5 comments about The Democratization of American Christianity.

1. This well researched and written book is worthy of the honors it has received. This book was suggested to us by our Pastor because of our prevailing struggle with a democratic view of the Church. Even though we are laypersons and not in the academic world, we found this work helpful in pointing to the root of our faulty thinking.



2. If you want to understand why the twenty-first century American Evengelical Church is rife with heretical teachings and outright apostasy, read this book. In The Democratization of American Christianity, Nathan Hatch demonstrates how the American Revolution spawned the so-called Second Great Awakening, a religious rebellion, which led to an abandonment of Orthodox Christianity in favor of a pluralism that plagues American Protestantism to this very day. The egalitarian values of the Enlightenment that dominated the American conscience of the early nineteenth century allowed a host of false teachers to lead a revolt of the laity against a clergy that, while Biblically Orthodox in their doctrine, had allowed affluance and intellectualism to overcome their sense of Christian charity. Spicing their sermons with coarse language, emotional appeals, Jeffersonian quotations, quaint stories and rabald humor, these populists taught that every individual must interpret the scriptures according to their own conscience. These "teachings" led to an "anything goes Christianity" that included the embracing of such heresies as Arminianism, Mormanism, Perfectionism and Universalism, the apostasy of Unitarianism and even Transcendentalism: anything other than Biblical Orthodoxy. One hundred and fifty years later, this pluralism continues to permeate American Protestanism, currently manifesting itself in the Emerging Church movement, which is a blending of Christianity with New Age spiriualism that denies the authority of scripture itself. Though Hatch does not set out to do so, he demonstrates the great truth that heresy always leads to apostasy.



3. Bought this for my friend Justin D. Vollmar. Justin mentioned to me that he was so excited to read the book!



4. Nathan O. Hatch uses the second sentence of The Democratization of American Christianity to inform the reader that the book argues "both that the theme of democratization is central to understanding the development of American Christianity, and that the years of the early republic are the most crucial in revealing that process" (3). To this end, Hatch focuses on the diffusion of the Methodists, Baptists, Mormons, Disciples of Christ, and African-American Christians across post-revolutionary America as a challenge to more established denominations, like the New England Congregationalists and Virginia Anglicans, and political elites.
   
   The brilliance of Hatch's argument lies in its illustration of a confluence of Protestant growth with the expansion of democratic thought and application in the country. The book's most central contribution to the study of American Christianity is the concept of "religious populism" in the early republic, which at once speaks to the American Christianity's innovative ability to reach out to various populations, and to the loyalty to American religion that such outreach efforts endeared among its adherents. In some sense, a demand for less-elitist, more-egalitarian forms of worship and congregational life existed, and the predominantly unlettered, zealous, "bold intruders" (aka ministers) of faith adapted preach styles and techniques to meet that demand.
   
   The book begins to fill a gap in our understanding of religious life in 1780s and 1790s America. In the historiographical section--a must-read for any scholar--"Redefining the Second Great Awakening: A Note on the Study of Christianity in the Early Republic," Hatch confronts the question of difficulties surrounding the religious history of the early national period. "There are more generalizations and less solid data on the dynamics of American religion in this period than in any other in our history" (p. 220). Though he cannot single-handedly erase this deficiency, Hatch, for his part, has crafted a needed work that illumines the power of popular religious movements through the actions and travels of their dynamic leaders.
   
   The stars of The Democratization of American Christianity are Lorenzo Dow, Alexander Campbell, Richard Allen, Francis Asbury, Joseph Smith, John Leland, and other religious leaders. Hatch builds his case for a popularizing religion on the backs of deft religious leadership and their success at movement-building. Although these Christian "insurgents" held differing beliefs and employed various techniques, these men excelled at popular written and verbal communication, triggered a revolt against Christian tradition, and inaugurated a new era of religious life in America. Hatch's portrayal of early America's religious leaders presents them as revolutionaries, not wholly unlike the colonials in Philadelphia who laid an ideological foundation for the Revolution.
   
   Christian adherents and secular historians alike will benefit from this excellent account of Christianity's democratic and westward shift in the early republic. The Democratization of American Christianity is neither dogmatic nor apologetic. Well-researched and brilliantly-conceived, the book locates the spread of American Christianity within a post-Revolutionary context marked by less paternalistic and more populist ideas. To that end, "the most striking evidence of the democratization of Christianity in the early republic was that black preachers successfully laid claim to 'the sacred desk'" (p. 112). Hatch's book and Gordon Woods' Pulitzer-Prize winning The Radicalism of the American Revolution demonstrate the fertility within the first generations of American nationals for popular democracy and religious zeal.
   
   Hatch's emphasis on movement-making and the management of revivals distorts his analysis of Christianity's spread across America by limiting or excluding any discussion of spiritual renewal. The fault, however, is now entirely his. The historical profession remains largely incapable of documenting and validating the role of spiritual activity within the human condition. Historians are much more comfortable attributing mass religious conversions and life-changing ideals to marketing techniques and popular political environments. Yet, when the eighteenth-century camp meetings and preachers awakened "spiritual convulsions" in revival participants, it seems incumbent upon scholars to more fully examine and evaluate peoples' interaction with God in religion. That said, Nathan O. Hatch's The Democratization of American Christianity is a bold step in a constructive direction; a step that the current and future field of historian would do well to follow.



5. Thanks Mr. Hatch for writing this book!
   
   How did the church in America get to its present position where it fails to realize that the body of Christ is dependent on God raising up distinctly graced individuals to authoritatively, accurately, and relevantly preach the Word? Read this book and find out.
   
   Clearly demonstrates how the church which is supposed to be led by the Spirit of Christ, has instead been disasterously infected by the spirit of '76 since the time of the revolution. God help us!

5 comments about Amish Society.

1. This was the most informative book on the Amish lifestyle that I have found. The author opens up the life of the amish to his readers. It is easy to understand. He takes you through the history, culture and beliefs. I have a deeper respect for the amish and understanding of their customs since purchasing this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a look into a different way of life. This book opened my eyes and my heart to respecting the amish lifestyle and their privacy.



2. I have studied Amish culture and mores for some time out of both interest, admiration, and other motivations. And nowhere have I found a better resource than this book. That the author was himself raised Amish only lends to the credible nature of this book. But more importantly is the concise and thorough manner in which this book presents its truths and dispells rumors and myths. It served to take many of many of the half truths that I had known of the amish and complete them as no other resource has yet done. I heartily recommend this book. And it was a rather easy read, not bogged down by language. I finished it in a few days.



3. I purchased this book to educate myself for an upcoming vacation to Pennsylvania Dutch country. I had a basic understanding of Amish beliefs and cultures, but was totally astounded at the differences between the sects. Mr. Hostetler provides first-hand knowledge that no one else has in any other book I've read pertaining to the Amish & Mennonites.



4. After reading Brad Igou's "The Amish: In Their Own Words" I then came to this book by Hostettler - and am glad I did. This book "fills in" the portrait of the Amish by providing a very clear, readable, though factual history of the Amish "progression", if you will. With the Amish existence being much more fragmented than many people think as they lump them all under the term "Amish", this book really brings about an enlightened understanding of the range of the sects and their relation to each other and "the outside World" over the course of their development. It also offers the reader a very gracious, very real portrayal of the Amish that, thankfully, dispels many of the traditional misconceptions about these kind and earnest people.



5. Very informative book. Definitely not a light read but will leave you with a good understanding of the Amish. Without doubt, it is the first book to read when starting your study of these fascinating people.

5 comments about Radically Unchurched: Who They Are-How to Reach Them.

1. Finally, a book that addresses the identity of the unchurched and how to reach them in a passionate tone that the reader can't help but be excited about. Alvin Reid, who through his teaching and writings has popularized the term "radically unchurched," records his thoughts, insights, and proposal for reaching today's unbelievers in Radically Unchurched: Who They Are--How to Reach Them. Readers will find this book refreshing as Reid presents his observations on postmodernism and the coming generation. He continues by higlighting ways to reach this generation for Christ through worship, your testimony, church planting, and other creative approaches to evangelism. This book will not disappoint those who are genuinely looking for a layman's understanding of who the radically unchurched are and how to effectively reach them.



2. All I can say about this book is WOW! This is an awesome book. The author of this book is a very genuine man of God. I have written the author several times to ask him some questions about his book and about evangelism, and he has written me back every time and answered my questions every single time. Anything by Alvin L. Reid would be a good purchase in my opinion.



