Rejoice!

As is often the case this time of year, my house is filled with Christmas music.  One of the songs that has been playing of late, and one that sums up much of the season for me this year starts off like this:

O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

It is a carol that is tinged with sadness, but also with happiness -- or at least the promise of joy.  And that promised joy will surpass anything and everything that has come before it.  And that is how I am looking at the end of 2012 and the promise that is 2013. 

Since last I posted, I had the opportunity to speak to the Questors, a group of retirees in nearby Greenfield, Indiana.  It was an enjoyable evening, spent discussing religion in the 1920s (with an Indiana focus).  We discussed a good deal about movement within the Mainline, both in terms of larger forces at work, as well as what many of the people who were there had experienced.  We also talked a bit about the aftermath of the election, which of course provoked questions about if there was more to the Religious Left than perhaps many commentators believed or if 2012 witnessed the demise of the (political) Religious Right.

I also had the chance, a few days later, to give a copy the book to my childhood pastors as a thank you not only for my own spiritual development, as well as a thank you for performing the service at my grandfather's funeral.   

Shortly after Thanksgiving, I was able to secure a January date (Saturday the 26th) to hold a book signing in Northern Indiana (the Barnes and Noble store at University Park Mall, South Bend).  I am very much looking forward to it, as it will allow friends and family to come out and hear a bit about the book (and maybe pick up a copy with any Christmas money they have left over).  So, there is much to look forward to in the New Year--including, one can hope, more chances to talk about the book with both the family, friends, the general public, and of course, students!

And then of course there was the big news in the midst of Advent.  The Mainline was  reviewed by CHOICE and given a very favorable rating ("Recommended for lower-division undergraduates and above [as well as] general readers."). 

In short, dear readers, I have much professionally to be thankful for when it comes to this book -- and much more to look forward to in the coming year.  I

Review from the Voice of Reason

Earlier this week I was very happy to find a letter from NYU with a review of The Mainline included.  The review appeared in the Voice of Reason, the chief organ for Americans for Religious Liberty.  As their website (http://www.arlinc.org/) notes:

"Since it was founded in 1981 Americans for Religious Liberty has steadfastly supported the constitutional principle of separation of church and state that is the indispensable guarantor of religious and intellectual freedom, religiously neutral democratic public education, and individual freedom of conscience."  

What intrigued me was that, and I don't think I'm off in saying this, an organization of the Religious Left, who often find common cause with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (a group I talk about in The Mainline) was among the first to review the book.  As an author, I am always interested in reading reviews of my work (whether they are glowing or not in their tone).  And considering some of the arguments I made or allude to in the book, I was also intrigued to see what ARL's Al Menendez would have to say.  

The review itself was a straightforward discussion of the main arguments of the book.  Including linking it to the wider literature on Mainline decline, but also acknowledging that I make a case for a new line up for the Mainline in the twenty-first century.  As an author, I greatly appreciated the fact that Mr. Menendez appreciated (or "got") my main points.  I am also happy that the book was being reviewed and looked at by a wide audience of people across the political and theological spectrum (or at least, so I imagine).  That is a good thing.  One of my hopes in writing the book was to prompt this kind of dialogue (in addition, of course, to selling a few copies as well), where we can understand a shared (if not always common) past.

Chewing on Pew

Last week, as I was preparing to talk about The Mainline in Boston, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life issued a report that not only garnered headlines but also helped reshape my presentation and subsequent Q and A time.  As someone who was about to engage the public, I quickly scanned the report.  But as an historian, I also wanted to read the report in depth before I bought into the hysterics that the headlines seemed to be generating (one way or another) in certain denominational quarters.

So first, here are the two major "headline" inducing findings from this most recent report (which you can read here:

1.  The United States is no longer a Protestant majority nation when it comes to religious affiliation.
2.  To borrow from the report itself, "'Nones' are on the rise: one-in-five adults have no religious affiliation."

So, let's take a look at these two points, both in their way, bombshells.  But both also with some potential problems if you don't take the time to dig into the numbers and/or depending on how you interpret both the raw numbers and their implications.

First, is the United States no long a Protestant majority nation?  According to the Pew study, while the U.S. remains a decidedly Christian nation (73%), the vast majority of which are comprised of Protestants, that number has fallen to 48% of the whole (Catholics constitute about 22% of the population according to Pew).  So, working from the numbers, the report is accurate.  But, how did Pew researchers arrive at the number?  They break Protestants into three broad sub-groups (white evangelical, white mainline, and black Protestant), and while in other reports on their homepage you can find further breakdown of those groups (imperfectly one would suspect based on the combination of phone surveys and denominational membership numbers that are compiled from official sources), and taken together, those numbers give us the 48% figure.

