The Columbia Guide to Religion in American History

Paul Harvey and Edward J. Blum, both distinguished and well published scholars, have brought together a stellar group of established and younger scholars of American religion to produce a rich and rewarding guide through the thickets of American religious history. The volume highlights in a unique way the tensions, conflicts, and creativity of American religions. Harvey and Blum open the book with a probing introduction, an extended essay that lucidly and compellingly captures in ten themes the paradoxes of religion in American history. Innovative approaches, new areas of inquiry, up-to-date scholarship, and profound insights are to be found in twenty essays ranging from topics such as "Colonial Encounters" to "Religion and the Environment." I highly recommend this profound contribution to the field of religion in American history. -- Curtis J. Evans, Assistant Professor of the History of Christianity, University of Chicago Divinity School

The first guide to American religious history from colonial times to the present, this anthology features twenty-two leading scholars speaking on major themes and topics in the development of the diverse religious traditions of the United States. These include the growth and spread of evangelical culture, the mutual influence of religion and politics, the rise of fundamentalism, the role of gender and popular culture, and the problems and possibilities of pluralism. Geared toward general readers, students, researchers, and scholars, The Columbia Guide to Religion in American History provides concise yet broad surveys of specific fields, with an extensive glossary and bibliographies listing relevant books, films, articles, music, and media resources for navigating different streams of religious thought and culture. The collection opens with a thematic exploration of American religious history and culture and follows with twenty topical chapters, each of which illuminates the dominant questions and lines of inquiry that have determined scholarship within that chapter's chosen theme. Contributors also outline areas in need of further, more sophisticated study and identify critical resources for additional research. The glossary, "American Religious History, A-Z," lists crucial people, movements, groups, concepts, and historical events, enhanced by extensive statistical data.