3. The book's subtitle explains its premise: who they are and how to reach them. It is the author's contention, and rightly so, that the church is totally unprepared to reach the coming generation with the gospel of Christ, that its methods and means of reaching the radically unchurched are no longer effective. After defining who the radically unchurched are, the author reviews methodological and means of evangelism which have proven effective with the radically unchurched.

   The author deals brutally and honestly with the ineptness of the evangelical church and the head in the sand attitude it has concerning its declining attendance and influence on American culture. Again and again, Reid drives home the point that things are not well with the evangelical church. The best part of the book is the How to reach them part. The author really adds nothing new to the well-read reader of evangelism; rather, he surveys the methodologies that have proven successful and presents them to the reader, with the warning that copying methodically without adaptation and a heart for evangelism will fail.

   I did not like this book. I had to force myself to read it through. Yet, after doing so, I am glad that I did. There is little or no original thought or research in it. Sjogren's Conspiracy of Kindness, Rainer's Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, and Warren's Purpose Driven Church are all well quoted. The author also has an anti-charismatic bias. His ranting against Full Gospel churches on page 112 is shameful. To accuse charismatic churches as not believing the Bible is sufficient in its historic doctrine is a gross misunderstanding of charismatic theology. If my memory serves me right only one charismatic church, Brooklyn Tabernacle, was cited as a growth church, while dozens of Baptist churches were cited as growing.

   Reid helped me understand that my evangelistic training taught me to share Christ with people who shared my basic values: a belief in God, reverence for the Bible, and a belief in ultimate right and wrong. Today, the radically unchurched do not believe in God, have no regard for the Bible and hold to a subjective value system. Reid points to Paul's sermon on Mars Hill for insight on how we can reach the radically unchurched. When preaching to the pre-Christian Jews, Paul spoke of Jesus and fulfilled prophecy, but when he spoke to the pagans on Mars Hill, he started with the existence of God, and told of God as creator and judge. The chapter on postmodernism is helpful. He succinctly describes what post modernism is and how it affects the way we present the gospel of Christ.




4. This book is less a study of the radically unchurched than a book on evangelism. Some research is reported, but most of the book is teaching on how to mobilize people into effective evangelism. Reid is conversant with postmodernism, but doesn't fall for the foolishness of accommodation. His call for forsaking anti-culturalism is well put.
   
   My objections to the book would be that he is too optimistic about churchy approaches like prayer at the poles, or worship evangelism. These and similar approaches are exciting to Christians, but I do not believe there is solid evidence that they are effective in reaching hard-core unchurched people.
   
   This book would be a good corrective for ingrown churches.
   
   - Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: Mentoring Others Into Spiritual Maturity And Leadership



5. Radically Unchurched was written to remind Christians that the world we live in is no longer culturally Christian, but still can be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and demonstrates practical ways one can reach out to those who are lost. Instead of lamenting the loss of a Christian culture, Reid explains that we have just as much opportunity to present the Gospel today as we did in the past. The book is split into two parts, the first dealing with the profile of those who are unchurched. The second half deals with ways to reach out to the radically unchurched.
   
   A minor area of concern relates to the age of the book. The publication date is 2002, which is relatively new in the scholarly world. However, with the changes that happen so quickly in the world of technology, six years is a long time. Today, chat rooms have been eclipsed by blogs, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and many other tools available on the web today. A minor update to the material would be good, although many people reading the book will make the connection between his ideas and a practical application using tools available today.
   
   Dr. Reid successfully convinces the reader that it is imperative for believers to be obedient to the Scriptural mandate to share the gospel with everyone. He presents a large amount of evidence to prove his point and writes in a compelling manner. The idea that every believer is supposed to share the gospel is not new. It is a command from Jesus that has been repeated throughout the centuries, yet each generation must learn anew the task of reaching his own with His message.
   
   Anyone who wants to be encouraged to be faithful in ministry and be presented with practical ways to share the gospel should read this book. Church leaders, college professors, high school teachers and many others can use the material in this book to engage their students in the effort of sharing the Gospel with those who are radically unchurched. The church grew in a culture that was very much like what ours is becoming in the USA and Europe.

5 comments about Story of My Feelings.

1. If your child already owns Berkner cds - this may be a waste of money -- not much to this book -- recommended for under 3.



2. This is a great story! It came with the music cd and both were in perfect condition. It came quickly too. I am very pleased.



3. the kids love the book and song. the cd was great. price was good. only issue i had was the book kinda looked used because the pages were a littled wrinkled.



4. I teach an autism preschool class and my students love this book. They love to listen to the story and the music is very calming. We practice imitating the emotions and everyone's favorite is to yell when you're angry!!



5. The Story of My feelings is a lovely little book with a CD that's charming. I teach PreK and it's perfect to help children put words and a song with their feelings.

5 comments about Fundamentalism and American Culture (New Edition).

1. I used this book to get insight in background of R.A. Torrey, and it helped wonderfully. Espescially for me as a European theologian, it helped to get insight in history and society of the States, especially concerning the relation between pre-millenianism and cultural atmosphere and impact on theology, especially on the question of the personhood of the Holy Spirit!
   
   For European theology it gives an insight in the background of the more and more popular evangelical and pentecostal churches and their theology, that has its roots there, where this book is al about!
   
   Stefan R Timmerman



2. I have read the 1980 edition of this book.
   
   How to use the word miracle in one's vocabulary, but not accept the signs and wonders of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Birth, the ressurection, any event recorded in the Old Testament that goes against the laws of Nature. To accept the premise that God on rare occasions does something beyound the laws of Nature or the existence of God entirely, A modernist may use may use the word miracle to describe the unexpexted or an event happening despite the mathematical odds- but not an act by a supernatural being overruling the laws of Nature.
   
   To not believe in such a Being, means to deny the facts described in the bible. These scholars do not accept the Lord God as described in the Bible. This type of Theologian albeit University instructor or Pastor of a church was quite prominant in Europe before 1870, but not in the United States until later. This book is a debate among those who accept the bible as true as it is and those who deny the word of God as valid.
   
   The date of the book is not arbitrary. Since the author cites the end of the Civil war and Darwins theory of evolution as major cataylist to bringing the debate to the forefront in the United States. This includes the University, the pulpit and in the American Culture. This book is a narrative about social change in American society, theological thought, and the major players in Christian Revivals and Theology. Not just the scholars in the Universities. The book touches on changes in the Universities(1980 edition), but its main focus is on society. Is the Bible sufficient to show how God interacts with the created.
   
   I found the reading interesting and easy to understand.
   
   .



3. George Marsden's biography of Jonathan Edwards was so well written that I decided to read more of his stuff. This book on fundamentalism is a classic. Many scholars of Christian fundamentalism paint with too broad a brush, often lumping evangelicals into the fundy camp. Marsden avoids this mistake. He also acknowledges what many do not, that the fundamentalism of the post WWI era took on a much harsher and more separatistic tone.
   
   Marsden does a nice of discussing some of the towering figures of the movement: D.L Moody, R.A Torrey, Arno Gaebelein, J, Gresham Machen, Jonathan Blanchard and Charles Blanchard (the President of Wheaton College). He shows how early fundamentalists like R.A Torrey and W.H Griffith Thomas thought that evangelical zeal should be coupled with social concern. Marsden also highlights the fundamentalist disdain over the more liberal Social Gospel, which jettisoned evangelism completely.
   
   We also get to see the fundamentalists like Billy Sunday and William Jennings Bryan, who were concerned about people coming to know Christ, but not quite as concerned about people coming to know more about the doctrinal content of Christianity. This was a major concern of the evangelical Princeton theologians (BB Warfield, Charles Hodge, and J. Gresham Machen).
   
   There is also a newer chapter in this edition that traces the development of fundamentalism from 1980 to the present day. In this chaoter, Marsden also takes himself to task for not discussing how the relaxed mores of the "Roaring Twenties" alarmed the fundamentalist community, nor did her mention the role of women in the fundamentalist movement of 1871-1925.
   
   But these criticisms duly noted, I still like the book very much and commend it to those interested in religious movements.
   
   Rev. Marc Axelrod



4. Good reading. It presents a good review of the culture and the strengths and weaknesses that religion can play in forming it.



