Description
Book SynopsisAmerican higher education was transformed between the end of the Civil War and the beginning of World War I. This work identifies the forces and explains the events that reformed the college curriculum during this era. It also examines how the study of science became detached from theological considerations.
Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2000 Winner of the Thomas N. Bonner Prize "A handy historical overview of an issue that cannot be dismissed as "academic," because it is just too important for understanding who we are and where we are going."--Peter Heinegg, America "The Sacred and the Secular University is a balanced and well-reasoned contribution to one of the major themes of American higher education. Full of drama, characters, and plot ... [it] provides insights into what may be the defining movement within American higher education history."--J. Gregory Behle, History of Education Quarterly "This is a masterful study. In a mere 122 pages of text, it gets to the heart of the secularizing impulse in higher education. This is intellectual history at its finest, written in engaging, accessible ... and witty prose about matters that are central to intellectual life. For those of us who live in the academy, this is our history. It should be required reading."--Joel A. Carpenter, American Historical Review "This concise, well-argued book offers an important glimpse into the historical production of knowledge and the changing place of religion in the university."--Amy Johnson Frykholm, Religious Studies Review
Table of ContentsFOREWORD ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii INTRODUCTION BY JOHN F. WILSON 3 PART ONE: THE SCIENCES 17 CHAPTER ONE Religion, Science, and Higher Education 19 CHAPTER TWO The Emergence of the Human Sciences 43 CHAPTER THREE Knowledge and Inquiry in the Ascendant 61 PART TWO: THE HUMANITIES 73 CHAPTER FOUR The Triumph of the Humanities 75 CHAPTER FIVE The Boon and Bane of Specialization 83 CHAPTER SIX Two Ideals of Knowledge 95 CHAPTER SEVEN For and against Secularization 107 NOTES 123 INDEX 177