All fine and good, but let's dig a bit deeper here.  The survey's overall margin of error seems to be just over 2%.  If that is the case, then Protestants may still cling to majority status.  But the bigger issue for me is how the numbers are compiled.  First, and perhaps I missed it, but there seems to be little room in the report for non-denominational Protestants, which one could argue, might be the most under reported, under studied, religious group in America.  Did Pew consider these Christians in their findings?  Are they aggregated in with the white evangelicals -- which can be problematic, since there are also black evangelical non-denominational churches as well.  Likewise, where/how does Pew calculate and label Pentecostal churches and denominations-- who are Protestant (largely) but don't out of hand fit under either of the big three labels conclusively?  In short, there is more to dig into here than the headline, and even the report, may at first indicate.

But the major revelation and headline getter didn't revolve around the status of Protestants.  Rather it was about the rise of unaffiliated Americans.  Pew's report, the subsequent headlines, and much of the discussion since has revolved around the roughly 20% of all Americans who now are labeled as having no particular religious affiliation.  As the report notes, this figure has increased in the last decade, and as the Pew study further relates, there seems to be a host of cultural reasons for this (including a growing acceptance to the idea that it is fine to say publicly that you don't belong/go to a church/synagogue on a regular basis, if at all).

While these cultural reasons are the basis for reflection and discussion, once again perhaps we should dig into the report.  According to Pew, that 20% unaffiliated can be broken down in the following manner:

6% atheist or agnostic
14% unaffiliated.

And it is with the unaffiliated that I want to spend a little time.  According to Pew, these people are not "seekers" -- that is, at this time, they don't really want to find a church (or any other formal religious) home.  They tend (although not conclusively so) to be politically more liberal on social issues (prompting some to theorize that they may be a response to the rise in the 1980s and 1990s of the Religious Right).  But from a demographic stand point, they also tend to be single, white, men.

Yet, if we dig deeper into the study we find some interesting things about these "nones." 68% of them say they believe in God.  37% of them describe themselves as "spiritual" but not "religious."  And 21% say that they pray daily.  In other words, unlike perhaps many atheists and some agnostics, they are not anti-religion, even if they might be skeptical of organized religion.

What does this mean for the Mainline (whether that of the Seven Sisters or the emerging one I argue for in my book)?  As an historian, I am more interested in the unaffiliated than on the notion of Protestant minority status, though the two may very well be more linked than the 80 pages of the Pew report indicate at first read.  Are these "nones" one of the reasons for the decline of the old Mainline?  Where are they dis-affiliating themselves from -- were they raised in -- a Protestant church, but no longer are?  If so, where and why?  What is it about Christianity (Protestant or Catholic) in America over the past few decades that has led, apparently, to an exodus of sorts of single, white, men?  What can and should the Church be doing to reach out to them?  Is this, in some ways, similar to the crisis in the early twentieth century that gripped American Protestantism and which led to the "muscular Christianity" movement?  What parallels and lessons can be drawn from that time to this one (even if we don't have a Pew study to compare it to)?

In short, I'm going to continue to chew on Pew, mull it over, and see where it takes me.  And I hope you will join me in getting beyond the headlines and digging a bit deeper to see where it takes us.

Congregational Library

Yesterday, on October 11, I had the honor to talk about The Mainline at the Congregational Library in Boston (http://www.congregationallibrary.org/).  Back when I was just starting work on the book (and wrapping up work on my Prohibition book), I had received a travel and research grant to come to the Library and see what I could find on both projects in their archives.  Let me say that as an American Historian, few places rival Boston when it comes to history, travel, and research.  And for both projects, the Congregation Library was a treasure trove.  So, it was wonderful to get to go back and discuss my findings with the folks who had helped make it all possible.

I got to the library early to do a little reading on the Beechers (which my Butler classes this semester will appreciate as we move along, and which will help as I work on my next project to boot).  The staff was top notch as always.  And it was nice to see my book on display at the front desk (and being watched over by Jonathon Edwards himself no less!). 

In the conference room where the brown bag discussion took place, just off of the reading room, there were other pictures and artifacts.  While his father's portrait commands a place of honor in the reading room, in the conference room I had Henry Ward Beecher (who got his pastoral start in Indiana) keeping an eye on me.  In some respects all those portraits, many of people who are discussed in the Mainline book was comforting, as we waited for people to arrive.