5. Fundamentalism is the movement arising among Christians in the early 20th century who fervently defended the fundamental doctrines of Christianity while opposing modernist liberalism. In his Fundamentalism and American Culture, George M. Marsden investigates the historical context and ideological roots of what came to be American fundamentalist Christianity, recognizing complex influences from nineteenth-century traditions like revivalism, holiness, and patriotism. Marsden says, "Fundamentalists were evangelical Christians, close to the traditions of the dominant American revivalist establishment of the nineteenth century, who in the twentieth century militantly opposed both modernism in theology and the cultural changes that modernism endorsed" (4). His interpretation of the phenomenon of fundamentalism treads a middle ground between those who reduce it to a purely social reaction to the emerging trend of modernist thought, and someone like Ernest Sandeen who views fundamentalism as essentially theological (201). Some evaluations from observers of the height of the fundamentalist frenzy saw it as hollow and brief; the Christian Century said in 1926, "it is henceforth to be a disappearing quanitity in American religious life, while our churches go on to larger issues..." (192). Marsden does not relegate fundamentalism to the position of a short-lived radical sect, but sees it as a significant movement with deep roots and continued relevance to today's American evangelicalism. As a result, he devotes about half of his book to in depth account of late 19th and early 20th century currents of Christian thought.
   
   Marsden focuses on three major themes. First, he highlights a tension within fundamentalism--the tendency at times to preserve the perceived identity of American culture (viewing America as Israel), and at other times to take on the identity of a separatist minority sect (viewing America as Babylon). Second, he studies the prominent movements of Christian thought in American evangelicalism before the emergence of fundamentalism. He sees deep roots in America's revivalism, pietism, the popularity of holiness, and middle-class Victorian values. Third, Marsden observes a wavering stance among fundamentalists regarding science and the intellect. On one hand, the scientific "common sense" type of principles of 17th century philosopher Francis Bacon allowed the average person clearly to see the plain facts of God evident in Scripture. On the other hand, this same scientific approach allowed proponents of Darwinian evolution to discard the unrealistic, supernatural, miraculous accounts found in the Bible. Naturalism and evolution were powerful enemies of Christians who wanted to maintain the fundamental supernatural tenets of the faith. Increasingly over the years, anti-evolution became a more unifying passion than even adherence to Christian orthodoxy. Marsden comments, "Many people with little or no interest in fundamentalism's doctrinal concerns were drawn into the campaign to keep Darwinism out of America's schools... The more clearly [fundamentalists] realized that there was a mass audience for the message of the social danger of evolution, the more central this social message became" (170).
   
   After chronologically recounting the origins of fundamentalism, its peak in 1920-1925, as well as the subsequent gradual growth of fundamentalist ideology through denominations and universities, Marsden shares his interpretation of the movement. Fundamentalism was initially a religious assertion against the threat of modernism, but the event of World War I gave fundamentalism crucial characteristics. War-related crisis provided an occasion for paranoia and militant defense of religious views. Marsden compares evangelicals experience of encroaching modernism to the "traumatic cultural upheaval" of cross-cultural immigration (204).
   
   I find quite helpful Marsden's reluctance to paint the fundamentalist movement as either purely theological or purely social. By resisting extremes, Marsden's eyes are open to the great and sometimes even contradictory complex issues informing fundamentalism. He says it is "a mistake to reduce religious behavior to its social dimensions" and admirably acknoweledges the power of spiritual forces and deep-seated convictions (203). I wish he had made some value judgments, even if tentative and qualified, and used a biblical standard to grant the reader practical ideas for how to move forth with knowledge of historical fundamentalism. What traps and misconceptions did fundamentalists fall into that contemporary evangelical may be vigilant to avoid? For what elements of fundamentalism can we be grateful and which can we even strive to emulate? This desire of mine, though, is just because I'm more interested in ideas than events. I prefer philosophy to history. People who love history may have more fun reading this than I did. Marsden's objectivity seems appropriate to a scholarly book in the genre of history.

5 comments about Crossing Over: One Woman's Escape from Amish Life.

1. A group of friends and I have been studying the Amish. We have truly fallen in love with their commitment to family, community and God. While theologically we have different beliefs, the more we have learned - the more we admire. However, I felt that perhaps I needed to read something that explored the negative side to make sure I was giving both views a fair opportunity. I was totally disgusted with the book. I did not feel this was a young women who came out of her Amish faith for any reason other than rebellion against her parents. The fact that her husband could have looked upon her as anything but a child led me to be appalled and disgusted by him. She said she found freedom and Christ upon leaving her Amish faith - yet her book was filled with bitterness toward those she claimed to have "unconditional love" (her own words at the end) for. I was left thinking that the book was a mere attempt to justify her own rebellious actions toward God, her family and her faith. While I pity her for being in such bondage of unforgiveness, it was clear her family were left grieving their daughter, sister, community member; and it was them that my heart went out to. I thought - in her acts of rebellion it seems she would have crossed over from any family or faith. It was not a negative presentation of anything in the Amish faith - just a confused soul looking to justify her own self serving & rebellious life.



2. of the effects of living in a rigid, legalistic, narrow society, and the horrific psychological warfare waged by those inside such a cult against one who has freed herself. Her sensitivity and analysis is very good. The book flows well and is a fast, fascinating read. My only wish would be that more insight be given to adjustment to the "English" world once she left. A book that is definitely worthwhile, and definitely does not warrant the narrow, angry review given by Mr. Scheffler. Definitely worth the time to read, and the time to realize that, indeed, the Amish constitute a cult within the Christian framework and definition of a cult.



3. Hmmmmm... not really sure how to feel about this one. While I was into the book enough to keep reading and (at least in the beginning) cared enough about the story to want to know what happened next; my love and luster was sort've lost toward the end of the book...
   
   I wanted to feel the love between the author and her husband (via the pages) but I didn't. I often thought of him as a man who had no respect for the Amish, though he used them. And then he saw a young girl attracted to him and he played on it. I didn't always see the book as a respect for her history rather and often times a disrespect. Perhaps she wanted to free of the Amish way--okay--but there were times when I wondered if she were fighting to not be Amish or simply being a rebel against her father.
   
   Not real sure. I will say that the book is interesting and I am glad that I read it...but when I turned the last page I just wasn't sure what to make of it all. Just my P.O.V. read and review for yourself.



4. This book was terrible, poorly written. Irene was bashing the Amish, but really she was mad at her father more than anything, and he represented anything Amish. I was just disgusted reading this book. I hated it but had to finish it, like when you pass a terrible car wreck you just have to slow down and look. Irene and Ollie are just profiting off the Amish. I am ashamed that I put money in Irene and Ollie's pocket by purchasing this book. And Ollie totally disgusts me. I wish there were pictures of both of them on the cover, though I have my opinion of what they both look like.



5. Not well written. Boring story, not orderly. Kept waiting for more in depth information. Wanted to learn more, but was left hanging.

5 comments about Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ.

1. I have become a huge fan of Stephen Nichols. He is very good at writing about history without making it terribly boring. I have read three of his books so far and every one of them was very well done. This is one that I didn't really know what to expect but was excited to read it.
   
   What Nichols does is spends the first half or so of the book walking the reader through how particular cultures and people in the past have really shaped our thinking and their thinking of Christ. He starts with the Puritans, then to our founding fathers, the Victorians and the modernists of the early 20th century.
   
   After Nichols goes through these with precision he then gives the reader insight on how we have specifically been affected, or infected, depends on how you see it, through Contemporary Christian Music, Hollywood, Consumerism and Politics.
   
   This part of the book was very informative as Nichols shows how the history of each one of these has led us to where we are currently with Jesus and culture and he doesn't leave any stone unturned. He questions things such as Thomas Kinkade, Precious Moments, The Passion of the Christ, CCM Music Festivals, WWJD bracelets, Christian T-Shirts, Dobson and the extreme politics pulling on Jesus from both sides.
   
   I believe that Nichols unpacks some things that are very worrisome in our day in age where Madonna actually has become a prophetess, even though she falls into the same trap:
   
   Christianity is becoming more of a currency than a belief
   
   Sadly, I think she is right.
   
   This book is extremely well done and I would recommend this to any reader to show what is happening in front of our own eyes and the danger of falling into consumerism Christianity.
   
   This might have been Nichols best book to date. Highly Recommended.



2. Nichols deftly takes us on a 400 year tour through American history, revealing how the general populous thought of, responded to and 'used' Jesus at various key points along the way. It is a tragic story which begins with a God-glorifying, biblically grounded view of Christ by the New England Puritans of the 17th century but ends in our own day with the wholesale highjacking of Jesus by Christian retailers, political activists, evangelistic film makers and the Christian music industry.
   
