Between the Times
The Travail of the Protestant Establishment in America, 1900-1960
Published on 29. September 1989
Book
Hardback
344 pages
978-0-521-36168-2 (ISBN)
Description
During the first six decades of the last century, the so-called mainline Protestant denominations in America were compelled to accommodate to the growing influences of diverse religions and growing secularization. In this book, twelve historians examine the nature of the American Protestant establishment and its response to the growing pluralism of the times. The goals of the establishment are first examined from the inside, as they were voiced from the pulpit, expressed in education and through the media, and applied in ecumenical and social-reforming ventures. The establishment is then viewed through the eyes of outsiders - Jews and Catholics - and those at the periphery of the establishment's core - and women. The authors conclude that the period surveyed forms a distinct epoch in the evolution of American Protestantism. The days when Protestant cultural authority could be taken for granted were certainly over, but a new era in which religious pluralism would be widely accepted had not yet arrived.
Reviews / Votes
'William Hutchison and his collaborators offer a rich and stimulating series of essays. Well-crafted chapters with ample footnotes (and references to major secondary studies) serve the reader well. The individual elements of the book are sensitively situated by Hutchison's deft introductions and conclusions. Between the Times will stimulate serious students as well as seasoned scholars ... It also goes without saying that the book should promote reflection within religious communities. Between the Times not only defines an era; it also explores a central transformation in twentieth-century American culture.' John F. Wilson, Princeton University 'Between the Times is a splendid book! ... Hutchison and his colleagues fill a hole that has existed for decades but been noticed only in recent years.' Phillip E. Hammond, University of California at Santa Barbara 'The central themes are critical to understanding what happened to American mainstream Protestant churches in the 20th century ... The essays offer a fascinating kaleidoscope of perspectives on aspects of this Protestant establishment and its 'travail' in maintaining authority ... Facile generalizations about the importance of the 1960s will have to be modified by these thoughtful reassessments of the Protestant establishment at its zenith.' John N. Muldar, The Presbyterian Outlook 'I consider this a pioneering and already landmark achievement.' Martin Marty, The Christian CenturyMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
12 Halftones, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
710 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-36168-2 (9780521361682)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Content
Preface: from Protestant to pluralist America; Part I. Introduction: 1. Protestantism as establishment William R. Hutchison; Part II. The Protestant Agenda: Old Business: 2. The pulpit and the pews Edwin S. Gaustad; 3. Ministry on the margin: Protestants and education Dorothy C. Bass; 4. Reaching out: mainline protestantism and the media Dennis N. Voskuil; Part III. The Protestant Agenda: Matters Arising: 5. Voice of many waters: church federation in the twentieth century Robert A. Schneider; 6. The reform establishment and the ambiguities of influence William McGuire King; Part IV. Outsiders and 'Junior Partners': 7. United and slighted: women as subordinated insiders Virginia Lieson Brereton; 8. An enduring distance: Black Americans and the establishment David W. Wills; 9. A wary collaboration: Jews, Catholics, and the Protestant Goodwill movement Benny Kraut; Part V. External Challenges: 10. Secularization: religion and the social sciences R. Laurence Moore; 11. A plural world: the Protestant awakening to world religions Grant Wacker; 12. The rise of the 'New Evangelicalism': shock and adjustment Mark Silk; Part VI. Conclusion: 13. Discovering America William R. Hutchison; Index.