All told, there were about 20 in attendance.  Many of them were ministers in the United Church of Christ, others were board members or friends of the Library.  I even had an attendee from Japan (the Rev. Yukimasa Ohmae), whose church in Kobe has special ties to Boston's Congregational past.  Over the course of our time together I sketched both the book and why I had written it, and we then got into a wonderful discussion about the future of Mainline Protestantism, ranging from my arguments in the book, to the use of political labels to discuss spiritual matters, the importance of culture/experience to religious consumerism, to the findings of the recent Pew Study on Religious Affiliation (which may very well be the subject of a future blog post, once I get a chance to read deeper into it).

Simply put, though it was a whirlwind trip, it could not have gone better.  I had a great time, the talk/discussion went perfectly, and I can only hope that the guests enjoyed it as much as I did!  I can also only hope to have other such opportunities in the months ahead.

http://www.parkstreet.org/

Above is Park Street Church (http://www.parkstreet.org/), which sits at "the bottom" of the hill that makes up Boston Common, about a block from both the Massachusetts statehouse and a block from the Congregational Library.  It plays an important role in the story I tell in the Mainline, and so I couldn't resist taking a picture of it all lit up by the morning sun.

Indy Authors Fair

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to be a part of the Indy Authors Fair (http://www.imcpl.org/indyauthorfair/) at the Central Library (and what an awesome facility that is) downtown.  All told, there were some 40 authors in the Simon Reading Room showcasing a wide variety of books.  While I was chiefly there to stump for the Mainline, I also brought a few copies of my first book (on Prohibition) as well.....the title "Prohibition is here to stay" continues to generate smiles from those who take a look at the cover!

Over the course of afternoon, I talked to numerous visitors to our table.  Some where browsing, some were thinking ahead for their collections (several guests worked at central Indiana libraries and were looking for potential purchases), and some were prospective authors themselves who wanted to know about publishing a book.  It was fun to get to talk to all of them.  By far my favorite though, was the woman who is currently working on a book about the Christian Endeavor organization.  We chatted for a bit, and then she said "OK, I'll take a chance on you" and promptly purchased a copy! 

"I'll take a chance on you."  Are there truer words for an author/reader relationship than those?  Authors take a tremendous amount of responsibility on their shoulders when they write, but ultimately it comes down to trust.  Does our audience trust us enough, find our argument compelling enough, to pay to read what we have written?  An encounter such as this reminds me of that bond between author and reader.

There will be more to post in the coming weeks.  I have more speaking engagements lined up (and hope for others to come together), and as reviews come in, there will be a chance for me to respond -- since a good (and I don't out of hand mean just in the positive sense) review, I think, should prompt the author to think again about what they wrote.  The journey with this book it seems, is far from nearing its end!

Religious Studies Review!

The very first review (published just this week) from an academic journal comes from:

Stroup, J. (2012), Mainline Christianity: the Past and Future of America's Majority Faith. By Jason S. Lantzer . New York: New York University Press, 2012. Pp. ix + 188. Paper, $24.00. Religious Studies Review, 38: 186. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-0922.2012.01630_4.x

I enjoyed the part when Prof. Stroup said "Lantzer goes beyond D. Kelley and D. Sehat, examining the shrinking importance of mainline denominations (Congregational/United Churches of Christ, Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Methodist, American Baptist, Disciples of Christ), proposing a “diversifying” revision of what mainline status implies now."  As well as "Of interest is the material on democracy as Christian decline (Catholic Rightists Kuehnelt-Leddihn and Molnar vindicated?), the section on H. Fosdick, and the discussion of J. Forman's coupling of “armed struggle” with demanding $3,000,000,000 (which episode the knowing reader will be tempted to take as only one of many indications of how thoroughly Protestantism has lost any clear sense of purpose)."

And while there is also plenty of critique in the short review, how can any author take issue with someone who makes suggestion for "The next edition"?

First Reader Review!

Here is the first review I've seen from someone who bought and read the book.  It was first posted to his blog http://sowhatfaith.com/2012/06/28/review-of-mainline-christianity/, with a shorter version then appearing on Amazon.

One Month On

My, my, how time does fly.....

One month ago today, my second book The Mainline (http://www.amazon.com/Mainline-Christianity-Future-Americas-Majority/dp/0814753310/ref=la_B001QVB830_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338432618&sr=1-1) was released.  To say that I am a very pleased author thus far is an understatement.

