Theology
Turning Points in American Church History How Pivotal Events Shaped a Nation and a Faith
Elesha J. Coffman Foreword by Mark A. Noll
American history has profoundly shaped, and been shaped by, Christianity. This engaging introduction provides a brisk and lively yet deeply researched survey of these intertwined forces from the colonial period to the present. Each chapter includes a hymn, a prayer, relevant historical images, excerpts from primary sources, and resources for further reading. “More than a dozen academic surveys of American church history grace the field, and each displays distinctive strengths. Yet Coffman’s volume offers the strongest overall combination of focus, clarity, research, conciseness, and wit (yes, wit). Without hesitation I would assign this work before any of the others to virtually any college, seminary, university, or Christian formation class. A truly brilliant contribution.” —GRANT WACKER, Duke Divinity School (emeritus)
CONTENTS
JANUARY 2024 • 304 pp. • paper • $24.99 • 9780801097492
Foreword by Mark A. Noll Introduction
1. The Old World Order Upended: The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588 2. The Limits of Religious Freedom: Roger Williams Banished from Massachusetts, 1635 3. A Collision of Cultures: King Philip’s War, 1675–76 4. Evangelicalism Sweeps America: George Whitefield Sparks the First Great Awakening, 1740 5. A Faith for Enslaved and Free: First African American Church Founded at Silver Bluff, South Carolina, 1773 6. Far from Rome: John Carroll Elected First Roman Catholic Bishop in the United States, 1789 7. The Benevolent Empire: American Bible Society Founded, 1816 8. Houses Divided: Methodist Church Splits over Slavery, 1844 9. Muscular Missions: Student Volunteer Movement Launched, 1886 10. Los Angeles Fire: Azusa Street Revival Catalyzes Pente- costalism, 1906 11. Science versus Religion? The Scopes “Monkey” Trial, 1925 12. Civil Rights and Uncivil Religion: Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing, Birmingham, 1963 13. Religion Moves Right: Ronald Reagan Elected President, 1980 Conclusion Index
Elesha J. Coffman (PhD, Duke University) is associate professor of history at Baylor University. She previously served as the editor of Christian History magazine and has taught at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. She spent a year as a fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University. Coffman is the author of The Christian Century and the Rise of the Protestant Mainline , Margaret Mead: A Twentieth-Century Faith , and numerous articles on American religious history.
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