   Using his skills as a professional historian and keen cultural analyist, Nichols conclusively topples, among others, the popular notions that our nation was founded upon the Christ of the Bible, that Veggie Tales presents an accurate Christology or that wearing Christian clothing and jewelry (or promoting Christian music or movies for that matter) makes for a church where Jesus is truly understood and worshipped and the true gospel is extended compelling the world to follow Him.
   
   The upshot of the Jesus subculture we've made as American evangelicals is a trivialized Christ, a manipulated God and the creation of a Savior who itches us where we scratch rather than the God of the Bible Who brings us to our knees in repentance, hope and worship. If the American Christian ghetto has ever left you mesmerized or cynical due to its consumer-driven hypocrisy and obsession with 'cutting edge Christian culture,' then this book could prove a healing agent of hope in your life. On the other hand, if you happen to be one of the many Christians who swims so deeply in our evangelical subculture that you assume all its trappings are God-honoring and good, then perhaps you need Nichols' book most of all.
   
   Will the real Jesus (not the 'American Jesus') please stand up! This book carefully, graciously and biblically helps us find Him in the crowd.



3. Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ (Paperback)by Stephen J. Nichols is one of many books, as of late, showing how American's view of Jesus is shaped more by their own world view and cultural surroundings, than it is by the Gospels or ancient Church teaching. While it may sound as if Dr. Nichols has stumbled on nothing new here, he does a great job in bringing the reader a concise history of how America's view of Jesus has changed since the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, or the Spanish settled St. Augustine, Florida for that matter (funny how our history is shaped by an English Protestant point of view, but I digress.) Anyway, reading this book I did not know whether to laugh or cry. I would be lying if I did not say in my walk, I too, have gotten caught up in America's Jesus, but this book did me the service of showing me why. I think most mature Christian's, meaning those educated in the Fatih, leave the Jesus of popular behind eventually. But, many Americans who profess a Christian faith practiced find their savior in a Jesus shaped by popular culture and nick nacks they see at their local "Christian" bookstore. Bookstore in itself being a misnomer as these once fine places have emptied the shelves of reading materials for the most part and become commercial enterprises that use Jesus to sell Kitsch. And, this certainly comes through in Dr. Nichol's fine work. The book presents a timeline from the Puritans until the present day of how the image in the minds of Americans has changed throughout our history. This book is a great work on American Church history.



4. Review of Stephen J. Nichols, Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ (Downers Grove: IVP Academic [InterVarsity Press], 2008). Originally appeared on the Exploring Our Matrix blog.
   
   
   Criticisms from outside are easily dismissed. Those who criticize us in this way, we can reassure ourselves, simply don't like us, or they are fundamentally opposed to our beliefs and values. Criticism from within a tradition or movement, for this reason, carries greater weight. And although Nichols' book is described as a "cultural history", like so many works of history, it is not an attempt to be comprehensive (although the small volume's sweep is certainly broad), but to make use of the study of history to provide warnings and lessons for the present (p.14). "This survey of the American evangelical Jesus intends to do more than inform. It intends to raise significant questions about the state of Christology in American evangelicalism" (p.17).
   
   Nichols' criticisms of his own conservative Evangelical tradition are on the whole fair and balanced, as for the most part is his treatment of others in the broader picture of American Christianity. Nichols manages to offer insightful and relevant critiques of aspects of contemporary American Christology that seem to him at best shallow and at worst dangerously wrong, while not losing his sense of humor along the way. Although there are points at which I think Nichols' criticisms of other viewpoints could have been applied to his own to a fuller extent that Nichols indicates, there is no author without blind spots and presuppositions. What Nichols offers in terms of a self-critical analysis is impressive, and I highly recommend his book for evangelicals interested in engaging their culture and examining their hidden assumptions in a deeper way than is commonly found. For those who are either outside of evangelicalism or are not on the conservative end of the evangelical spectrum, Nichols will make an engaging dialogue partner with whom there will inevitably be disagreement, but also much to appreciate.
   
   The introduction sets up the book's aims and key themes, and summarizes the points and arguments that will follow in subsequent chapters. The introduction opens with a reference to the famous American preacher Billy Sunday having once said in a sermon that if one turns hell upside down, one will find "Made in Germany" stamped on the bottom (p.9). While there is a connection between Germany and higher criticism on the one hand, and the erosion of confidence in the Bible during the course of America's history on the other, Nichols points out that there have always been American equivalents to European critics, and that when one considers not only these but other distinctive aspects of American Christianity (whether liberal or conservative), the label "Made in America" clearly is also not to be ignored. On p.13, Nichols acknowledges several other recent studies of American Christianity and in particular American views of Jesus, and clarifies how his book differs on p.14, emphasizing that his focus is on American evangelicalism and its view of Jesus.
   
   "Jesus, like most cultural heroes, is malleable," writes Nichols. "And his given shape has much more to say about the shapers than it does of him" (p.10). American Christianity tends to be suspicious of tradition, often leading us to be forced to cover old ground again and again. If there is a tradition that American evangelicals do cling to, it is (ironically) the tradition of sola scriptura, a tradition of challenging tradition by emphasizing the Bible's authority. Yet Nichols sees quite clearly the danger inherent in such an approach: "The mistaken conclusion is that because American evangelicals hold firmly and prize sola scriptura, it naturally follows that all of the beliefs of American evangelicals naturally flow from the pages of Scripture" (p.11). American ahistoricism leaves us more rather than less open to the influence of contemporary fads and trends, Nichols argues. His study wisely includes material culture, music and other facets besides merely textual sources.
   
   Nichols ends his introduction with an explanation of why this subject is of such importance. "A rigorous and detailed and even fought-for Christology was the lifeblood of the early church. Early Christians recognized that Christianity would indeed stand or fall based on how it settled the question of Christ's identity. So they debated" (p.17). In contrast, contemporary American Christianity has a tendency to ignore or deliberately set aside the questions and resulting creeds that were produced by the early church's strenuous efforts (p.18). Although evangelicalism's "devotion is commendable", without attention to theology, the object of their devotion will be "made and remade and made again" (p.18).
   
   Chapter 1 takes the reader to a convenient starting point for considering what will eventually develop into contemporary American evangelicalism, namely the Puritans. The Puritans are largely known today in stereotypes (except among that small group of evangelicals that has sought to preserve and promote their legacy). In terms of the assessment of their contribution to American Christology, opinions vary. Nichols seeks to complement the familiar stereotypes by highlighting the Puritans' poetry and support for the arts. The Puritans combined heartfelt piety, something that remains an emphasis in much American Christianity, with a strong emphasis on theology rooted in the classic creeds of Nicaea and Chalcedon. Although it may be rather too simplistic to say that these creedal formulas "are drawn from various Biblical texts" (p.26; see also p.224), they certainly were an attempt to do justice to the Biblical data in relation to the questions and issues raised by those texts, when read in conjunction with one another and in relation to questions with which the later church wrestled. Sermons of the Puritan era might have to be categorized as lectures today (pp.29-30). Nichols applauds the Puritans' efforts to not reduce tensions they found in the Biblical data, maintaining a "picture of Christ" that was "complex and multidimensional" (p.35).
   
   The Puritans saw perils in the rise of deism and Arianism as alternatives to their historic orthodoxy. But an issue that must be addressed, and is left almost entirely to the side by Nichols, is why exploring such options does not follow naturally from the emphases of the Protestant Reformation (the already-mentioned sola scriptura). In returning to the Bible as the sole foundation, is it not appropriate to reexamine the claims of the creeds and other historic Christian beliefs? There is something ironic in the fact that, in a book focused on the ways in which Jesus has been molded and shaped for an American audience, so little attention is paid to the possibility that the later creeds did the same. And of course, part of the challenge from Biblical studies is that it raises the possibility that even the Gospel authors themselves were doing something similar, which in turn raises the question of whether we have access to a pure, culture-free Jesus, and if so how.
   
   Be that as it may, Nichols does not accept the legacy of the Puritans uncritically or attempt to whitewash their failings with regard to issues like slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, and of course the infamous witch trials (pp.40-41). Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that their orthodox Christology did not prevent them from failing in these areas, and thus the Puritans serve as a warning that `right belief' does not automatically lead to `right practice'. Nichols regards it as the legacy of the Puritans as well as of certain much earlier church fathers to have kept devotion and `right thinking' together without sacrificing one or the other (p.43). But questions about how such `right thinking' is to be identified are left largely unanswered.
   
