivance4. The Pleasure in Being Deceived (and Its Limits)5. Gossip and Lies6. Rights and WrongsEpilogueAcknowledgmentsNotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisExplores the role of race and consumer culture in attracting urban congregants to an evangelical church The Urban Church Imagined illuminates the dynamics surrounding white urban evangelical congregations' approaches to organizational vitality and diversifying membership. Many evangelical churches are moving to urban, downtown areas to build their congregations and attract younger, millennial members. The urban environment fosters two expectations. First, a deep familiarity and reverence for popular consumer culture, and second, the presence of racial diversity. Church leaders use these ideas when they imagine what a city church should look like, but they must balance that with what it actually takes to make this happen. In part, racial diversity is seen as key to urban churches presenting themselves as in touch and authentic. Yet, in an effort to seduce religious consumers, church leaders often and inadvertently end up reproducing racial and economic inequality, an unexpected contradiTrade Review"The authors demonstrate how the racialized urban imaginary affects the religious practices, organizations, and identity of this recently formed congregation, and the complex interactions among race, religion, class, gender, cultural consumption, and the city. The discussion revolves around the key concepts of racialized urban imaginary, managed diversity, and racial utility. A significant contribution to religion, race, and urban studies." * Choice *"In The Urban Church Imagined, Jessica M. Barron and Rhys H. Williams examine the 'dueling imaginations' posited by Downtown Churchs [DC] suburban-based leaders and city-based congregants as their new congregation negotiates racial, class, and gender boundaries. The depth and accessibility of this book make it an excellent read for scholars, students, and religious leaders interested in the sociology of religion, race theory, and/or the urban landscape." * Reading Religion *"The Urban Church Imagined offers a compelling insight on the organizational practices of white-led religious institutions as they attempt to interact with diversity … they offer a provocative salvo in furthering our understanding of the shallow adaptations of diversity and inclusion occurring in white evangelical organizations throughout the United States. In an era where racial coding and antagonism continue to resonate throughout social and political discourse, Barron and Williams have given good cause for further examination of the intersection of race, religion, and the city." -- American Journal of Sociology"This book serves as a useful guide for how churches may approach attracting new members in a period of increasing racial diversity and declining worship attendance." -- Review of Religious Research"The Urban Church Imagined sheds light on this problematic dichotomy of the desire to reach the urban population and to be relevant in the racially diverse context of urban areas on the one hand, and the implicit racism, sexism, and classism undergirding their history on the other hand … The critical perspective offered in the book has a massive potential as a working tool for professionals involved in urban ministry, both lay and ordained … Overall, The Urban Church Imagined is a practical, insightful, and well written exploration of the challenges of social aspects in urban ministry that carries massive potential for the modern church as a whole, both the urban and the rural, both the diverse and the homogeneous." -- Anglican Theological Review"The City Imagined expertly takes us into the heart of 'new urban' Christianity, a Christianity reflecting a renewed interest in the city, but a city highly constructed to serve idealized purposes. With richness of analysis and deep insight, we learn about the very heart of new America--thegood, the bad, and the ugly. A fascinating read." -- Michael O. Emerson,Provost and Professor, North Park University and author of Blacks and Whites in Christian America"Ambitious evangelicals want to reach the citya dynamic place filled with connotations of fashion, power, and cosmopolitanism. But the desire of evangelical churches to be relevant and racially diverse is colliding with the implicit racism still underlying their history. Drawing from observations in a multiracial evangelical church in downtown Chicago, The Urban Church Imagined reveals how modern evangelicalism is deeply entangled in the desire for contemporary relevance while persisting in racial prejudices and outright discrimination." -- Gerardo Marti,author of A Mosaic of Believers: Diversity and Innovation in a Multiethnic Church"Barron and her coauthor, Rhys H. Williams, closely observe church members and leaders through interviews and ethnographic work. In doing so, they establish a better understanding of the links between city culture and modern evangelicalism that make Downtown Church appealing to its young members who desire an interracial and hip churchgoing experience." * Religious Studies Review *

