Review by Choice Review
Concentrating on the future of Christianity in America, Wuthnow (Princeton) does not offer specific predictions but aims to provide an analysis that will broaden "the conceptual space in which to think about the present: Where are we? Where are we headed? Where do we want to go?" He describes the challenges facing Christianity in five key areas: insitutional, ethical, doctrinal, political, and cultural. Particular attention is focused on the need for transcendent meaning, the quest for community, the role of education, the prospects for fundamentalism and the religious Right, and the importance of story-telling for communal memory, morality, and identity. Some will question his characterization of liberals (do they stress "complexity" of thought?) and fundamentalists (are they always "seekers"?), but his description of the role that social and cultural forces play in the polarization of these views is most illuminating. Wuthnow is one of our most prolific and influential sociologists of religion and shares his ideas in a way that makes them quite accessible to the general reader. Deserving of a wide audience and highly recommended. Notes; selected bibliography. General; undergraduate and beyond. L. J. Putnam; Heidelberg College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Wuthnow, a social science professor and director of the Center for the Study of American Religion at Princeton University, suggests that the eve of the millennium is an ideal moment to consciously address the role of Christianity in the nation's public life in the next century. In addition to facing the problems posed by AIDS, environmental pollution and nuclear weapons, the author argues, the church can expect internal challenges. How will the concept of Christian community be affected by growing emphasis on multiculturalism, and by increasing numbers of those who profess faith but sever ties with religious institutions? Among other topics in this discursive and deeply thoughtful study: the future of fundamentalism and its significance in American culture; the transmission of ethics and values as the nuclear family declines; the role of Christianity in mediating age-old questions about economic disparities as prosperity becomes ever more elusive. Wuthnow combines personal stories with references to scholarly works and to current events, enhancing the relevance of each aspect of his study as he builds to his cautiously optimistic conclusions. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Wuthnow (social sciences and religion, Princeton) offers a believing sociologist's reflections on the role of the church in American society. Specifically, he examines five areas of challenge--institutional, ethical, doctrinal, political, and cultural--and argues that the church needs to consider how best to meet them. Emphasizing the church as community, he examines the role of religion in recent American history, especially fundamentalism and the religious right, in order to consider the kind of role religion can and should play in the future. Overall, Wuthrow offers a positive view of the future of the church. A worthwhile and thought-provoking book for those who take their Christianity seriously.-- Augustine Curley, Newark Abbey, N.J. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Wuthnow (Social Sciences/Princeton), usually an elegant chronicler of social trends (Acts of Compassion, 1991, etc.), stumbles with this dull look at the future of the church. Part of the problem is Wuthnow's too-narrow focus. Instead of fulfilling the title's promise, he writes almost exclusively about American Protestantism, which represents only a small segment of Christianity; moreover, within this limited range, he spends much of his time clucking over the collapse of liberal churches (with which he identifies) and the groundswell of fundamentalism. His predictions seem on target, perhaps because they're unsurprising: Fundamentalism will move away from televangelism toward decentralized, social-oriented service (as Jerry Falwell has already done); American youth will suffer from a lack of decent role models, with cartoon superheroes taking the place once reserved for the local pastor; Christian denominations will continue to proliferate, with worshippers hopping between various churches; Christianity as a whole must continue to find its strength in community. These prophecies are scattered throughout the book, as are several intriguing themes that, more clearly presented, might have made compelling studies on their own: One is the importance of narrative in shaping our religious and ethical lives; another is the way in which liberal analysts--Wuthnow singles out Bishop John Spong--have misread fundamentalism, which the author sees as a ``dynamic process'' with its own ``cultural capital'' rather than as simply a reaction to modernity. In the course of his research, Wuthnow interviewed numerous church members and ministers; their comments add color to the discussion, but do little to overcome the overall vagueness. A very cloudy crystal ball.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
Review by Kirkus Book Review