   The first chapter concludes with a mention of the Brick Testament and contrasts that unusual use of a children's toy with the censoring and taming of Biblical texts that is typical of children's books and stories. "Liberating Jesus from his own complexity results in a distorted image of his person" (p.44). It is to the Puritans' credit, says Nichols, that they did not simply discard one side of the traditional Christian viewpoint in order to emphasize the other.
   
   As he moves into his second chapter, on Jesus in the early days of the United States, Nichols offers a balanced treatment of the faith of the founding fathers, without turning them either into atheists or into conservative Christians. Some were deists, some were Arians, and most espoused American "civil religion", Rousseau's definition of which is helpfully provided (p.51). Nichols is not content simply to avoid falling for the myth of a Christian nation himself. He goes further, exposing in detail how this viewpoint was intentionally invented in the 19th century (pp.48-51). Nichols provides quotations and commentary highlighting, for instance, that Thomas Jefferson, in the very same statement in which he emphasizes that he was a "real Christian", he denies the deity of Christ (p.56). The importance of Reason as ultimate authority in this period is mentioned. More ought to have been said about the differences between the approach of Paine and Jefferson to the Bible, cutting out those parts that seemed to them contrary to reason, and a historian's approach, which sets aside those passages that are of dubious historicity, irrespective of whether what remains seems rational by modern standards. In discussing the promotion and use of the Jefferson Bible in the 20th century, Nichols exposes his own fundamentalist assumptions when he describes it as "damning" that an advertisement promoting a reissue of Jefferson's Bible describes its focus as on the "essence of Christianity" (the words of Jesus), when it omits the virgin birth, Christ's claims to deity, and the empty tomb. Of course, the focus on these particular doctrines, often at the expense of the teaching of Jesus, is one of the hallmarks of fundamentalism, and if there is a blind spot in Nichols' book, it relates to the fact that fundamentalism is itself a response to modernity and a reworking of Christianity and of Jesus that itself stands in contrast to earlier emphases and norms.
   
   Nichols' treatment of John Quincy Adams returns us once again to another unexamined presupposition mentioned earlier. It is simply assumed that Protestants should adhere to classical orthodoxy, but this is far from self-evident. Given Adams' for the most part acceptance of traditional Christian belief and practice, it is remarkable that he is characterized as "less than 100 percent pure in his orthodoxy" (p.62) merely because he wrestled with and reexamined Christian doctrine for himself. If one is going to criticize those who do that, it seems that one has departed from Protestantism and adopted a different viewpoint.
   
   Nichols' treatment of the Baptists' appeal to Jefferson for help in defense of religious liberty is also unsatisfactory. Nichols depicts the Baptists as a minority nervous about its place in society (pp.67-68), which they were, but he seems to suggest that if they had known how much they would flourish in the future, they might not have adopted the stances they did. In other words, the implication seems to be that the Baptists' advocacy of religious liberty and their support for the "separation of church and state" were a matter of expediency rather than principle. This does not seem to have been the case, and certainly was not the case for all Baptists. Nor does Nichols do justice to the possibility that disestablishment may perhaps be precisely one reason for the later "triumphs" of the Baptists.
   
   On the whole, however, Nichols manages to provide an impressively balanced portrait of the founding fathers. Religion was important for them, but not historic Christian orthodoxy (p.71). The founding fathers are thus said to have provided a different trajectory for America than the Puritans. After concluding with some critical thoughts about the attempts made by evangelicals to appropriate the founding fathers, Nichols mentions the pluralistic context that the founders' work has led to. In mentioning figures from Thomas Paine to Marcus Borg who have seen points of parallel or comparison between Jesus or Christianity and other religious tradition, Nichols writes, "Evangelicals are not as susceptible to such traps" (p.73). This may or may not be true, but what remains at the level of the taken for granted is that recognizing such common ground is in fact a "trap". The assumption is that the Jesus of conservative evangelicalism, who roams the land proclaiming his own divinity and inviting people to accept him as their personal Lord and Savior, is unproblematic and straightforwardly "Biblical". Yet given the book's focus on the ways in which Jesus is remade and adapted, these assumptions themselves warrant being subjected to more critical scrutiny.
   
   Chapter 3 focuses on two diametrically opposed makeovers Jesus received in American Christianity in the 18th century: the meek and mild Victorian Jesus and the rough and rugged Jesus of the frontier. Here too we see Nichols' assumption that somehow the classical understanding of Jesus escaped cultural influence: "During the nineteenth century, theologians began seeking the freer environs outside of the "theological canopy"...of the Puritans. Once outside of the canopy, Jesus and his interpreters became much more susceptible to the vicissitudes of the cultural climate. Consequently, in this tale of his American making and remaking, Jesus becomes increasingly culturally conditioned, eventually becoming merely ideological. Jesus is no longer the God above, the God-man who breaks into this world. Instead, he becomes interpreted by this world, conformed to cultural mores and ideological pressure" (p.76). As he goes on to discuss the popular understanding of Jesus as friend in this era of American history, Nichols suggests that relinquishing the creeds leaves one more open to cultural influences (p.79). Nichols' stance reflects a tension deep in the heart of evangelicalism: its repudiation of sources of authority apart from the Bible (at least in theory - in practice, evangelical Christians give a great deal of authority to their favorite preachers and authors) and its commitment to historic orthodoxy as defined in the period after the Bible was written. Nowhere is this clearer than in his treatment of the Stone-Campbell movement that developed into the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Campbell is said to have opted for a return to the Bible that ignores what the church developed thereafter, while Stone, taking a similar approach, eventually became a subordinationist in his Christology and also set aside the substitutionary view of the atonement, on the grounds that neither was Biblical (p.80). This emphasis on the priesthood of all believers, and not merely the right but the necessity for each to interpret the Bible for oneself, is central to evangelicalism, and if Nichols wishes to criticize it as leading to departures from orthodoxy, then he really needs to offer an alternative vision for what evangelicalism ought to be, and clarify whether his vision in any sense involves their remaining Protestant. It may be that he has done this in his other publications, but in the context of the present book, these issues are never addressed in a satisfying manner.
   
   Although at times Nichols seems to assume that the Gospel authors never filled in missing details in the way those retelling the story of Jesus do today, his main point is that many contemporary portraits do not do justice to the breadth and variety of details provided by our earliest sources (p.88). And the danger he rightly identifies is that one can emphasize some facets of the person of Jesus while ignoring others and still make the claim and give the impression that one's view of Jesus is "the Biblical one". Nonetheless, Nichols regularly seems to assume that the Jesus of Christian orthodoxy is one whose humanity is completely submerged and overwhelmed in divinity, as when he writes that "In the broader popular culture [of the second half of the nineteenth century], Jesus had become all too human, overflowing with the milk of kindness" (p.91). As he proceeds to discuss Jesus in the Civil War era, there is little discussion of the Jesus of either the slave owners or of the enslaved (pp.91-95), which is all the more remarkable given that he makes statements such as that "it seems that Christ fared better in the Confederate camps" (p.92).
   
   Chapter 4 looks at the time in the early 20th century when a theological dispute between a parishioner and a pastor could make the New York Times (p.98). He notes that the issues the would divide "liberals" and "conservatives" in the 20th century did not yet do so at the end of the 19th (p.100). Nichols seems at times determined to reject the representatives of liberalism at all costs. One example is on pp.102-3, when he seems unhappy with Van Dyke's unwillingness to flatten the atonement to a single theory, even though Nichols himself argued against flattening the Biblical Jesus to a single aspect. But when it comes to the doctrinal tenets of evangelicalism, Nichols finds it hard to entertain the possibility that those emphases and formulations, like those he criticizes throughout his book, may represent not the teaching of the Bible but an interpretation determined by a particular age, one that skews the evidence rather than doing justice to its full breadth and depth. Such points, which will be painfully obvious to any reader who is either not conservative or not evangelical, detract from the many helpful and important observations Nichols makes. But the fact that Nichols advocates listening to one's critics as a means to helping avoid blind spots makes it easier to forgive him for those he has failed to notice himself.
   