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Book SynopsisThe Mormon Church entered the public square on LGBT issues by joining forces with traditional-marriage proponents in Hawaii in 1993. Since then, the church has been a significant player in the ongoing saga of LGBT rights within the United States and at times has carried decisive political clout.Gregory Prince draws from over 50,000 pages of public records, private documents, and interview transcripts to capture the past half-century of the Mormon Church's attitudes on homosexuality. Initially that principally involved only its own members, but with its entry into the Hawaiian political arena, the church signaled an intent to shape the outcome of the marriage equality battle. That involvement reached a peak in 2008 during California's fight over Proposition 8, which many came to call the “Mormon Proposition.” In 2015, when the Supreme Court made marriage equality the law of the land, the Mormon Church turned its attention inward, declaring same-sex couples “apostates” and denying their children access to key Mormon rites of passage, including the blessing (christening) of infants and the baptism of children.Trade ReviewFocusing on the place held by three immensely popular Sufi saints—Rumi, Yunus Emre, and Haji Bektash—in the Turkish imagination, Soileau provides a fascinating insight into the religious sensibilities and social and political conflicts of modern Turkey. He perceptively reconstructs contestations about the nature of their sainthood that allowed socialists and nationalists, Alevis and Sunnis, humanists and Islamists to appropriate these saints as icons symbolising their own world view."" - Martin van Bruinessen, co-author of Sufism and the ""Modern"" in Islam

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Book SynopsisJoseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and of the broader Latter-day Saint movement, produced several volumes of scripture between 1829, when he translated the Book of Mormon, and 1844, when he was murdered. The Book of Mormon, published in 1830, is well known. Less read and studied are the subsequent texts that Smith translated after the Book of Mormon, texts that he presented as the writings of ancient Old World and New World prophets. These works were published and received by early Latter-day Saints as prophetic scripture that included important revelations and commandments from God. This collaborative volume is the first to study Joseph Smith's translation projects in their entirety. In this carefully curated collection, experts contribute cutting-edge research and incisive analysis. The chapters explore Smith's translation projects in focused detail and in broad contexts, as well as in comparison and conversation with one another. Authors approach Smith's sacred texts historically, textually, linguistically, and literarily to offer a multidisciplinary view. Scrupulous examination of the production and content of Smith's translations opens new avenues for understanding the foundations of Mormonism, provides insight on aspects of early American religious culture, and helps conceptualize the production and transmission of sacred texts.

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Book SynopsisBorn into a traditional culture in 1833, Emanuel Suter cultivated the art of pottery and expanded markets across the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, creating a thriving company and leaving thousands of examples of utilitarian ceramic ware that have survived down to the present. Drawing on Suter's diary-rich with meticulous descriptions of his ceramic wares, along with glazing recipes and the quotidian details of nineteenth-century business-as well as myriad other primary and secondary sources, Suter's great-great-grandson Scott Hamilton Suter tells the story of how a farmer with a seasonal sideline developed into a technologically advanced entrepreneur who operated a modern industrial company. As a farmer, Emanuel Suter innovated by adopting new time-saving equipment; this progressive thinking bled over into his religious life, as he endeavored to change the traditional way of choosing ministers by lot and advocated for the formation of Sunday schools in the Mennonite Church. But Suter largely made his mark as a potter, and A Potter's Progress is enhanced by nearly two dozen color images and a close study of the techniques (including kilns and jigger wheels), products, shop organization, marketing, and labor of Suter's shops, revealing the revolutionary role they played in the world of Rockingham County, Virginia, pottery manufacture. This tightly focused case study of the trials and triumphs of one craftsman as he moved from a cottage industry to a full-scale industrial enterprise-prefiguring the market economy that would characterize the twentieth century-serves as a microcosm for examining the American spirit of progress in late nineteenth-century America.Trade ReviewThis is a well-researched, engaging, and easily accessible case study that will be a welcome addition to the scholarship to Progressive Era history, material culture studies, Mennonite history, and Shenandoah Valley regional history." - Mark Metzler Swain, author of Raising Kane: Dr. Kane and the Culture of Fame in Anetbellum America

