Baptist and Methodist Faiths in America

by Ingersoll, Julie; Melton, John Gordon, Ph.D.

• ISBN13: 9780816049929
• ISBN10: 0816049920
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Looks at the history, beliefs, growth, and future of the Baptist and Methodist churches in the United States.

Table of Contents

Foreword	4	(3)
J. Gordon Melton
Introduction Evangelical Origins, Beliefs, and Practices	7	(10)
Early Evangelical Roots in America	17	(18)
Key Evangelical Beliefs and Events	35	(16)
Evangelical Impact on American Culture	51	(14)
Impact on American Social Issues	65	(12)
The Impact of Evangelicals on American Politics	77	(18)
Important American Evangelical Leaders	95	(14)
Evangelical Traditions Today and Tomorrow	109	(11)
Glossary	120	(2)
Time Line	122	(1)
Resources	123	(1)
Index	124

Excerpts

Baptist and Methodist Faiths in America is the second of two books in the Faith in America set dealing with the many communities tied to the Protestant Christian faith. Focusing on those groups formed after the European Reformation who broke with the idea of a state-related dominant church in a given country, and organized denominations unattached to government control, this book explores the beliefs of Methodists, Baptists, Cumberland Presbyterians, Pentecostalists, and Disciples of Christ.
Exploring the history of groups deeply rooted in America, from the first immigrants in the 1600s and the Great Awakening of the 1700s to the rise of fundamentalism in the 1800s and today's television evangelists, Baptist and Methodist Faiths in America examines the impact of these faiths on the cultural, social, and political life of America. Active participants in the arts and in the field of communications—especially broadcasting—they have often used their access to media technology to reach a wide audience. Professing strong positions in the debates over social issues—such as abortion and gay rights—and the policies of the government, including everything from school prayer to education funding, these groups have played and continue to play an important role in American society.
Coverage includes:
The Scopes Monkey Trial
The beginnings of the "literal Bible" movement
Early leaders such as Dwight Moody and Billy Sunday
Modern preachers such as Billy Graham and Pat Robertson
National leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter
Habitat for Humanity.