   One of those subjected to Nichols' criticisms, Harry Emerson Fosdick, clearly had a better grasp of the implications of Biblical scholarship than Nichols himself does. For Fosdick set forth plainly the fact that one does not peel away American culture to get back to an uninterpreted Jesus; rather, what we find in the New Testament are the earliest interpretations of Jesus. Fosdick rightly saw that this is "a perennial process" that "still goes on". But since Nichols dislikes Fosdick's view, he depicts it in Machiavellian terms: "Fosdick needed an interpreted Jesus by the disciples because he so wanted to reinterpret Jesus himself" (p.109). A more charitable reading of Fosdick would suggest that it was he, rather than Nichols, who was paying the most serious attention to both what the Bible says and what it is, and seeking to not merely repeat the words of the Gospel authors but emulate their model of how to engage in the task of Christological reflection. At times, Nichols' criticisms of Fosdick border on the ridiculous, for instance when he says that "Fosdick looked himself from the moorings of the biblical teachings of Jesus. And once loosed, he was bound to drift". But Fosdick refuses to allow John's portrait to completely obliterate that of Luke and other New Testament authors from view, in the way contemporary evangelicalism does, which scarcely counts as evidence of ignoring the Bible. But this is the typical claim of conservative Christianity - picking and choosing, allowing some texts to trump others, and then claiming that one's proof-texts prove one's whole theological and ecclesiastical structure to be "Biblical". But Nichols admits of Fosdick that "It was not, of course, the spirit of Scripture or the spirit of Christology for that matter that he was drifting away from; it was the letter" (p.111). If such language is anything to go by, St. Paul might well have approved of Fosdick's approach.
   
   Nichols proceeds to offer criticism of conservative Christian cartoons for children and their depiction of the "meaning of Christmas". Few (from Charlie Brown to McGee and Me to VeggieTales) escape criticism altogether. It is true, as Nichols points out, that there is something ironic about shows that criticize materialistic desire for presents, but are then followed by advertisements for toys. Nevertheless, Nichols throughout the book criticizes those who call people to self sacrificial imitation of Jesus, since that, from his perspective, misses the true meaning of Jesus and his story. The chapter concludes by returning to its treatment of Machen and Fosdick, and there is some indication that Nichols shares Machen's perplexity at how a view that "fails to take the Bible seriously" can be called "Christian" (p.119), but this characterization is of course biased. It is far from evident that Fosdick is "failing to take the Bible seriously" merely because he fails to regard it as presenting Christ in a uniform way that can simply be adopted by contemporary Christians. If anything, it is arguable that Fosdick's viewpoint takes more seriously Nichols' points about culture and bias, applying them to contemporary fundamentalism and to the Biblical authors and church fathers in a way that Nichols fails to. And in returning to criticism of Van Dyke's emphasis on devotion over adherence to certain doctrines, Nichols' focus on the virgin birth as a sine qua non of Christianity (p.120) not only is itself shaped by the context of modernity, but also fails to do justice to the fact that the stories of Jesus' miraculous conception are not omnipresent in the New Testament, and nowhere are a part of the early Christian Gospel proclamation.
   
   Chapter 5 on Contemporary Christian Music is much more satisfactory, and Nichols traces its historical roots to the "Jesus People" and offers critical analysis not only on the "Jesus as boyfriend" trend in many songs, but also the motivation underlying much evangelical Christian focus on CCM: it provides a "safe" alternative to secular music, allowing Christians to isolate themselves rather than take the risks involved in cultural engagement (p.135). Here too, however, one wonders whether Nichols fully appreciates the ways in which cultural engagement by Christians affects not only the culture, but also the Christians doing the engaging. At times, Nichols criticizes contemporary singers for vagueness, mentioning "all" that God or Jesus has done for them, but without specifics (p.141). Yet a survey of the Psalms shows that songs are often left vague, and understandably so, since then they can be applied by those who sing them, and those who sing along with them, to a variety of experiences and situations. There is some acknowledgment of this a little later (p.142), perhaps in response to criticisms on this point by those who read drafts of his book, but this fairer treatment should have been integrated into the whole and not merely stuck on at the end.
   
   Remarkably, Nichols also (p.140) contrasts the experience of feeling Jesus near with "anything done in history", thereby implicitly denying that God's action is in fact connected with Christian experience! But as so often, after harsh and at times unbalanced criticisms, Nichols returns to make a more balanced and fairer assessment, as when he states that the issue is not so much anything that CCM singers and songwriters say, as all that is left unsaid (p.144). There is a need for songs with actual theological content, and it should be pointed out that when theology has been integrated into song, not only has this not undermined the popularity of the songs, but it has performed a service in making theological concepts known and familiar to a wider audience. But as the example of Arius illustrates, creating music with theological depth is no guarantee that the lyrics will match up with Nicene orthodoxy.
   
   Chapter 6 looks at Jesus in movies, with particular focus on the Passion of the Christ. Evangelical enthusiasm for Gibson's film is all the more noteworthy given the movie's Roman Catholic sources and emphases. The movie was an opportunity to do evangelism, and because of this, little attempt was made to critically analyze the film (pp.146-149). Nichols levels a common criticism against the film, contrasting the movie's graphic violence as it depicts the flagellation and crucifixion, with the minimalism of the Gospels (pp.149-150, 163). This, however, ignores a crucial matter of context. The earliest readers of the New Testament Gospels would have had opportunities to see crucified individuals, most likely more than once. They did not need the details spelled out for them. The difference between Gibson's portrayal and the canonical Gospels thus nicely illustrates an important point to which Nichols does insufficient justice: to say the "same thing" in a different context, one may have to say something different. Other movies, from DeMille's and Zeffirelli's to Scorsese's Last Temptation and Monty Python's Life of Brian are also discussed, as is the use of Mary Magdalene to provide a "love interest", as all modern movies seem to require.
   
   Once again, when Nichols cites Humphries-Brooks' observation that Jesus films tell us more about the time in which they were made than about Jesus himself, he fails to mention that something not altogether different is a commonplace of Biblical scholarship on the Gospels (p.151). All writings about Jesus, ancient or modern, tell us about their authors and context as well as (and in some cases rather than) the historical figure of Jesus. When Nichols notes that "Jesus films have difficulty, almost by definition, depicting the hypostatic union, Jesus as the God-man" (p.157, see also 167), he fails to note that the Synoptic Gospels likewise fail to depict Jesus in this way, assuming they even intended to. He also seems unaware that he is going beyond the text (and at the same time failing to go beyond the text where appropriate) in finding his own conservative evangelical view of the atonement in Mark's Gospel (p.168). The words attributed to Jesus on the cross are a quotation from Psalm 22, which ends on a note of confidence in God. A failure to take this intertextual echo into consideration, and the likelihood that Jesus was thought of as reciting the entire psalm and not merely the first line, leads some to conclude that there was a break between Father and Son at this moment (something which, it might be added, the Gospel of John's portrait of the uninterrupted unity of Father and Son seems to exclude). When Nichols refers to Jesus confronting the crowds with his true identity (by which Nichols means his deity), he fails to mention that this is something found only in John's portrait of Jesus. If we judge the canonical Gospels by Nichols' criteria, we will find that they are subject to the same criticisms: none gives full explicit expression to Nicene orthodoxy on its own, none depicts Jesus' death in terms of penal substitution, while each Gospel does reflect its historical and cultural context.
   
   One of the nicest features of this book is that Nichols never loses his sense of humor, even when dealing with critical issues - or meeting Charlton Heston. Nowhere does this come across as strongly as in chapter 7, which addresses American Christian culture's obsession with Christian T-shirts and other Christianized commodities. Nichols regards Christian products which are merely about morality as wanting, since in his view, "a values-oriented message trivializes the most profound and significant message of all time" (p.178). He laments that "American evangelicals can't even seem to realize that Christ has become a comic caricature" (p.181), as seen in their enthusiasm for products such as the "Buddy Christ", not to mention Jesus bobbleheads and pencil-toppers. After discussing the theme of Jesus as "businessman", Nichols shares a wonderful anecdote about a customer who, when she learned that her local Christian bookstore had sold out of fish bumper stickers, became exasperated and asked "How am I going to witness?" (p.186). Golf balls with verses on them are also considered a form of witnessing, since who knows who might find lost ones. Nichols in this chapter shows his impressively self-critical ability in diagnosing and addressing the problems in his own tradition, pointing out that evangelicals have become so wedded to consumer culture that they fail even to notice it, much less offer a remedy or an alternative (pp.192-193). There is a need for Christian scholars to turn their attention to the study of phenomena such as Christian T-shirts, and to provide critical analysis. As the chapter draws to a close, he mentions the remarkable fact that, in Cave City, Kentucky, there is a place called the Golgotha Fun Park, and he notes the dissonance of placing the "place of the skull" and "fun park" side by side (p.196). How can evangelicals complain that others treat their message as something trivial, when they themselves are trivializing it in these ways?
   