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2021 Best International Book Award from the Mormon History Association In the late nineteenth century, numerous French plays, novels, cartoons, and works of art focused on Mormons. Unlike American authors who portrayed Mormons as malevolent “others,” however, French dramatists used Mormonism to point out hypocrisy in their own culture. Aren't Mormon women, because of their numbers in a household, more liberated than French women who can't divorce? What is polygamy but another name for multiple mistresses? This new critical edition presents translations of four musical comedies staged or published in France in the late 1800s: Mormons in Paris (1874), Berthelier Meets the Mormons (1875), Japheth’s Twelve Wives (1890), and Stephana’s Jewel (1892). Each is accompanied by a short contextualizing introduction with details about the music, playwrights, and staging. Humorous and largely unknown, these plays use Mormonism to explore and mock changing French mentalities during the Third Republic, lampooning shifting attitudes and evolving laws about marriage, divorce, and gender roles. Published by Bucknell University Press. Distributed worldwide by Rutgers University Press.Trade Review"Mormons in Paris is as erudite as it is enchanting. In their introduction, Corry Cropper and Christopher Flood show exceptional depth and breadth of knowledge about French theater, opera, and light opera and their place in late nineteenth-century French culture. The language of the translations is natural and readable, and the little songs in verse are especially delightful." -- Susan McCready * author of Staging France between the World Wars *"This well-introduced collection of little-known musical comedies featuring French characterizations of Mormonism is a welcome contribution to nineteenth-century French cultural studies. The translations themselves are excellent . . . the authors’ choices of idiomatic expressions capture just the right tone, neither anachronistically modern nor too archaic to retain their impact." -- Andrea Goulet * co-editor of Orphan Black: Performance, Gender, Biopolitics *Table of Contents List of Illustrations Introduction Chapter 1: Mormons in Paris Louis Leroy and Alfred Delacour Chapter 2: Berthelier Meets the Mormons Chapter 3: Japheth’s Twelve Wives Antony Mars and Maurice Desvallières Chapter 4: Stephana’s Jewel Arthur Bernède and Albert Dubarry Acknowledgements Bibliography Notes on Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisThis book investigates a puzzling and neglected phenomenon - the rise of English Arminianism during the decade of puritan rule. Throughout the 1650s, numerous publications, from scholarly folios to popular pamphlets, attacked the doctrinal commitments of Reformed Orthodoxy. This anti-Calvinist onslaught came from different directions: episcopalian royalists (Henry Hammond, Herbert Thorndike, Peter Heylyn), radical puritan defenders of the regicide (John Goodwin and John Milton), and sectarian Quakers and General Baptists. Unprecedented rejection of Calvinist soteriology was often coupled with increased engagement with Catholic, Lutheran and Remonstrant alternatives. As a result, sophisticated Arminian publications emerged on a scale that far exceeded the Laudian era. Cromwellian England therefore witnessed an episode of religious debate that significantly altered the doctrinal consensus of the Church of England for the remainder of the seventeenth century. The book will appeal to historians interested in the contested nature of 'Anglicanism' and theologians interested in Protestant debates regarding sovereignty and free will. Part One is a work of religious history, which charts the rise of English Arminianism across different ecclesial camps - episcopal, puritan and sectarian. These chapters not only introduce the main protagonists but also highlight a surprising range of distinctly English Arminian formulations. Part Two is a work of historical theology, which traces the detailed doctrinal formulations of two prominent divines - the puritan John Goodwin and the episcopalian Henry Hammond. Their Arminian theologies are set in the context of the Western theological tradition and the soteriological debates, that followed the Synod of Dort. The book therefore integrates historical and theological enquiry to offer a new perspective on the crisis of 'Calvinism' in post-Reformation England.Trade ReviewWho would benefit from reading the book? Theologians naturally, and especially those concerned with the religious differences of seventeenth-century England. * FACHRS *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Religious Identity and Doctrinal Debate Part I. 'This Quinquarticular war': Charting the rise of English Arminianism 1 . The Crisis of Calvinism in the 1650s: Background and Explanation 2. Puritan Arminianism 3. Episcopal Arminianism 4. Sectarian Arminianism Part I Conclusion Part II. 'Quinqu-Articularis' : Tracing the contours of English Arminian Theologies 5. Ordo Decretorum: Confessional Traditions and Doctrinal Disputes 6. John Goodwin's Arminian Theology 7. Henry Hammond's Arminian Theology Part II Conclusion Conclusion: Reimagining English Theology Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book offers an in-depth study of the female experience in one Mormon polygynous community, the Apostolic United Brethren. Women in such rigid, patriarchal religious groups are commonly portrayed as the oppressed, powerless victims of male domination. Janet Bennion show, however, that the reality is far more complex. Many women converts are attracted to this group, and they are much more likely than male converts to remain there. Often these women are seeking improved socio-economic status for themselves and their children, as well as an escape from their marginalized status in the mainstream Mormon church. In the polygynous group women experience rapid assimilation, autonomy, and upward mobility. Bennion supports her study with narratives from the lives of women now living in the group--narratives that clearly reveal why many mainstream Mormon women are viewing polygyny as a viable alternative to the difficulties to single-motherhood, spinsterhood, poverty, and emotional deprivatiTrade ReviewUsing narratives from women in the Allred Mormom community, Bennion is able to show a variety of women's experiences, voices, and realities which reveal the positive and negative aspects of polygyny for these Mormon women. Women of Principle is a provocative study that will be of great interest to students and scholars of religion, anthropology, and gender studies. * Center for Women and Religion Newsletter *

