Theology
A History of Christianity in America Mark A. Granquist The story of Christianity in America is a fascinating one, marked by constant change, development, and innovation. The faith has shaped the country, even as the country has shaped it. Award-winning historian Mark Granquist has written an up-to-date telling of this story from the arrival of Europeans to the present day. While the twists and turns are complex, varied, and at times confusing, Granquist has identified several consistent threads that weave their way through the various branches and periods of Amer- ican Christianity: voluntary religion, pluralism, and an innovative religious marketplace. The account is comprehensive without being overwhelming. And it is presented in a clear and compelling narrative sure to capture and hold readers’ interest. This book is therefore ideal for use in semester-long classes in undergraduate or graduate programs and appealing for general readers. The main text is accompanied by illustrative elements including sidebars, images, maps, and timelines. FROM THE BOOK The study of our history should focus on two distinct elements that would seem to be in tension: history should empower us, and history should humble us. These two exist side by side; like the yin and yang, one exerts a cautionary pull on the other. Certainly there is much good in the past. People have acted in ways that were noble and good, and we ought not to lose these inspirations. And yet, there is much to be decried in the past, and we ought not forget this either. Most of all, this historical record helps us understand that we too are human, with all the limitations that this brings.
DECEMBER 2024 • 400 pp. • cloth • $44.99 • 9781540963314
Mark A. Granquist (PhD, University of Chicago Divinity School) is the Lloyd and Annelotte Svendsbye Professor of the History of Chris- tianity at Luther Seminary. His publications include the acclaimed Lutherans in America: A New History, Scandinavian Pietists: Spiritual Writings from 19th-Century Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland , and The Augustana Story: Shaping Lutheran Identity in North Amer - ica (coauthored with Maria Erling). He is also known as a leading expert on the impact of migration on American Christianity.
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