   Chapter 8 turns to the subject of Jesus in politics, and analysis is given of the recent shift from generic God-talk to explicit mention of Jesus in American political discourse, on both the right and the left. Having made Robbie Burns' famous words about "seeing ourselves as others see us" the motto of this chapter, Nichols makes the following recommendation: "Listening to the critics of evangelicalism, both sympathetic and not, may go a long way to helping see blind spots" (p.212). And he acknowledges openly that evangelicals have not avoided the pitfall of co-opting Jesus for some ideological aim or other. Moreover, he warns that, while it can be harder to put up with history's messiness and ambiguity, taking the easier path of assuming "God is on our side" leads to arrogance and other perilous pitfalls (p.217). Nichols concludes by suggesting that Jesus does not fit comfortably either on the Right or on the Left (p.220).
   
   The book ends with an epilogue, which brings in Martin Marty's points about the fact that, sooner or later, any consideration of Jesus brings one back to address the issues raised at Chalcedon once again. Here, at long last, Nichols raises explicitly the possibility that the creeds are themselves historically-situated, culturally influenced expressions. But what is said on this subject seems like too little, too late. Although many would embrace his statement that "These creeds and the biblical texts they are fashioned from provide the church with its perennial theology, which the church in any country in any century simply cannot afford to live without" (p.224), it is not clear how this can be considered the Protestant viewpoint. If one allows even in theory the possibility that Scripture takes priority over creeds, then one must allow, perhaps ever require, the re-evaluation of the creeds in light of Scripture. But that ultimately leads to a replay of the same differences of viewpoint that were expressed by those who formulated the creeds, and by those the creeds aimed to exclude.
   
   Be that as it may, Nichols' call to American evangelicals to become aware of matters of (their own) history and theology is commendable. As he writes, "American evangelicals have sterling proficiency in the realm of the subjective and experiential. But not all of the answers to life's questions come from within or come from our own time" (p.224). Nichols suggests that the creeds and the Bible serve to provide points of reference outside our own historical-cultural context that can "save us from our limited perspectives". While many would dispute that they can entirely save us from our human limitations, being in dialogue with our own past can indeed challenge us. On the other hand, if we lose an emphasis on the foreignness of these ancient sources, in all likelihood we will find ways of domesticating them and understanding them as expressions of, rather than challenges to, the views we already hold. For, however laudable Nichols' suggestion might seem in theory that we begin with Scripture, then tradition, and finally experience, rather than the reverse (p.225), it is unclear that anyone who reads Scripture can do so from a standpoint that is not already shaped by experiences and traditions of some sort.
   
   Nichols concludes by noting that the shift to the dominance of the Southern hemisphere in Christianity that seems to be taking place may move those in the West from the position of teachers to that of students, and there is much we can learn in the p



5. Art class was by far my most dreaded class throughout elementary school. The teachers were always nice but the bottom line was that I stunk at whatever I tried to make. I remember on occasion having to make something with either clay or paper mache or whatever. Sometimes I would psyche myself up and really get into it. I'd focus and think and work. But after 30 minutes or so I would look up and see what my classmates had constructed and think, "Dang, my art project doesn't look anything like theirs'."
   
   Sometimes I look up from my work and look around at other Christians and think, "Dang, my Jesus doesn't look anything like theirs'."
   
   Stephen Nichols writes the compelling book addressing how America has molded and shaped a Jesus in accordance with her own desires throughout her short history.
   
   Pivoting out of the Puritan Era, Nichols traces the various season of Christological makeover. He walks through the Jesus of the founding fathers to the Victorian Jesus (weak and effeminate) that clashed with the Frontier Jesus (tough and burly), through the ages of liberalism on up to the days of the Moral Majority.
   
   In an early chapter Nichols (with help from Stephen Prothero) points out a great historical observation as to the declination of the American religion:
   
   "In the early nineteenth century evangelicals liberated Jesus first from Calvinism and then from creeds. Second, following America's Civil War, they disentangled Jesus from the Bible, replacing the sola scriptura (`Bible Alone') rallying cry of the Reformation with solus Jesus: Jesus alone. The final stage came when, in fulfillment of Thomas Jefferson's seminal dream of religious diversity, Jesus was liberated from Christianity itself, which came into fruition in the midst of the post-1965 immigration boom."
   
   The interesting consistency throughout American history is the crafting and molding of Jesus for what ostensibly appears to be good motives but at the end leaves you holding your nose. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident then in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) industry. In his chapter "Jesus on Vinyl" Nichols shows the origin and growth of the CCM industry. It is not the fact that there is such a thing as the CCM that is so troubling, but rather it is the stale Christology that is so unabashedly promoted that causes concern.
   
   Nichols quotes from several "Jesus is my boyfriend/girlfriend songs" to demonstrate the hollowness and frankly, the utter ubsurdity of singing about nothing when you are talking about Jesus who is, after all, everything!
   
   "Consider some of these lyrics from different songs of Rebecca St. James. In `Take all of Me,' written by Marty Sampson, the first stanza ends with `Take all of me, yeah / all of me.' She also croons, `Take me I am yours' and `All I want is you,' in `Pray.' In her cover of Rich Mullins' `Hold Me Jesus,' she asks Jesus to, well, `hold her' because here life doesn't make sense, and she's `shaking like a leaf.' She adds in another song that she has fallen for Jesus `harder than the first time.' All of these songs focus not on any act of God in history, not on the concrete events of Christ's life and death and resurrection. These songs all lack exactly what Jon Fischer lamented as a great loss, linking Jesus' love not to anything done in history but to the personal experiences of feeling Jesus near, of feeling him close during those hard times. Like a good boyfriend, Jesus show up at the right moment, says the right thing, and knows how to hug. Take out the name Jesus that occurs from time to time and these songs could be sung to a boyfriend."
   
   The morphing of Jesus continues through politics, commercialism, and the silver screen. And thankfully Nichols does a good job interacting with each. His writing style is clear, engaging, full of pithy assessments and biblically refreshing.
   
   Overall I am very thankful that Nichols spent the long hours engaging with this topic so we might in a few hours, be more informed and where need be even corrected. The great lesson in a book like this is that when Christians skip Bible class they will spend their time in doodling a Jesus on their notebooks according to their imaginations. Christians must be informed and reformed by the Word of God. If we are not we will inevitably be back in art class molding a Jesus in our own likeness and then trying to sell him to the culture around us.

5 comments about The Science of Mind: A Philosophy, A Faith, A Way of Life.

1. A true gem! I've ordered three so far -- one for my sister, niece and me. I spent more than I would have for the third one because vendor said it was a collector's item because the author had signed it. Upon receipt, the only signature found was the same printed signature that the previous two copies had. Don't be fooled like I was.



2. I cannot emphasize the impact that the writings of Mr. Holmes has had on my life and affairs. His books get straight to the point. He helps us understand that we are each responsible for our lives and the happiness that we seek. But he does it without the guilt and blame that so many traditional religious books do. What sets this apart is that it is not a book about religion, it is a book about spirituality and it encompasses the True idea of the One Loving Power, God.
   
   I found that every paragraph was inspirational. Some may find his prose a bit old fashioned (the original was written in the 1920's or 30's), but every word strikes a cord in the heart. This book does more than simply give you something new to think about, it redefines the very meaning of thought in the human experience and I guarantee that your outlook on life will change profoundly. The best part is that it does not contradict the Bible, and for this Christian, it provided clear answers to many difficult biblical passes that I thought were beyond my understanding.
   
   I too have the original 600 page volume and would highly recommend that you search for a copy for yourself. I've had it for years and still read it on a regular basis for uplifting motivation (simply opening to a random page will almost always prove inspiring). But, if this is the only version you can find, please do not miss out on the words and wisdom of this wonderful man.



3. To read this book, is to be totally transformed. The world now makes perfect sense. If this book was added to our schools curriculum, there would be a transformation beyond words. Ernest Holmes passed the year that I was born (1960), but yet he will remain in my mind and heart forever.



4. I read this book and i was drawn to the words, a lot of this rings so true you could not ask for a better read. It talks about our preception of everything and the power of thaught.It is well written and is probably one of his best ones.



