Histories of American Christianity: An Introduction - Softcover

Evans, Christopher H.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1602585458 ISBN 13: 9781602585454

Publisher: Baylor University Press, 2013

Synopsis

To tell the story of America is, in many ways, to tell the story of religion in America. At every point in its history, America was, and still is, religious―and diversely so. To understand how religion shaped America's history is to trace the influence of America's dominant faith tradition, Christianity. But American Christianity, like religion in America, is a wonderfully varied movement. In this comprehensive, eminently readable introduction, Christopher Evans maps the pluralism of American Christianity around its historic center, demonstrating the enduring role of Protestantism despite the wide assortment of distinctly American religious innovation.

In Histories of American Christianity, Evans thus narrates the intellectual history, chronicles the story of sectarian divisions, and explores how Christianity became so intertwined with and pervasive in public life. But Evans also shines fresh light on what has been omitted. Through the use of individual stories focusing on the traditionally marginalized―e.g., women, African Americans, and Latino/a descendants―Evans weaves together a tapestry of American-Christian orthodoxy and tradition over the centuries. What results is a readable and teachable volume, grounded in research and packed with critical reflection that chronicles America's rich Christian history.

About this title

About the Author:

Christopher H. Evans is Professor of the History of Christianity at Boston University School of Theology and is the author of several books, including Liberalism Without Illusions: Renewing an American Christian Tradition (2010). He lives in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

Review:

...a rich and textured history that yields a fresh perspective on religious life in America.

(Randall Balmer, author of The Making of Evangelicalism)

Christopher Evans succeeds in presenting a complicated story with clarity and insight.

(Mark Noll, author of America's God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln)

Evans writes with verve and energy, and his book is likely to turn the heads of those who imagine a history of American Christianity as having to do with stained glass and wooden pews.

(Ted A. Campbell, Associate Professor of Church History, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University)

Histories of American Christianity is bursting with the integrity of historical context and brocaded with fresh insights.

(Leonard Sweet, E. Stanley Jones Professor at Drew University, Distinguished Visiting Professor at George Fox University)

Evans' distinctive approach to history and historiography pushes professors and students alike to think beyond what actually happened and to contemplate critically and sympathetically the range of choices historians have made in telling their particular tales. Histories of American Christianity helps us listen for and to the stories of America's religious past and helps us better comprehend the perils and possibilities of America's religious future.

(Elizabeth H. Flowers, Assistant Professor, Texas Christian University and author of Into the Pulpit: Southern Baptist Women and Power Since World War II)

About this edition

• Publisher: Baylor University Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1602585458
• ISBN 13: 9781602585454
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 415