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Book SynopsisA revealing study of the radical attitudes of white evangelical Americans.Trade Reviewthis is an important text that sheds light on the inner theological and sociological workings of white evangelicals in connection to one of the most pressing issues in the United States ... valuable for its insights into Evangelicalism, religion and race, and religious pluralism. * Anthony B.Pinn, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Vol.8, Issue 3, June 2001 *"This is an important book. With thoughtful conceptual distinctions and careful analysis of data from a variety of empirical sources, Emerson and Smith provide an interesting account of how white evangelicals perpetuate the very racial divisions they publicly oppose. Divided by Faith breaks new ground in the study of religion and American race relations."--William Julius Wilson, Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor, Harvard University, and author of The Truly Disadvantaged and The Bridge Over the Racial Divide"Divided by Faith is just that--an account of the deep racial division within American religion. But more than that, it is a penetrating look at the societal and religious-based reasons for this division within the Evangelical Christian sector, and a compassionate plea on the part of the authors for Christians to engage the issue of race and to lead the country in solving this 'American Dilemma.' A thorough and very readable book, to be read by scholars and church members alike."--Wade Clark Roof, J.F. Rowny Professor of Religion and Society, University of California, Santa Barbara"This path-breaking book is the best study in print on the racial attitudes of white evangelical Protestants. The book's unusual strength comes from its ability to combine a reliable summary of historical circumstances with careful attention to what evangelicals actually say and sensitive use of responsible sociological theory. The arguments of the book are made even more forceful by the willingness of Emerson and Smith to take the evangelicals' own theology seriously, especially where that theology calls into question standard patterns of evangelical racial practice."--Mark A. Noll, Professor of History, Wheaton College

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Book SynopsisThe first major study to draw upon unknown or neglected sources, as well as original interviews with figures like Billy Graham, Awakening the Evangelical Mind uniquely tells the engaging story of how evangelicalism developed as an intellectual movement in the middle of the 20th century. Beginning with the life of Harold Ockenga, Strachan shows how Ockenga brought together a small community of Christian scholars at Harvard University in the 1940s who agitated for a reloaded Christian intellect.With fresh insights based on original letters and correspondence, Strachan highlights key developments in the movement by examining the early years and humble beginnings of such future evangelical luminaries as George Eldon Ladd, Edward John Carnell, John Gerstner, Gleason Archer, Carl Henry, and Kenneth Kantzer.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Boston Brahmin in Training: The Preparation of Harold Ockenga Chapter 2 “A Mighty Man of God”: The Pastoral Work of Harold Ockenga Chapter 3 Three Mystics, Three Skeptics, and Three Evangelicals: Trial by Fire at Harvard Chapter 4 Notes from the Revolution: Ockenga Cultivates the Cambridge Evangelicals Chapter 5 Evangelical Acts of Intellectual Daring: Ockenga and Henry on the Evangelical Mind Chapter 6 In Search of the Ivory Tower: Carl Henry and Crusade University Conclusion

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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 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 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 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 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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