A journey into the world of conservative Christians in America and the basis for an award-winning, three-part PBS documentary, Through the eyes of those that Balmer meets on his journeys, we arrive at a more accurate and balanced understanding of an abiding tradition that, as the author argues, is both rich in theological insights and mired in contradictions.--From Amazon.com.
Many Christian families struggle with passing the faith from one generation to the next. In "Growing Pains, " Balmer addresses this issue in a series of beautifully crafted narrative essays. His engaging stories include everything from baseball to John Lennon to tidbits of Christian history. Ultimately, Balmer tells how he discovered the unconditional love of a heavenly father through grace, seeking, and identification with Jesus the Son.
In the latest contribution to the acclaimed Columbia Contemporary American Religion Series, one of the premier authorities on the subject focuses on America's most mainstream religion. 30 photos.
In this completely revised and expanded edition of the Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism, Randall Balmer gives readers the most comprehensive resource about evangelicalism available anywhere. With over 3,000 separate entries, the Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism covers historical and contemporary theologians, preachers, laity, cultural figures, musicians, televangelists, movements, organizations, denominations, folkways, theological terms, events, and much more--all penned in Balmer's engaging style. Students, scholars, journalists, and laypersons will all benefit from Balmer's insights.
Examining the interaction of the Dutch and the English in colonial New York and New Jersey, this study charts the decline of European culture in North America. Balmer argues that the combination of political intrigue, English cultural imperialism, and internal socio-economic tensions eventually drove the Dutch away from their hereditary customs, language, and culture. He shows how this process, which played itself out most visibly and poignantly in the Dutch Reformed Church between 1664 and the American Revolution, illustrates the difficulty of maintaining non-English cultures and institutions in an increasingly English world. A Perfect Babel of Confusion redresses some of the historiographical neglect of the Middle Colonies and, in the process, sheds new light on Dutch colonial culture.
Bush White House, historian Balmer explores the role religion plays in the personal and political lives of Americas presidents. 16-page b&w photo insert.
Balmer, the author and host of PBS's Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, offers a vivid, first-hand look at mainline Protestantism at the close of the century. He crisscrossed America to visit 12 churches that represent important strands of Christianity in America, resulting in a remarkable narrative of our nation.
In the latest contribution to the acclaimed Columbia Contemporary American Religion Series, one of the premier authorities on the subject focuses on America's most mainstream religion. 30 photos.
Balmer, the author and host of PBS's Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, offers a vivid, first-hand look at mainline Protestantism at the close of the century. He crisscrossed America to visit 12 churches that represent important strands of Christianity in America, resulting in a remarkable narrative of our nation.
Examines the involvement of evangelical Christianity in modern-day American partisan politics, criticizing the new generation of religious leaders who have corrupted the Christian faith on behalf of the Republican Party.
When Art Disrupts Religion lays bare the power of encounters with the arts to unsettle and overturn deeply ingrained religious beliefs and practices. Grounded in the accounts of more than 80 Evangelicals who experienced such a sea-change of religious identity, the book bridges the gap between aesthetic theory and lived religion, while exploring the interrelationship of religion and art in the modern West.
Originally published 15 years ago and the subject of a PBS documentary, this timely new edition offers an insightful and engaging journey into the world conservative Christians in America.
The Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism is the most comprehensive resource about evangelicalism available. With nearly 3,000 separate entries, the Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism covers historical and contemporary theologians, preachers, laity, cultural figures, musicians, televangelists, movements, organizations, denominations, folkways, theological terms, events, and more. Students, scholars, and libraries will all benefit from it.
American evangelicalism often appears as a politically monolithic, textbook red-state fundamentalism that elected George W. Bush, opposes gay marriage, abortion, and evolution, and promotes apathy about global warming. Prominent public figures hold forth on these topics, speaking with great authority for millions of followers. Authors Stephens and Giberson, with roots in the evangelical tradition, argue that this popular impression understates the diversity within evangelicalism—an often insular world where serious disagreements are invisible to secular and religiously liberal media consumers. Yet, in the face of this diversity, why do so many people follow leaders with dubious credentials when they have other options? Why do tens of millions of Americans prefer to get their science from Ken Ham, founder of the creationist Answers in Genesis, who has no scientific expertise, rather than from his fellow evangelical Francis Collins, current Director of the National Institutes of Health? Exploring intellectual authority within evangelicalism, the authors reveal how America’s populist ideals, anti-intellectualism, and religious free market, along with the concept of anointing—being chosen by God to speak for him like the biblical prophets—established a conservative evangelical leadership isolated from the world of secular arts and sciences. Today, charismatic and media-savvy creationists, historians, psychologists, and biblical exegetes continue to receive more funding and airtime than their more qualified counterparts. Though a growing minority of evangelicals engage with contemporary scholarship, the community’s authority structure still encourages the “anointed” to assume positions of leadership.
Many Christian families struggle with passing the faith from one generation to the next. In "Growing Pains, " Balmer addresses this issue in a series of beautifully crafted narrative essays. His engaging stories include everything from baseball to John Lennon to tidbits of Christian history. Ultimately, Balmer tells how he discovered the unconditional love of a heavenly father through grace, seeking, and identification with Jesus the Son.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.