First, a thank you to all who have purchased a copy thus far.  It is an honor to be an author, and for family, friends, your professional peers, students, and strangers to buy a copy of your book is not something I believe comes with a good deal of responsibility to produce a quality product (and be ready to discuss points that it raises).  Hence, I am pleased that long before official reviews have appeared, thanks to blogs, there has already been some engagement with the core of the book....I'm also pleased that (generally) where there has been disagreement, there has also been a sense of professionalism:  That is, that we can differ on things and not resort to name calling, dismissing arguments out of hand, or professional slander mongering.

Secondly, I also pleased to say that it appears as though there is going to be more opportunities for that kind of discussion.  I have been asked, and, while no date has been set, I have accepted the invitation to speak about the book at the Congregational Library in Boston!  I am very excited about getting to go back to both Boston (a city I love) and to the Congregational Library (where I got to do some of the initial research for this book).  I hope that this leads to other speaking opportunities as well.

Lastly, for tonight, I keep thinking about how this experience compares to the release of my first book.  There are no doubt differences, in large part because this time I know what to do better (and better know what is expected of me).  There are also better tools at my disposal (Amazon.com has created an AWESOME author's page system).  But I can say, that at the end of this first month, the book is currently in libraries in 28 states (and the District of Columbia) as well as at least in two foreign countries.  And I think that coverage area is wider, than where book 1 was at this time. 

For the ability to reach such an audience as I have already, and to the one that remains to be reached, I am truly thankful.

A Theological Response

Earlier today I came upon the Gaudete Theology blog (http://gaudetetheology.wordpress.com/), which made mention of my post on Religion in American History blog.  The post took issue with my use of "Mainline" to mean majority, arguing instead that it should be understood in theological terms rather than sociological terms.

Now, I admit that my time in graduate school exposed me to the work of a good number of scholars whose field was the sociology of religion.  And unlike the Gaudete blogger, I'm not a theologian in training.  I am, first and foremost, an Historian, and to me the "Mainline as majority" idea makes a good deal of intuitive sense...obviously, since I just wrote a book about it!  But let me take up, at least to a degree this theological critique of a book that the blogger has no doubt not yet read.

The Mainline of the Seven Sisters was not a cohesive theological movement.  It included, at its creation Christians with a broad spectrum of ideas.  The denominations involved all brought to the table a wide variety (and this the blogger noted) of church polity stances (and thus, how they believed the Church should be structured), as well as opinions on doctrine (communion for example), and a host of other things that divided them.  Indeed, while I talk a good deal about the Social Gospel in the book, not even this is a truly binding theological construct on the Mainline (to begin with, not all the members of the Seven Sisters member congregations embraced it, or embraced all of it, or agreed about what it meant).  One could argue that the Social Gospel helped give rise to Modernists (who along with some Moderates) came to control the denominational hierarchies, and so gave birth to "liberal Protestantism" of the mid-twentieth century, but even this is problematic when applied to entire denominations.  If this is what the blogger was getting at, then I have to disagree with them.  Indeed, one of the things I note (though I perhaps could have done more) was the lack of theological discussion I found with the Mainline (even within their heyday of late 19th and early 20th centuries.  As other scholars have noted, American Protestants have long been short on taking theology seriously (I think here of the work of say Mark Noll). It simply wasn't a priority, and as such, I don't think you can make a theological argument for the creation of the Mainline (or that theology somehow sustained it).

That being said, I hope the blogger will take a look at the book.  Perhaps they'll change their mind.  Or perhaps we'll be able to have a better informed discussion about the importance/significance of theology within the Mainline (past and present).  I would welcome that, indeed, prompting scholarly interest, debate, and discussion about the nature of American Christianity was one of my goals with the book to begin with.

Props from Butler!

This appeared tonight on the Butler University homepage:

http://www.butler.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=3546&z=22

Cross Posting

Here is my guest blog:

http://usreligion.blogspot.com/

This is the day!

There is an old hymn I remember singing as a child that goes like this:

"This is the day,
This is the day,
This is the day that the Lord has made!
I will rejoice,
I will rejoice,
And be glad in it!"

I recount that hymn now, because today is the day that my second book, The Mainline officially is released.  I am very happy with how the book turned out, and very pleased that it is now out to the wider reading public.  I am thankful for all those who helped make it a reality.  I am hopeful that it will not only tell a good story, but also help prompt some debate and discussion.

In some respects, writing a book is a journey for an author.  In other ways, it is merely the first step.  Today beings the next step, and I am excited about where it will take us.


http://nyupress.org/books/book-details.aspx?bookId=8280

Advance Copies!

With just a few weeks to go until the official release, the PR machine is starting to heat up....with email blasts, mailings, and various Twitter and Facebook announcements.  But none of that really tops getting advance copies in the mail: