In 1950, Christian Century ran a series of articles on twelve churches, some large, some small, each representing a strand of American mainline Protestantism. Now, nearly fifty years later, Randall Balmer--author and host of Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, the acclaimed book and PBS series on American evangelicism--has revisited each of these twelve churches to take the pulse of Protestantism today. The result is a remarkable narrative, graced with touches of local color and memorable portraits of the people involved, and filled with deft observations and carefully nuanced insights about Protestantism at century's end.
Much as he did in Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, Balmer crisscrosses America to give us a first-hand look at how Christianity has fared in the last half-century. What emerges is a church challenged by diminished influence, but with signs of hope for the future. For instance, he takes us to West Hartford, Connecticut, where we learn how a gregarious pastor, Bob Heppenstall, rekindled the spirit of the First Church of Christ Congregational--still housed in its stately, classic New England meetinghouse--that had suffered from inept management until recent years. And in Ames, Iowa, at the Collegiate United Methodist Church, we watch George White struggle to regain his church's once dominant voice in the religious life of the town, a voice now dimmed by the growth of fundamentalism. Some churches have held steadfastly to long-established roles, such as the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, in Decorah, Iowa, which has been a model of continuity, serving its Norwegian-American community in much the same way since it was founded in 1851. And Balmer also visits some thriving churches, such as Hollywood's First Presbyterian Church, led by the great preacher John Lloyd Ogilvie, who was recently appointed chaplain of the U.S. Senate. In Minneapolis, Balmer encounters Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, a congregation that has not only increased its membership, but can now call itself the biggest Lutheran church in the world.
In Grant Us Courage, one of our most thoughtful chroniclers of the American scene offers an intimate look at mainline Protestantism at the close of the century. We come away with the feeling of having been there, of having listened to the voices of an important segment of Christian life, and of having found a deeper understanding of religious life in America today.
Industry Reviews
"Deftly interweaving local history, demographic data, personality sketches, and church anecdotes, Balmer demonstrates the same power of observation that earned his study of evangelicals critical acclaim. His descriptions of these mainline churches will elicit from almost any American churchgoer chuckles of recognition--or sighs."--Christianity Today
"Distills a good deal about what happened to this country's mainstream religious life in the postwar era.... The book traces the effect on churches as pastors and staff change, and shows the influence of changing secular politics, shifting theology, and the expanding roles of women.... This book reads like travel writing, with the writer always looking for the telling detail."--The Christian Science Monitor
"An engaging narrative that should provoke thoughtful reflection on what is 'mainline' and what is 'great' in Protestantism in the U.S. at the end of the twentieth century."--Booklist
"Before historians and sociologists generalize further about 'mainline Protestantism,' let them read Balmer's narratives of the recent ups and downs of these twelve congregations. The stories will alternately encourage, perplex, and challenge the friends and the enemies of the mainline. In fact, Balmer's stories are richer than his own general conclusions. That's the way with good stories. These are really worth reading."--Donald W. Shriver, Jr., President
Emeritus, Union Theological Seminary
"As Balmer demonstrates, American religion now thrives on the margins of evangelicalism and New Age spirituality."--Library Journal
"Balmer is an engaging and challenging commentator with a sprightly style, and his concluding essay on the state of the American church is absolutely penetrating."--Publishers Weekly
"From the author of Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory and host of the PBS series of the same title, another incisive critique of the US religious scene."--Kirkus Reviews
"Randall Balmer has once again produced an engaging narrative on the Protestant church in the modern era. His insightful writing offers a balanced assessment of the historical development of American Protestantism."--Mark O. Hatfield, United States Senator from Oregon
"Balmer's keen ear and eye provide us with a perceptive and artfully drawn portrait of contemporary congregational life in mainline Protestantism. His samples are 'twelve great churches' of 1950, so Balmer can track the changing fortunes and enduring spiritual power of these religious communities in the late twentieth century. A marvelous sketch book--one to be read, savored, and pondered."--John M. Mulder, President, Louisville Seminary
"Randall Balmer has applied his skills as a theologically aware investigator and experienced journalist to produce this perceptive examination of the same twelve churches initially profiled in a 1950 Christian Century magazine series. What he discovered, 45 years later, provides both observers and members with a valuable profile of mainline Protestantism at the close of the 20th century."--James M. Wall, editor, Christian Century
"By all means, read this book to find out about the sometimes dismaying complexities now experienced by mainline Protestant congregations. But savor this book also for the skill with which Balmer hears, sees, records, and responds to the kind of religion that still is most practiced in America--out of the limelight, out where the people live."--Mark A. Noll, Professor of History, Wheaton College
"Those who have watched Randall Balmer's public television programs on American religion will find the same warm engagement in these pages. As one travels with him from Ohio, to Florida, to Kansas, and elsewhere, one gains a valuable inside view of the variety and vitality of mainstream Protestant congregations. Pastors and laity will want to read this book to see how their churches compare with others; scholars should read it as a reality check on their
theories."--Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University, author of Christianity in the 21st Century and Learning to Care: Elementary Kindness in an Age of Indifference
