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This thorough and lively overview of Christian history in the United States, from colonial times to the present, is informed by both classical and recent scholarship and is written for the non-specialist. Four key insights frame the book. Christianity in America: (1) is chiefly a story of popular movements, (2) is influenced by conflict and engagement with modern ideas, (3) directly affects public life, and (4) expresses its identity and seeks its mission in a pluralistic culture. Unlike many histories, Koester offers ample coverage of Protestant, Evangelical, and Roman Catholic developments. Includes black & white illustrations, maps, glossary, and other study aids.
American Faith and Fracture: A Chronicle of Religious Evolution in the United States This volume offers a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of the multifaceted religious landscape of the United States, tracing its evolution from the earliest colonial settlements through the tumultuous shifts of the modern era. Rather than focusing on a singular denominational narrative, this work delves into the intricate tapestry woven by diverse theological convictions, social movements, and political realities that have fundamentally shaped American identity. Part I: Genesis and Establishment (1607–1800) The initial sections reconstruct the foundational religious conflicts and aspirations that drove European colonization. We examine the divergent impulses—Puritan piety seeking a "city upon a hill," Quaker egalitarianism establishing proprietary colonies, and the establishment of state churches in the Southern colonies. Detailed attention is paid to the development of established churches, their relationship with colonial governance, and the persistent friction caused by dissenting groups who chafed under mandatory tithes and religious conformity. A critical chapter is dedicated to the Great Awakenings. This period is analyzed not merely as a series of emotional revivals, but as a profound cultural transformation that democratized religious experience, empowered lay leadership, and irrevocably undermined traditional ecclesiastical authority. We trace the theological innovations of figures like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, emphasizing how these movements inadvertently fostered a spirit of individualism that would later fuel revolutionary sentiment. The transition from established religion to disestablishment—examining the specific legislative battles in Virginia and Massachusetts—is treated as a cornerstone of American pluralism, a radical experiment born from pragmatic necessity and philosophical idealism concerning individual conscience. Part II: Expansion, Sectarianism, and Moral Reform (1800–1860) The nineteenth century serves as the crucible for American religious identity. This section scrutinizes the explosive growth of evangelical Protestantism across the expanding frontier, charting the rise of Methodism and the Baptists as they successfully adapted religious practice to a mobile, decentralized society. The Second Great Awakening is presented as the engine driving not only church growth but also the nation’s first large-scale reform movements. We explore the intricate links between religious fervor and social action, dedicating significant space to the abolitionist movement, the temperance crusade, and early women’s rights advocacy, showing how theological interpretations of sin, redemption, and divine mandates provided the moral infrastructure for challenging the status quo. Concurrently, the volume investigates the emergence and subsequent suppression of distinctly American religious innovations, such as Mormonism, analyzing the persecution they faced as an expression of cultural anxiety regarding non-conformity and utopian social organization. Furthermore, the rising tide of Nativism is examined through the lens of anti-Catholic sentiment, highlighting the initial resistance to large-scale immigration rooted in deep-seated Protestant suspicion of Roman authority. Part III: Crisis, Accommodation, and Divergence (1860–1945) The Civil War represents a theological rupture, forcing Americans to confront whether their nation was fundamentally blessed or cursed by God. This part analyzes how both the Union and the Confederacy deployed biblical exegesis to justify fundamentally opposed political and moral positions, revealing the deep theological partitioning along sectional lines. Following Reconstruction, the focus shifts to the challenges posed by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and scientific discovery. The impact of Darwinian evolution and biblical criticism from Germany forced Protestantism into a defensive posture, leading to the intense theological struggles between modernists seeking reconciliation with science and progress, and fundamentalists committed to defending scriptural inerrancy. We detail the theological arguments surrounding social justice in the burgeoning cities, exploring the birth of the Social Gospel movement as a direct religious response to poverty and labor exploitation. Simultaneously, the volume tracks the consolidation of Catholicism as a major institutional force, examining its internal efforts to adapt to American culture while maintaining doctrinal fidelity amidst persistent anti-immigrant bias. Judaism, spanning Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative threads, is also analyzed within this context of acculturation and identity negotiation. Part IV: Post-War Consensus and Fragmentation (1945–Present) The latter half of the century saw religion function both as a unifying force and a catalyst for division. We examine the “Religious Boom” of the 1950s, tracing the rise of mainline Protestant denominations and the public embrace of religious vocabulary during the Cold War, often framed as a defense against secular Communism. The intersection of religion and the Civil Rights Movement is explored in depth, underscoring the indispensable role of Black churches and their theology of liberation in organizing mass resistance and articulating moral demands for equality. The final chapters address the seismic shifts beginning in the late 1970s. The rise of the Religious Right is charted as a potent political coalition forged from evangelical concerns over social liberalism, particularly regarding school prayer, abortion, and shifting gender roles. This movement fundamentally altered the relationship between conservative faith and the Republican Party. In parallel, the volume chronicles the decline of mainline Protestant influence, the increasing secularization among younger generations, and the dramatic diversification of the religious map due to shifting immigration patterns, introducing major communities from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The conclusion synthesizes these trajectories, arguing that American religious history is characterized by an inherent tension between the pursuit of universal moral principles and the inevitable fragmentation caused by cultural pluralism. It assesses the ongoing dynamics between privatization of faith, the persistence of cultural Christianity, and the emergence of new spiritual but not religious identities in the twenty-first century, concluding that the nation remains profoundly shaped by its enduring, complex relationship with the divine.
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