American Evangelicalism

"George Marsden's intellectual interests have made a wide-ranging yet coherent Festschrift possible. The editors and authors have deftly used Marsden's breadth within the history of evangelicalism to bring coherence to the volume through essays on five major aspects of American evangelical history. American Evangelicalism can be read by graduate students in American religious history and certainly will give historians interested in the evolving character of American evangelical scholarship and success a holistic treatment not found anywhere else." —Jon Butler, Howard R. Lamar Emeritus Professor of American Studies, History and Religious Studies, Yale University

“American Evangelicalism is a grandly conceived and skillfully executed Festschrift in honor of George M. Marsden. The affection and regard for Marsden from his colleagues and former students shines through one essay after another. As a major historian of American evangelicalism whose scholarly range spans from the colonial era well into the twentieth century, Marsden very much deserves this impressive tribute.” —Leigh Eric Schmidt, Edward C. Mallinckrodt Distinguished University Professor in the Humanities, Washington University in St. Louis

"This impressive collection of essays by many of the nation’s most distinguished historians of American religion stands not only as a fitting Festschrift in honor of George Marsden but also as testimony to the incredibly rich and diverse scholarship currently addressing the history of American evangelicalism. This is truly a landmark volume for understanding the state of American religious history." —Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University

"This festschrift honors one of the finest twentieth-century scholars of the evolution of evangelicalism and its relationship to US culture. The essays examine the absolutely critical role Marsden played in the development of contemporary historical scholarship regarding US Protestant evangelicalism, while illustrating the state of such scholarship today." —Choice

“In these thoroughly researched, compellingly argued pathbreaking works, Marsden. . . inspired many other scholars to investigate and write about. . . topics that greatly enhance our understanding of the role and importance of religion—especially evangelicalism—in American life. . . this treasure trove of thoughtful essays, which, by building on Marsden’s impressive foundation, perceptively assess many key aspects of America’s religious history.” —The Journal of American History

“Together, these essays offer a compelling case for understanding the depth and breadth of Marsden’s work. . . This is a powerful testament to the tremendous impact of Marsden’s career on the narrating of American religious history.” —Journal of Church and State

“The name of George Marsden. . . needs no introduction to American church historians. . . This volume. . . is a great contribution to scholarship. . . One mark of a truly great scholar is the degree to which that person transforms an entire perception of a major subject. This fine collection of nineteen essays shows how ably Marsden fits this definition.” —Anglican and Episcopal History

“This format, as the editors suggest and the impressive assembly of contributors skillfully imparts, sculpts something larger than a tribute; the volume’s value for instruction is manifest and, as such, it bestows to another generation a clear view of the terrain, an edifying lens through which to view it, and a prolific yet discerning exemplar for the future of the discipline.” —Religious Studies Review

“It is an elegant, witty, and finely nuanced account of how fundamentalists and other evangelical Protestants were shaping and being shaped by postwar American culture. . . Likewise, the ‘new directions’ essays are a remarkable display of talent and interpretive verve.” —The Catholic Historical Review

“. . . this volume [is] a sort of a double tribute. On the manifest level, it pays tribute to Marsden in words, but on the latent level, the overall substance of this volume is itself a reflection of Marsden’s lasting influence upon the writers.” —Fides et Historia