5. There's been a lot of comment here that this book copy is not the "Real" book. That it's some watered down version, not worthy of consideration. Well, I hate to tell ya...this is a reprint of the original 1926 version before it was revised and expanded in 1938. This is the "Real" book! Some people like this edition better because the language is more powerful.

5 comments about Abraham Lincoln, a Man of Faith and Courage: Stories of Our Most Admired President.

1. In the introduction to his latest book, Joe Wheeler relates this advice from his ad man son Greg: "No matter what the product, just tie [Abraham] Lincoln to it and it's guaranteed to sell." This perhaps explains why I've seen ads for everything from car insurance to sleeping pills featuring the celebrated 16th president of the United States. There's even a diner in my old neighborhood that features Lincoln's face prominently on its sign. Nothing says bacon and eggs like a stovepipe hat!
   
   Books are no exception to Greg's rule. Wheeler contends that more books have been written about Lincoln than all the other presidents combined, and he enters the fray with ABRAHAM LINCOLN, A MAN OF FAITH AND COURAGE. "While I admire and revere Washington, it stops there. He is a model for many fine qualities, but with me at least, he remains only a model to be venerated. Not so with the sixteenth president. There is something about Abraham Lincoln that makes me love him. I cannot explain it: I know only that it's there," he writes. Wheeler's love for Lincoln is both a strength and weakness of his book, which often straddles the line between biography and hagiography.
   
   There is no doubt that Lincoln was an extraordinarily individual, and the stories here provide an entertaining survey of the moments --- large and small --- that made the man. The following story illustrates the combination of solid research and faith-filled speculation that characterizes Wheeler's book.
   
   "One day, when he was around nine, he took a bag of corn, mounted the flea-bitten gray mare, and rode leisurely to Gordon's Mill. His turn didn't come until late afternoon. Since each man was expected to provide his own power, Abe hitched the mare to the arm. As the animal moved around, the machinery responded with proportional speed --- or lack of it. Abe, mounted on the arm, found it necessary to frequently use his whip, otherwise, the horse would stop. Each time the whip action took place, Abe would say, `Get up you old hussy.' Finally, resenting Abe's whip, just as the words, `Get up,' were said, the horse elevated a shoeless foot and kicked him in the forehead, sending him sprawling.
   
   "Mr. Gordon, the miller, hurried into the ring, picked up the senseless boy (whom he took for dead), and sent for his father. His father came, loaded the body in the wagon, and took him home. Abe lay unconscious all night, but toward day there were signs of life. The blood began to flow normally, his tongue struggled to loosen itself, his body jerked for an instant and he awoke, blurting out the other three words interrupted at the mill, `you old hussy.'
   
   "Lincoln would talk about this strange phenomenon for the rest of his life, this memorable experience that so easily could have been his last. God must certainly have had a reason for sparing his life."
   
   This story comes from a biography of Lincoln written in 1925, and indeed Wheeler cites his "exhaustive scholarship" of reading 60 books about Lincoln in preparing to write his own. And yet there is clearly a healthy dose of speculation mixed in with the facts, especially when it comes to Lincoln's spiritual development and relationship with God. Wheeler is not shy about reading providence into Lincoln's life at almost every turn. This will leave some readers nodding in agreement, but will leave critical readers on edge.
   
   That said, many of Lincoln's writings offer great spiritual insight that Wheeler is right to highlight. It's clear that while Lincoln was often careful about being inclusive when discussing faith from his public platform, he was involved in a serious and significant spiritual journey with the God of the Bible. And at no time was such a searching and faithful president needed than during the Civil War.
   
   Wheeler uses a brush dipped in sepia tones to paint the picture of Lincoln's early years growing up on the frontiers of Kentucky and Indiana, which is somewhat ironic given that Lincoln himself is noted for having no such sentimentality in his regard for the hardscrabble lifestyle of those years. But the author does an excellent job of giving context to his years by explaining the cultural, religious, political, even ecological milieu in which he lived. Wheeler is able to move helpfully between a wide angle perspective and a closer focus on Lincoln, providing a cohesive and comprehensive narrative for those not already familiar with his life and even adding some interesting details for those who have read a book or two on him. I hear there are a few out there...
   
   --- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel



2. This was an "easy read" and the stories were very detailed, but the life of the man himself was handled on a broad "overview" basis, therefore, I need more. The book was thoroughly enjoyable, but it only whetted my appetite for a more comprehensive view of the life of our greatest president, his humble beginnings, and the events that shaped him into the "man for the ages." This book would be a great addition to an already established library of writings about our past presidents...I enjoyed reading the stories told, and you will not regret purchasing the book...read it, you will like it!



3. "I believe the declaration that `all men are created equal' is the great fundamental principle upon which our free institutions rest."
   ~Abraham Lincoln
   
   Accurate,beautifully written work. Every American should read this
   eloquent book. The stories,inspiring and well described.
   
   Heartily recommend this book!



4. I have always admired Abraham Lincoln, as a man and as a president, and I have been a student of his presidency and the Civil War in the past. But I learned so much within the pages of this excellent book that I hadn't known before. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I bought it for my Kindle and "highlighted" lots of passages throughout. I'll definitely read this book again.



5. Be careful reading this book and taking it at face value. There seems to be a lack of fact checking by both the author and the editor. I have read this book only to page 23 and stopped because of all the misinformation.
   
   1. Page 18 -- Wheeler attributes a quote to Lincoln secretaries Hay and Nicolay where they mention Trivial Pursuit -- Trivial Pursuit wasn't invented until the 1980's.
   
   2. Page 22 -- Wheeler tells that Secretary of State Fredrick Seward objected to Lincoln's initial idea for the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln's Secretary of State was WILLIAM Seward. Frederick was William's son and acted as his assistant.
   
   3. Page 23 -- Lincoln's "Meditation on the Divine Will" by all accounts was found in Lincoln's desk after his death, not copied by Hay during the time Lincoln was writing it.
   
   
   Readers will probably find this book entertaining but be careful about believing everything you read in this book. For myself, I refuse to read any more because I'm worried about any other misinformation I won't recognize. I'm actually going to throw this book away. I don't trust Wheeler's "facts".

5 comments about Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life: Rethinking Ministry to the Poor.

1. This book is an updated, contemporary look at transforming low income
   communities from a faith-based based perspective. It deals with down to
   earth topics such as gentrification,moving from charity to development,
   transforming services into self help,economically viable enterprises.
   Bob Lupton, the author, speaks personally from experience,
   so the book rings with reality, yet is hopeful and inspiring.
   Easy to read, but want to have around to share with others, particular
   chapters for particular situations. It is a helpful handbook of the
   Christian Community Developmet Association.



2. The past 40+ years has taught us that Lyndon Johnson's Great Society program did relatively little to really help the poor in our nation. We now have a legacy of old run down housing complexes that have become little more than havens for drug users. Unfortunately, except for relatively few isolated instances, the church has done no better in helping the poor in meaningful ways. This book, however, describes how one Christian ministry has attempted to show compassion and bring about true justice to the poor in Atlanta. The author readily admits to his own failures in this difficult ministry, but he also shows us what he has learned after 30 years. We can learn much from his experiences, and hopefully do a better job in our own communities in serving the poor, not just by giving them food and used clothing, but by helping to bring dignity to their lives. I encourage people to read this book with an open mind to how we might better serve the poor.



3. This book is written from a Christian perspective, but is far from your typical guilt trip on helping the poor. It is written from the vantage point of twenty five years of experience. The writer shares stories of interventions that worked well and other interventions that had unintended consequences. Anyone who is concerned about the poor and finding sustainable ways to help should read this book. Anyone considering "helping the poor" by giving away food or clothing or Christmas gifts should read this book before doing so. Anyone considering opening a business in an impoverished area should read this book. Too often we do things intending to help that in reality only salve our conscience and perpetuate the problems. This book will help you avoid many mistakes that have occurred in the past. You will find practical suggestions that will have a lasting impact and protect the dignity of those you intend to help.



4. I highly recommend this book. Lupton's comments are insightful, thought-provoking and true. This is one of the best books I've read on urban ministry/ministry to the poor since John Perkin's _With Justice for All_. A must read, for sure, and not just for those who are currently involved with ministry to the poor.



5. Bob Lupton articulates much of what we've experienced and feel about ministry to the poor. A study of this has been a great small group exercise for one of our cell groups. I've also bought it for others in ministry with us.