The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity

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Paperback: 344 pages
Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (October 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802849482
ISBN-13: 978-0802849489
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Award-winning church historian Noll (The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind) offers a serviceable and workmanlike introduction to the history of Christianity in North America, primarily the United States. Like other books of this kind (e.g., Sydney Ahlstrom's A Religious History of the American People), Noll's traces the chronological development from the colonial years up until the last year of the 20th century of Christianity after it moved into North America. He provides sketches of events such as the First and Second Great Awakenings, the rise of denominationalism and the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement in the late 19th century. Noll contends that four elements space, race and ethnicity, pluralism, and the absence of confessional conservatism combined to distinguish North American Christianity from its European origins. Although his book focuses mainly on the United States, Noll offers a brief overview of the history of Christianity in Canada and Mexico. As he gazes into the future of American churches, he volunteers some already well-worn predictions: denominations will continue to erode because Christians will keep seeking community based on shared theological convictions; Pentecostalism will continue to move beyond its institutional setting to pervade a number of diverse Christian communities; the number of Roman Catholics will continue to rise. There are more detailed surveys of American Christianity available, but Noll offers an up-to-date history that explores the contemporary scene and provides some idea of how we got here. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Noll (McManus Professor of Christian Thought, Wheaton Coll.) is the author of the comprehensive A History of Christianity in the United States and Canada. In this shorter work for students and lay readers, he presents both a chronological history and an interpretive analysis of North American Christianity. He is most interested in emphasizing the aspects of that faith that set it apart from its European strain. Interspersed among the chapters of straightforward, well-balanced historical information are insightful interpretive essays dealing with issues like the separation of church and state. The author suggests that the whole American experience, including such aspects as slavery, immigration, and revivalism, has produced a unique and robust form of Christianity readily recognizable even across denominational boundaries. Including helpful notes for further study, this clear overview of a complex subject is recommended for public and academic libraries. C. Robert Nixon, MLS, Lafayette, IN Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. The Old Religion in a New World: The History of North American Christianity